Irsina Cathedral is a Roman Catholic cathedral dedicated to the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, located in Irsina in the region of Basilicata, Italy. Since 1977 it has been a co-cathedral of the Archdiocese of Matera-Irsina, and was previously, from 1818, a co-cathedral of the Diocese of Gravina-Irsina. Before that it was the seat of the Diocese of Montepeloso. The present building was constructed in the 13th century and remodelled in 1777. It has a Baroque façade and a Gothic campanile. It contains a baptismal font of red marble and a number of 18th-century paintings of the Neapolitan School.
The cathedral also contains a well-known marble statue of Saint Euphemia. This has been attributed by some critics to Mantegna, and was exhibited as his at Mantua in 2009. Others however, including Giovanni Agosti, curator of the Mantegna exhibition at the Louvre, attribute it to Pietro Lombardo. The discussion continues.
References:The Walls of Constantinople are a series of defensive stone walls that have surrounded and protected the city of Constantinople (today Istanbul) since its founding as the new capital of the Roman Empire by Constantine the Great. With numerous additions and modifications during their history, they were the last great fortification system of antiquity, and one of the most complex and elaborate systems ever built. They were also the largest and strongest fortification in both the ancient and medieval world.
Initially built by Constantine the Great, the walls surrounded the new city on all sides, protecting it against attack from both sea and land. As the city grew, the famous double line of the Theodosian Walls was built in the 5th century. Although the other sections of the walls were less elaborate, they were, when well-manned, almost impregnable for any medieval besieger.