Pesaro, July 18, 2026 – Running like Alice through the mirrors. Those of the cathedral, until recently walked on with noses down to admire the mosaics of the Duomo, which today can indeed be crossed, ‘plunging’ underground like in the masterpiece of Lewis Carroll.
No white rabbit, but the passion for History and History itself running towards tourists and Pesaro residents, with an underground path beneath the cathedral to admire the legacy.
We put on blue shoe covers and acting as guides on the journey beneath the skin of the religious complex are Mayor Andrea Biancani, Archbishop Sandro Salvucci, and Filippo Alessandroni, director of the Cultural Heritage Office of the Archdiocese of Pesaro.
Discovering the underground treasures
“On Thursday evenings you can visit the Duomo inside, and then you can walk the underground path, discovering a structure that was right next to the ancient basilica of the fifth century AD – explained Alessandroni –. So at the first floor level, about 2.20 meters down. Here we had an extensive quadriportico, with mosaics under the covered parts, more external, which are more deteriorated than those in the internal parts.”
The quadriportico became marshy, so the unhealthy area lasted about 150 years before becoming space for some tombs.
“At the time when the basilica was rebuilt in the mid-sixth century AD, the quadriportico was demolished,” continued Alessandroni.
Why the tombs? “Because at that time it was customary to dig the floors of churches, intercept the mosaic and use it as the base of the tomb.”
Also visible are the plaques of people who dedicated obols for the construction of the mosaic parts, in the first city worship building of the fifth century.
The diocese together with the Scavolini Foundation would like to further expand the glass floor area to show more pieces of mosaic,” emphasized Biancani.
“Cultural tours are going very well”
Meanwhile the visits are sold out until the end of July.
“Visits to the mosaics are going very well, as are all the tours we have made available to tourists, but also to our citizens,” continued Biancani, accompanied by Deputy Mayor and Culture Councillor Daniele Vimini. In the range of tours promoted by the Municipality are the archaeological site of the Domus of via dell’Abbondanza, the archaeological area of Colombarone, the Civic Museums, Palazzo Ducale, the Synagogue, the Church of the Name of God, the Conservatory, the Rossini Theater, the Rossini National Museum, the church of Saint Ubaldo and the church of the Annunziata.
Diocese and Municipality are also pushing to achieve a single ticketing system that can network multiple sites.
Enriching the visiting experience is also the new Multimedia Room of the Diocesan Museum, inside Palazzo Lazzarini, inaugurated at the beginning of the month and designed as an introduction to the discovery of the mosaics.
“Today the mosaics can be discovered from different perspectives – added the mayor and deputy mayor Vimini -: from above thanks to the new windows made in collaboration with the Scavolini Foundation that have expanded their usability.”
The archbishop: “This heritage is a collective good and our desire is to network with institutions, because we need to enhance together what the city can offer.”
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