14 Sep Buildings In Italy Whose Origin Can Be Traced To Medieval Times

Italy has some of the best architectural pieces in the entire world (there’s definitely no doubt about that). Some of these buildings were built centuries ago in the medieval times and are still in existence up to today (See must visit places).

These buildings are generally classified into two; those that were built during the medieval period and those that were built during the renaissance period.

Since it can be hard to differentiate which buildings were built during which time period, I decided to compile a list of medieval buildings in Italy that you can always check out whenever you decide to visit the country. Here are some of them.

The Duomo

“None is so impressive than the massive Duomo cathedral.”

Of all the architectural pieces that were built during the Middle Ages, none is so impressive than the massive Duomo cathedral which is located in Florence. When it was being built, Florentine architects wanted it to have the biggest dome in the whole of Italy; a feat that was accomplished almost 140 years after its construction started in 1294. The reason as to why it took so long for completion was because the architects who started the project did not have the ingenuity to create such a big dome. However, 124 years later Lorenzo Ghiberti found a way of accomplishing it.

The Bargello

The Bargello was built in 1255 and it features a fortress like appearance with a tall bell tower to complement its looks. It was built for use as a civil building in Florence. However, the Medici family later turned it into a police headquarters and a prison in the late 16th century.

“As of now, the Pomposa Abbey is one of the finest roman styled structures in the whole of Italy.”

Pomposa Abbey

The history of this building dates back to 874 when it had already become a centre of sophisticated art (Carolingian art to be precise). This building greatly illustrates the Romanesque style of architecture that was common during the period. The construction of the bell tower began in 1063 and the architects still maintained the Romanesque style. As of now, the Pomposa Abbey is one of the finest roman styled structures in the whole of Italy.

Leaning Tower Of Pisa

This is one of the most fascinating buildings in the entire world. For a building to have survived centuries while leaning on one end truly details the great mastery of architecture that the Italians had during the medieval times. The leaning Tower of Pisa started to be constructed in 1173. It was first built up to the 3rd floor after which the tower then started to lean because the architects had not taken into account that the foundation was built on a dense mixture of clay and impacted soil and the clay couldn’t hold all the weight. As a result, further development on the building was halted for 100 years before it someone else stepped in to complete the other floors.

Most of these buildings were built in a Roman style and they showcased brilliance and architectural prowess of the Italians at the time.

Furthermore, some have been reinforced over the years so as to make them more sturdy and safe especially for the thousands of tourists who would want a glimpse of what the buildings house inside of them.