The Cathedral is dedicated to Saint Just (San Giusto) and is a symbol of Trieste. It was built in 1300 on the remains of two different churches: a 5th century three-nave Early Christian basilica that was subsequently destroyed and upon which a Church dedicated to Our Lady of the Assumption was built in the 11th century; and the Chapel of Saint Just. Transformed into a single larger basilica with five naves - the central one having been built specifically to unite the two buildings -, the two churches are now one: the Cathedral of San Giusto. The gabled façade is decorated with a large rose window made of local stone and bas-reliefs from the Roman era. A large clock tower and a statue of the Saint dated 1337 stand outside. The interior is characterised by a wooden keel-shaped roof and decorations from various periods, including a mosaic inspired by the Byzantine mosaics of Ravenna: the magnificent mosaic in the Chapel of San Giusto, dating back to 1200, where the figure of Christ stands out on a gold background. The Cathedral is the guardian of the Cappella del Tesoro (the Chapel of the Treasury), jealously protected by an artistic wrought iron gate from the 17th century. Precious items are kept her, including the urn with the reliquary of San Giusto and the halberd of San Sergio, which has become the town symbol. Legend has it that it miraculously fell in the city Forum on October 8th,303 when the Saint Soldier was martyred in Syria.
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