The Secret Word

Play along with us as you learn more about the history of the Cathedral!
Look for all six QR codes scattered on the path around the Cathedral and listen to the audio all the way through.
You’ll be asked a question at the end of each track. Find the correct answer and memorise the first letter of each one.
You’ll need all six letters to form the Secret Word. If you can figure it out, a special prize awaits you at the Cathedral Museum Bookshop!

AudioZoom® by eArs. 

6. The Canon’s Garden and the Places of the Anagni Slap

If you’ve come to visit the Cathedral, you’ve probably already heard something about the ’Anagni slap’, which is not only an expression, but a real historical event that involved Pope Boniface the 8th in the context of the places you are visiting. You are near the Canon’s Garden, where historical sources mention the existence of a canonry and the bishop’s palace. The decals will help you to reconstruct the position of these structures, of which hardly any ruins remain.But above all, this is where it happened!
It was 1303 and Pope Boniface was facing a struggle with the king of France, Philip the Fair, to reaffirm the superiority of papal power over the sovereign’s secular authority. Warned of an impending excommunication, King Philip sent a handful of soldiers to Anagni, led by his ambassador William of Nogaret. They were joined by Sciarra Colonna, a member of Boniface’s quintessential rival family. After a brief siege, on the 7th of September the soldiers entered the Cathedral, passing through this cloister to reach the papal rooms. Boniface was there waiting for them, seated on the papal throne. Even Dante in the Divine Comedy recalls the resounding event with this verse:
‘I see the fleur-de-lis entering Alagna, and in his Vicar Christ made captive’.
What followed has become somewhat blurred in the legend. While some historians speak of a moral offence for the Pope, others believe that Sciarra Colonna dared to slap the holy pontiff himself. However, one thing is certain: that day, Boniface was quite displeased to turn the other cheek! Whether the slap was real or metaphorical, nothing was the same after that. From this event on, the progressive decline of the papacy political influence and the consolidation of the European monarchies power began precisely from Anagni. 

We’ve reached the last question:
What is the first name of the Colonna responsible for the famous slap?
Remember to memorise the first letter of the answer!

If you have listened to all six audio tracks on this path, all you need to do now is form the secret word using the first letter of each answer, and head to the Bookshop.  If not, look for the other spots scattered around the Cathedral!

Need another clue to guess the secret word? Who is carrying the pastoral staff?

The Secret Word

Play along with us as you learn more about the history of the Cathedral!
Look for all six QR codes scattered on the path around the Cathedral and listen to the audio all the way through.
You’ll be asked a question at the end of each track. Find the correct answer and memorise the first letter of each one.
You’ll need all six letters to form the Secret Word. If you can figure it out, a special prize awaits you at the Cathedral Museum Bookshop!

AudioZoom® by eArs. 

5. The Architectural Complex towards Piazza Innocenzo III

While the north-east side of the Cathedral is visible following the path of the Museum, the side facing Piazza Innocenzo the 3rd, where we are now, lies before you with all its complex articulations. If you look and listen carefully, you’ll be able to recognise the various structures of this extraordinary architectural complex.
Ready? Let’s start!
Looking up to the right, the bell tower forms the background of the Lauri Chapel which probably dates back to the 13th century. Continuing to the left, you can see the curved wall of the Baptistery, built in the 1500s and perfectly integrated with the medieval architecture. The structure borders the side of the Loggia delle Benedizioni — the terrace or balcony of blessings — situated above a portico and dominated above by the statue of Pope Boniface the 8th enthroned. Take a moment to imagine him wearing sumptuous vestments and surrounded by a retinue of priests and deacons, as he looks out to address and bless the crowd gathered in this square.
What a wonderful scene!
Moving on, to the left of the loggia you can see the Caetani Chapel that was commissioned at the end of the 13th century by Benedetto Caetani, who then became our ever-present Pope Boniface the 8th. It was built to bring the tombs of some family members together. Next there’s the imposing bulk of the presbytery, where the large rose window stands out. It is defined by three apses and abuts a spectacular staircase fanning up to the level of the churchyard.
Did you manage to keep up? If not, don’t worry, simply press play again. 

