Italy's Divine Duomos Trivia Quiz

Answer: Shroud

Built at the end of the 15th century, and enlarged in the 17th and 18th centuries, the Duomo of Turin - dedicated to the city's patron saint, St John the Baptist - is the city's only religious building in the Renaissance style. Located near Turin's archaeological area, the cathedral replaced three Early Christian churches; the bell tower predates the church by about 20 years. The Duomo's architect, Meo del Caprino, was originally from Tuscany, and the influence of the Florentine Renaissance is evident in the building. The cupola was added in the late 17th century, as was the sumptuous Baroque chapel that houses the famed Shroud of Turin (known in Italian as "Sacra Sindone"), a length of linen cloth believed to have been Jesus Christ's burial shroud. The chapel was heavily damaged by a fire in 1997, but has since been restored.

Turin, the first capital of unified Italy, is the regional capital of the Piedmont (Piemonte) region, in north-western Italy. Other notable Duomos in the region are those of Ivrea (Romanesque), Alba, Asti and Chieri (all Gothic).

German-speaking countries also use the word "Dom", which has the same origin as the Italian "duomo".

Answer: Violin

Dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, Cremona's beautiful Duomo was originally built in the early 12th century, when the city was a prosperous commercial centre. A few years after its completion, it had to be rebuilt almost from scratch because of the damage inflicted in 1117 by a devastating earthquake. In the following centuries, many new elements were added - so that the cathedral's current appearance is a mix of Romanesque, Gothic and Renaissance elements. The façade is embellished by a large rose window, flanked by two rows of small loggias. Next to the Duomo looms the huge brick bell tower, known as "Torrazzo", the symbol of the city, completed in 1309. The world's largest astronomical clock, whose face represents the signs of the zodiac, is lodged in the wall of the tower's fourth storey.

Cremona is located in the southern part of Lombardy; the Po, Italy's longest river, flows just outside the city centre. The tradition of violin-making craftmanship (recognized as Intangible Heritage by UNESCO in 2012) developed in the 16th century, and is still alive to this day.

Though Lombardy's most famous cathedral is the huge Late Gothic Duomo of Milan - one of the world's largest church buildings - the region boasts many other beautiful churches.

Answer: Trento

Outside of Italy, Trento's fame mainly rests with having hosted the eponymous Council, which took place from 1545 to 1563. However, the city, which blends Italian character with Central European influences, has a lot to offer in terms of sights. Its Duomo, built between 1212 and 1321 over a pre-existing 4th-century church, is a large Romanesque building with Gothic elements. Like the church it replaced, the Duomo of Trento is dedicated to Saint Vigilius, the city's first bishop and patron saint, who is buried in the crypt. The photo shows the northern side of the cathedral, with its distinctive rose window representing the Wheel of Fortune. Though the original plans included two bell towers, the cathedral only has one: its 18th-century, onion-shaped dome is a common feature in the churches of the Alpine regions of Italy and Austria.

Trento is one of the two provincial capitals of the autonomous region of Trentino-Alto Adige; the other provincial capital, Bolzano (Bozen in German), also boasts a beautiful Gothic Duomo. Both cities are situated on or near the Adige, Italy's second-longest river, just south of the magnificent Dolomites.

Answer: Ghirlandina

Dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary and Saint Geminianus, the Duomo of Modena was designed by an architect named Lanfranco, and built for the most part during the 12th century. The church's façade is embellished by a majestic 13th-century rose window, and stunning marble reliefs. The latter - carved by Wiligelmus, a contemporary of Lanfranco, the first medieval sculptor to sign his work with his name - depict characters and stories from the Old and New Testament. The north portal, on the other hand, features high relief carvings that include scenes inspired by the Arthurian cycle. The bell tower - named Ghirlandina after the two marble railings ("ghirlande") decorating its top - is crowned by an octagonal cusp. In 1997, the cathedral, the tower and the square (Piazza Grande) where they are located were inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Modena, one of Emilia-Romagna's provincial capitals, lies about 30 km (18.6 mi) north-east of Bologna. It is known as the home of iconic car-makers Ferrari, and renowned for its cuisine.

