Saint Lanfranco

Lanfranco was an Italian architect active from around 1099 to 1110, primarily known for his work on the Modena Cathedral. His role as a master builder and supreme artificer of such a monumental undertaking is recorded in the early 13th-century manuscript Relatio de innovatione ecclesie sancti Gemeniani, housed in the Chapter archives of Modena. Lanfranco collaborated with Bonsignore, the Bishop of Reggio, to discover the urn containing relics of St. Geminianus for a new church in 1106. The cathedral itself bears witness to his ingenuity and competence, as noted by a Latin apsidal epigraph that describes him as 'famous for ingenuity, knowledgeable and competent director of works, governor and master.' His contributions to the architectural and spiritual heritage of Modena remain significant within the Church.