New question for you:
What name did Benedetto Caetani take on when he became pope?
Remember to memorise the first letter of the answer!

The Secret Word

Play along with us as you learn more about the history of the Cathedral!
Look for all six QR codes scattered on the path around the Cathedral and listen to the audio all the way through.
You’ll be asked a question at the end of each track. Find the correct answer and memorise the first letter of each one.
You’ll need all six letters to form the Secret Word. If you can figure it out, a special prize awaits you at the Cathedral Museum Bookshop!

AudioZoom® by eArs. 

4. Boniface VIII and the First Jubilee

Eagles? Griffins? Parrots? If you look in front of you, in the lower register of the apse, you’ll notice the fresco of a red fabric decorated with gold animals.
The fresco is inspired by Pope Boniface the 8th‘s cope donated to the Cathedral. This precious priestly cloak was used only on the most solemn liturgical occasions. You can admire the Pope’s original with your own eyes in the Cathedral Museum.
Speaking of solemnity, did you know that Boniface the 8th was the pope responsible for proclaiming the first Christian jubilee year?
Trying to meet the expectations of the large number of pilgrims who had gathered of their own accord in Rome in the last months of 1299, the pontiff was moved to declare the Holy Year to inaugurate the new century, with a call to conversion and forgiveness of sins. He officially proclaimed the Jubilee with the bull Antiquorum habet fida relatio of 22 February 1300, which was to be repeated every hundred years in the future.
Those who travelled to the eternal city to visit the Basilicas of Saint Peter and Saint Paul Outside the Walls would obtain complete forgiveness of their sins, or a reduction of the penalties of purgatory for the dead. The Holy Year was a resounding success, bringing an enormous crowd to Rome.
The Church continues the tradition to this day, repeating the Jubilee proclamations every 25 years, as confirmed by the proclamation of the 2025 Jubilee by Pope Francis.

Here's the question:
What is the jubilee year called?
Remember to memorise the first letter of the answer!

The Secret Word

Play along with us as you learn more about the history of the Cathedral!
Look for all six QR codes scattered on the path around the Cathedral and listen to the audio all the way through.
You’ll be asked a question at the end of each track. Find the correct answer and memorise the first letter of each one.
You’ll need all six letters to form the Secret Word. If you can figure it out, a special prize awaits you at the Cathedral Museum Bookshop!

AudioZoom® by eArs. 

3. The Side Chapels

You’ll surely notice the side chapels as you walk down the nave. Let’s talk more about the baptistery and the Lauri and Raoli chapels, which we will visit in this audio track.
Let’s begin with the Lauri chapel, the first to the left of the entrance. [pause]
The coat of arms with two wavy bands that you see in the floor is repeated several times in the Cathedral. It is the emblem of Pope Boniface the 8th’s family: the Caetani, who were the first owners of the chapel after its construction in the 13th century. The patronage then passed to the Lauri family in the 17th century, who enriched it with a new altar.
Now make your way to the baptistery just a few steps away, next to the Lauri chapel. [pause]
This curved space was built around 1570 and was initially dedicated to Saint Catherine of Alexandria. Looking up at the vault, you can imagine the light beaming down to symbolically illuminate the baptismal font made of Peperino marble from the Castelli region, near Rome. The historical evidence confirms the existence of a skylight here, which was later closed.
Now cross the nave to the Raoli chapel [pause].
It was built in the 17th century and then completely redecorated at the end of the 19th century. The paintings on the two side walls depict episodes from the life of the Virgin, with an image of the Madonna of Mercy in the centre - a gift from Pope Leo the 13th, who was particularly tied to the city of Anagni. In fact, the Cathedral was restored and redecorated under his pontificate.
But we haven't finished visiting the chapels yet: the Cathedral Museum has another one in store for you: the frescoed Chapel of the Saviour, where the Cathedral’s valuable collection of 13th and 14th century icons is exhibited.

