Monza Cathedral, built in the early 14th century, stands on the ruins of a late-6th-century oraculum, or “queen’s chapel,” reputedly commissioned by the Lombard Queen Theodelinda. (...)
Monza Cathedral, built in the early 14th century, stands on the ruins of a late-6th-century oraculum, or “queen’s chapel,” reputedly commissioned by the Lombard Queen Theodelinda. The cathedral, built in the plan of a Latin cross, has had a number of additions over the centuries, most notably the side chapels, bell tower, and adjacent cemetery dating from the 14th, 17th, and 18th centuries, respectively. While the cathedral is known for the quality of its paintings and interior stuccowork, it is particularly celebrated for frescoes found within the Theodelinda Chapel, located on the northern side of the cathedral transept. There, a group of works from the mid-15th century painted by Milanese artists Zavattari, Franceschino, Giovanni, and Gregorio, recount 45 episodes from Queen Theodelinda’s life. Earlier representations of saints and evangelists, painted in the 14th century, decorate the chapel’s vault.
