The construction of Pavia Cathedral began in 1488 and was not completed until the 1930s. Built at the request of the citizens, the Duomo rises above the two Romanesque churches of S. Stefano and S. Maria del Popolo, to whose saints it is now named. Donato Bramante was called in to design the church, giving it its Greek cross plan and the octagonal shape of the dome. The latter was only realised and completed at the end of the 19th century, following the design by Carlo Maciachini, who also designed the façade. Impressive in size, it is the fourth largest dome in Italy, preceded only by those of St Peter’s Basilica, the Pantheon and Florence Cathedral. Many craftsmen contributed to the undertaking of the Duomo, not only locals such as Giovanni Antonio Amadeo and Gian Giacomo Dolcebuono, but also illustrious Renaissance artists such as Leonardo Da Vinci. Inside the Duomo are preserved the remains of Saints and Blesseds, including those of Saint Syrus, patron saint of Pavia, and the Holy Thorns of the Crown of Christ, placed in the apse basin among Baroque decorations.