"Gioconda" is the Italian name of the famous "Mona Lisa"; Gorgonzola is a kind of blue cheese, and "gelateria" means "ice cream shop".

Answer: The Black Death

In the 13th century, the Tuscan city of Siena was one of Europe's wealthiest cities. The Duomo, dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, was the crowning achievement of the city's heyday, a sprawling building that sits on top of a hill, surrounded by the houses and palaces of Siena's historic centre.

The Duomo's construction began in the 1220s; the striped bell tower and the magnificently decorated façade, teeming with sculptures and mosaics, were completed by 1317. In order to compete with their Florentine arch-rivals, a few years later the Sienese conceived an overambitious plan for a cathedral that would become the largest church in Christendom. Construction began in 1340, but was brusquely interrupted by the terrible plague epidemic known as the Black Death, which devastated Siena in 1348. All that remains of this project is an unfinished nave extension, and a wall with a huge window (known in town as "Facciatone", the big façade). The Duomo's lofty interior is equally stunning, with its striped black-and-white columns, its unique inlaid marble mosaic floor (representing scenes from the Old Testament), and Nicola Pisano's Gothic marble pulpit.

Tuscany is home to some of the most beautiful Duomos in Italy, including the Cathedral of Florence with Brunelleschi's ground-breaking dome, the Romanesque Duomos of Pisa and Lucca, and many others - all well worth a visit.

Answer: The Last Judgment

The town of Orvieto is located in southern Umbria, about 100 km (62 mi) north of Rome, on a volcanic plug overlooking the valley of the River Tiber. The striking façade of its celebrated Duomo, dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, and built between 1290 and 1591, can be glimpsed when traveling north on the A1 (Rome-Milan) motorway. The resemblance between the Duomo of Orvieto and the Duomo of Siena (Q.5) is not a coincidence. Though many experts believe that the magnificent façade of the Duomo of Orvieto was the inspiration for the design of the upper façade of Siena's cathedral, it is likely that work on Siena's façade began a few years earlier. In any case, the façade of the Duomo of Orvieto - designed by Sienese architect and sculptor Lorenzo Maitani in the early 14th century - comes across as more harmonious and cohesive.

The Chapel of San Brizio, located in the right arm of the transept, houses some of the most important examples of Renaissance fresco painting, depicting scenes from the Last Judgment. Work on the Chapel was begun in 1447 by renowned Florentine painter Fra Angelico, and completed in 1502 by Luca Signorelli from Cortona. The powerful rendition of those apocalyptic scenes, particularly those that show the Resurrection of the Flesh and the Damned in Hell, is considered Signorelli's masterpiece, and reportedly influenced Michelangelo's work in the Sistine Chapel.

Landlocked Umbria is one of Italy's most beautiful regions, with its rolling green hills and picturesque medieval towns. Other remarkable Umbrian Duomos can be visited in the regional capital of Perugia, and in the towns of Assisi, Spoleto, and Todi.

Answer: Boniface VIII

Located in the historical region of Lazio known as Ciociaria, southeast of Rome, the town of Anagni has a long and distinguished history. Believed by the Romans to have been founded by Saturn, this hill town was the birthplace of four medieval Popes - Innocent III, Alexander IV, Gregory IX, and Boniface VIII. The Duomo of Anagni, dedicated to the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary, was built between 1072 and 1104. The austere Romanesque façade is dominated by a tall, square bell tower, while the interior was renovated in Lombardian Gothic style in 1250. The interior boasts a splendid, 13th-century mosaic marble floor by the famous Cosmati family. The Duomo's crypt, dedicated to St Thomas Becket (who was canonized by Pope Alexander III in 1173 in the nearby town of Segni), is decorated by a remarkable 13th-century fresco cycle.

Boniface VIII, whom Dante placed in Hell while the Pope was still alive, died in Anagni a month after having been humiliated and abused by a band of mercenaries hired by King Philip IV of France. The Popes mentioned as wrong answers all lived much later (Julius II during the Renaissance, Pius IX in the 19th century, and Paul VI in the 20th century).