Now try to guess…
A collection of sacred images is kept in the Chapel of the Saviour. What are they called?
Remember to memorise the first letter of the answer!

The Secret Word

Play along with us as you learn more about the history of the Cathedral!
Look for all six QR codes scattered on the path around the Cathedral and listen to the audio all the way through.
You’ll be asked a question at the end of each track. Find the correct answer and memorise the first letter of each one.
You’ll need all six letters to form the Secret Word. If you can figure it out, a special prize awaits you at the Cathedral Museum Bookshop!

AudioZoom® by eArs. 

2. The Foundation Legend

Do you feel like you’re being observed? On the right side of the main door, a wolf and an ox have been watching passers-by for centuries. What are they doing there? Well, they’re co-stars of the legend that narrates how the Cathedral was founded.
In 1071, the pope sent the Bishop of Anagni, Pietro da Salerno, to Constantinople, where he miraculously healed Emperor Michael the 7th through the intercession of Saint Magnus. The Emperor’s substantial donations, given as a reward, allowed Pietro to continue with the Cathedral’s construction until its completion in 1104. But reaching this goal wasn’t so easy: it’s said that two oxen yoked to a cart were needed to move the large blocks of stone to the construction site.
But what if a ravenous wolf ate one of them?
Bishop Pietro prayed to Saint Magnus to intercede, so the wolf was suddenly tamed, coming to work beside the surviving ox to tow the cart until the construction was completed.Not to spoil the legend, but you should know that the relief with the two animal heads predates Bishop Pietro and the Cathedral construction. It can be dated back to around the ninth century, meaning it was part of the older Cathedral’s decoration. So either the sculptures inspired the legend, or it was an older story that was adapted to suit bishop Pietro.
But more importantly, is the bishop depicted anywhere?
Indeed he is! You can see him represented by the painter Lello de Urbe in the evocative crypt of Saint Magnus, entirely frescoed in the first half of the 13th century and now part of the museum.

Ready to answer?
Which animal appears together with the wolf in the legend of the Cathedral?
Remember to memorise the first letter of the answer!

The Secret Word

Play along with us as you learn more about the history of the Cathedral!
Look for all six QR codes scattered on the path around the Cathedral and listen to the audio all the way through.
You’ll be asked a question at the end of each track. Find the correct answer and memorise the first letter of each one.
You’ll need all six letters to form the Secret Word. If you can figure it out, a special prize awaits you at the Cathedral Museum Bookshop!

AudioZoom® by eArs. 

1. Facade and Bell Tower

Stop for a moment to admire the facade of Anagni Cathedral: don’t you feel like you’re being catapulted back in time? Its grey-ochre travertine stone is so bare and austere that it resembles the tower of a fortress. The raw stone and such austerity are distinctive features of the Romanesque style widespread in southern Italy, to which the surprising combination of Lombard and Emilian derivations are added.
The Cathedral construction began in 1072 thanks to Bishop Pietro da Salerno. He was inspired by one of the most important building projects in medieval Europe, namely Montecassino Abbey, which had been finished only the year before and was situated just a few days' walk from Anagni.
Some ancient marble decorations can still be seen: these pieces were reused from the cathedral standing here in the 9th century, and other such fragments are on display in the lapidarium of the Cathedral Museum. Now turn around and look up at the bell tower. Completed in 1141, it reaches 28 metres above the churchyard with a rising sequence of single, double and triple windows. You may wonder why it is separated from the church. This was not always the case; it's likely that there was once a portico connecting the two structures.
Wait a moment before entering the church — you’d risk missing one last interesting detail. If you approach the wall that runs along the left side of the church square, you can find a grate: it protects a 15th-century fresco of the Madonna enthroned between Saints Catherine of Alexandria and Anthony Abbot.

And here’s our question for this part of the audio tour:
What’s the name of the bishop under whom the Cathedral was built?
Remember to memorise the first letter of the answer!