MONTEPULCIANO

Architectural and artistic adaptation of the presbyteral area of the Cathedral of Montepulciano

The redevelopment project of the presbyteral area of Montepulciano Cathedral stems from the need to redefine the liturgical space according to criteria of architectural clarity, material consistency and functionality, in dialogue with the existing historical heritage. The intervention proposes a new organization of the main elements – altar, ambo, cathedra and seating – through a unified compositional layout, capable of respecting the identity of the monument and at the same time renewing its legibility.

Materials and finishes are selected for their consistency with local tradition: glazed terracotta, marble, brass, and olive wood, used in a sober, modular, and contemporary language. The design of the stepped surfaces and liturgical poles follows a strict geometric layout, designed to ensure proportion, visibility and flexibility of use according to different celebrations.

The artistic intervention by Olimpia Zagnoli, whose essential and colorful graphic stroke interprets in a contemporary key the motif of the olive branch, a symbol of peace and regeneration. The illustration is harmoniously grafted into the architecture, articulating itself on the surfaces of the presbytery and the furnishings, creating a continuous visual narrative that accompanies the space without invading it. The choice to involve an artistic voice from outside the world of traditional sacred art opens the project to a transversal language, capable of bringing new sensibilities closer to the place.

The intervention is thus configured as a synthesis of architecture, art and memory, in which every element – from the design of the furnishings to the iconographic presence – contributes to the construction of a unified, open and contemporary space, fully integrated into the monumental context of the Cathedral.