Alba Cathedral

Alba Cathedral Italian: Cattedrale di San Lorenzo; Duomo di Alba
North side of the cathedral, with the 13th-century Lombardo-Gothic campanile
Basic information
Location	Via Vida, 1 Alba, Piedmont, Italy
Geographic coordinates	44°42′00″N 8°02′10″E / 44.700°N 8.036°E / 44.700; 8.036Coordinates: 44°42′00″N 8°02′10″E / 44.700°N 8.036°E / 44.700; 8.036
Affiliation	Roman Catholic
Country	Italy
Ecclesiastical or organizational status	Cathedral
Architectural style	Romanesque original, overlaid by Lombardo-Gothic and extensive 19th-century reconstructions
Materials	Red brick

Alba Cathedral (Italian: Cattedrale di San Lorenzo; Duomo di Alba) is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Alba, Piedmont, Italy, dedicated to Saint Lawrence. It is the episcopal seat of the Diocese of Alba (otherwise Alba Pompeia).

It is a Romanesque building located in the Piazza del Risorgimento, better known as Piazza Duomo ("cathedral plaza"), amidst cobbled streets.

The earliest structure appears to have been built on the site at the end of the 5th century. A subsequent Romanesque structure was built on its ruins. The current structure, built upon the original one, dates to the first half of the 12th century, probably over holy edifices of Roman age, and is of red brick,

Between the 12th and 15th centuries the cathedral was reshaped in the form of late Gothic architecture. It was restructured in the 15th century by bishop Andrea Novelli, who arrived in Alba in 1484 to find the cathedral in poor condition. The most important renovation dates to 1652 to repair the damage caused by earthquakes in 1626. After the earthquake, the ceiling of the nave fell. It was restored along with the construction of two side aisles, one dedicated to San Theobald of Provins and the other to SS. Sacramento. The last major restoration was between 1867 and 1878 by the engineer Edoardo Arborio Mella who modified the exterior of the cathedral as well as the interior décor. This reconstruction included roofs, aisle vaults, the rebuilding of the apse, the rehabilitation of the facade, opening side windows and the replacement of the pavement. The current appearance dates to the controversial restoration of the 19th century, of which the three portals and the crypt are from the original edifice.

Restoration work in 2007, including the heating infrastructure, was carried out with financial backing from Bank Foundation of Cassa di Risparmio di Cuneo. An ancient baptismal font was found during archaeological excavation in the aisle in front of the Blessed Sacrament chapel. Approximately 100 graves, primarily of children, dating from the 16th and 18th centuries were also found. The finding was not unusual as it was once customary to reuse the space of an ancient baptistery redesigned as a burial place.