The Cathedral of Rome, which is the regional capital of Lazio as well as the national capital, is the Basilica of St John in Lateran, one of the four major basilicas.

Answer: Amalfi

With its gorgeous views, agreeable climate and delicious cuisine (which includes the well-known Limoncello liqueur, made with the local lemons), the Amalfi Coast is one of Italy's top tourist destinations. However, there is also a lot there to satisfy lovers of art and history, as Amalfi was the oldest of the Italian Maritime Republics that flourished in the Middle Ages. Amalfi's beautiful Duomo is dedicated to the Apostle St Andrew, the town's patron saint. Standing at the top of a staircase, the Duomo looms over the town's main square; the present façade, decorated with mosaics and Moorish-style arches, dates from the 19th century, after the collapse of most of the previous front. The bell tower, completed in the late 13th century, is crowned by a distinctive turret decorated by brightly painted majolica tiles. The cathedral is adjoined by the Basilica of the Crucifix, now a museum, and the 13th-century cloister, fittingly known as Chiostro del Paradiso.

Naples, Campania's regional capital, boasts a beautiful Gothic Duomo, dedicated to St Januarius, the city's patron saint.

Rimini is located in Emilia-Romagna, on the Adriatic coast, while Cagliari is the capital of Sardinia, and Tivoli is near Rome.

Answer: Apulia

The region of Apulia (Puglia in Italian) is renowned for its gorgeous beaches, as well as its tasty food and wine. However, its artistic and cultural heritage is equally deserving of attention: in particular, its wealth of stunning religious buildings, of which the Duomo di Trani is one outstanding example. The cathedral's unique location, with the blue-green waves of the Adriatic Sea as a backdrop, and the pale pink colour of its walls (built of a local variety of calcareous tuff) make it one of the most photogenic Italian monuments. The Duomo (dedicated, like many other cathedrals, to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary) was built between 1099 and 1200, though the elegant bell tower was added later, in the mid-13th century. The cathedral's main portal, with its massive bronze door (a modern copy of the 12th-century original), is reached by a double staircase, as the church's main pavement stands about 5 m (16 ft) higher than ground level. Due to the many renovations undergone by the Duomo throughout the ages, the interior is quite bare, which emphasizes the austere beauty of its architecture.

Famous for its delicious dessert wine, Trani is located south of the Gargano Peninsula, 42 km (26 mi) north of Apulia's regional capital of Bari - which also boasts a noteworthy Romanesque Duomo. Other renowned medieval cathedrals in the region are those of Barletta, Bitonto, Otranto, and Altamura.

Answer: Normans

Lovers of medieval art visiting Sicily should not miss the trio of magnificent Duomos located in the metropolitan area of Palermo, the island's regional capital: the Duomo of Palermo itself, and those of the neighbouring towns of Cefalù and Monreale. These three cathedrals, together with a number of other buildings in Palermo dating from the Arab-Norman era, were inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage in 2015.

Construction of the Duomo of Monreale began in 1172 by order of William II of the Norman House of Hauteville (Altavilla in Italian), King of Sicily (mentioned by Dante in the "Paradiso"). According to a legend, William was told by the Virgin Mary (to whom the church is dedicated) to build a church on the site of a carob tree under which the king had fallen asleep; the treasure found in the roots of the tree served to finance the construction. The cathedral was completed at the end of the 13th century, and further additions were made in the Renaissance and Baroque eras. The exterior of the Duomo, with its 18th-century portico flanked by two bell towers (one of which is unfinished), is one of the finest examples of Norman architecture; the apses are embellished with Arab-influenced motifs. The interior is a breath-taking expanse of mosaics, executed in the 12th and 13th centuries in the Byzantine style by local and Venetian craftsmen, covering most of the walls in a glitter of gold and bright colours. The whole of the apse is taken over by the gigantic figure of Christ Pantocrator ("all-powerful"). The adjoining Romanesque cloister is a place of tranquil beauty, characterized by ornate pairs of columns with elaborately carved capitals.