The Cathedral of St. Ambrose is a building in Lombardy with roots going as far back as the tenth century, though the present structure dates to the sixteenth.
It is the seat of the Bishop of Vigevano and the current building was commissioned by Duke Francesco II Sforza in 1530.
Dedicated to St. Ambrose, it was designed by Antonio da Lonate and thought it was begun shortly afterwards, work was not completed until 1612.
With beautiful painted interiors, a newer Baroque façade and a famous treasury and museum inside, it is a typical Italian cathedral in many ways.
It is the seat of the Bishop of Vigevano and the current building was commissioned by Duke Francesco II Sforza in 1530.
Dedicated to St. Ambrose, it was designed by Antonio da Lonate and thought it was begun shortly afterwards, work was not completed until 1612.
With beautiful painted interiors, a newer Baroque façade and a famous treasury and museum inside, it is a typical Italian cathedral in many ways.
A recent discovery, however, sets it apart from others: a dinosaur skull embedded in the walls. If you want to see this unique church for yourself, find a villa with pool in Lombardy and spend a day exploring the building and its hidden gems.
In 2010, news outlets all over the world, from scientific publications to pop-culture focused sites, exploded with the story that a palaeontologist from the University of Milan had discovered that a dinosaur skull was within the walls of the cathedral at Vigevano.
Andrea Tintori identified what appeared to be the cross-section of a skull fossil embedded in a slab of stone in the balustrade.
The stone arrived between 1532 and 1660 when the rose-coloured calcareous stone, called Broccatello, was cut in sections and brought from a quarry in the Italian Swiss town of Arzo.
The stone dates to the Lower Jurassic period and the area it was taken from has a particular reputation for being rich in fossils.
Tintori is convinced that it is definitely a dinosaur though he initially thought it might have been a fossil of an Ichthyosaurus , giant marine reptiles that resembled fish and dolphins. However, closer inspection revealed to him the reptile's cranium, nasal lobes and teeth, making him certain that it was, in fact, a dinosaur. A process of being allowed to remove the stone and complete a 3-D reconstruction is under way to figure out exactly what animal it is.
In 2010, news outlets all over the world, from scientific publications to pop-culture focused sites, exploded with the story that a palaeontologist from the University of Milan had discovered that a dinosaur skull was within the walls of the cathedral at Vigevano.
Andrea Tintori identified what appeared to be the cross-section of a skull fossil embedded in a slab of stone in the balustrade.
The stone arrived between 1532 and 1660 when the rose-coloured calcareous stone, called Broccatello, was cut in sections and brought from a quarry in the Italian Swiss town of Arzo.
The stone dates to the Lower Jurassic period and the area it was taken from has a particular reputation for being rich in fossils.
Tintori is convinced that it is definitely a dinosaur though he initially thought it might have been a fossil of an Ichthyosaurus , giant marine reptiles that resembled fish and dolphins. However, closer inspection revealed to him the reptile's cranium, nasal lobes and teeth, making him certain that it was, in fact, a dinosaur. A process of being allowed to remove the stone and complete a 3-D reconstruction is under way to figure out exactly what animal it is.
Other experts, such as Paul Sereno, a palaeontologist, professor at the University of Chicago and one of the world's leading dinosaur experts, noted that it was definitely a fossil and seemed intriguing but are less certain of the fact that it is a dinosaur.
He noted that “While definitely a fossil, I cannot say what it is.” Some doubt the presence of the teeth Tintori purports to see and think it must be an entirely different creature such as a cross-section through the shell of one of a prehistoric cephalopod.
So, while the debate continues, it is still a fascinating find and an unusual sight in a church! If you're interested in visiting a great Italian cathedral with something extra, stop by on your next visit to Lombardy!
He noted that “While definitely a fossil, I cannot say what it is.” Some doubt the presence of the teeth Tintori purports to see and think it must be an entirely different creature such as a cross-section through the shell of one of a prehistoric cephalopod.
So, while the debate continues, it is still a fascinating find and an unusual sight in a church! If you're interested in visiting a great Italian cathedral with something extra, stop by on your next visit to Lombardy!
Photo credits
picture 1: Alessandro Vecchi / CC BY-SA 3.0;
picture 2: Stefano Stabile / CC BY-SA 3.0;
picture 3: Davide Papalini / CC BY-SA 3.0
picture 1: Alessandro Vecchi / CC BY-SA 3.0;
picture 2: Stefano Stabile / CC BY-SA 3.0;
picture 3: Davide Papalini / CC BY-SA 3.0
