Sant'Andrea Cathedral

The ultimate expression of the architectural and artistic genius of Leon Battista Alberti, the Basilica of Sant'Andrea boasts a truly unique facade, for which Alberti's design, started in 1472, brings together the styles of antiquity in a paean of human intelligence. Many centuries elapsed before the church was constructed. Gradually the imposing nave, the transept and the apse - all of which are now adorned with 18th and 19th centuries frescoes - were completed, while the centrepiece, Filippo Juvarra's immense cupola, was designed in 1733.The basilica includes a funerary chapel for Andrea Mantegna, housing some the artist's own paintings alongside work by a young Correggio. It is home to the Sacred Vessels that contain the relic of the blood of Christ. There are also some interesting paintings by Lorenzo Costa the Elder, Fermo Ghisoni and Giovanni Battista Caccioli, together with some carved tombs of note. Visiting the Basilica of Sant'Andrea means losing yourself in a myriad of art - a veritable labyrinth that encapsulates and showcases the genius of Alberti.