The Cathedral of San Donato

Built on several levels, the old town centre of Mondovi is a jewel that has been accessible since 1886 thanks to the handy funicular railway that connects the lower part of the town, Rione Breo, to the upper part, Rione Piazza, with rides every five minutes. Since the nineteenth century, Mondovì has been known especially for its ceramics, a rich production that supplied nearby Liguria. Traces of the Monregalese ceramics district remain in the precious collection housed in the dedicated museum.

Mondovì also has strong Baroque influences and some of the most famous examples of this artistic expression include the Cathedral of San Donato, designed by Gallo in the eighteenth century, and the Belvedere garden, which offers splendid views dominated by the Civic Tower.

The Cathedral, a jewel of eighteenth-century ‘Rococo’ Baroque splendour, surprises with its large frescoes, precious paintings, wealth of polychrome marble, the alabaster crucifix on the right-hand nave, its wooden choir and imposing organ. If you have the chance to visit it in the morning or late afternoon, you will notice the enchanting light coming in through the yellow stained glass windows that bring out the golden details of the capitals and friezes in a surprising contrast with the complementary colours of the colonnade.