Two of the sights in Perugia are named “San Pietro” – the church and the abbey. They have this name in honor of the noble Pietro Vincoli, who was canonized after death.
The church was built on the place of the main cathedral, the first residence of a Perugia episcopacy. The abbey was constructed several centuries later.
Though the abbey had a lot of power, it was set on fire by locals at the end of the 14th century. The reason for the serious actions became the abbot’s conspiracy against a leader of a local party.
After 100 years the abbey was restored with the help of the Pope. And at the end of the 19th century, the abbey was closed again because of the Italian Peninsula conquest by a French army.
Now in front of the San Pietro cathedral visitors can see the medieval gate, which leads to a monumental facade with three passages. The entrance is situated on the left of a gallery. That is also the place with the antique basilica facade elements. The portal of an abbey is decorated with a medieval portico. Close to the cathedral tourists can see a unique bell tower, rebuild under the control of Bernardo Rossellino.
Inside the church is kept one of the largest works of art collections in Perugia. The internal columns are made of grey marble and decorated with the scenes from the Bible.
On the wooden ceiling Bendetto di Giovanni da Montepulciano made a mosaic.
Many famous Italian painters worked on a cathedral decoration, and among them is Perugino. He painted several pictures of saints in a sacristy.
In a presbytery – between neve and altar – visitors can see the magnificent wooden choirs. They are considered as the most beautiful choirs in Italia.