Description of the attraction
The Cathedral of Matera, named after Santa Maria della Bruna, is the main Roman Catholic church in the city of Matera in the Italian region of Basilicata. It was built in the Apulian-Romanesque style in the 13th century on the ridge that is the highest point of Matera, on the site of the ancient church of St. Eustachius, the patron saint of the city. The construction of the cathedral began in 1203 after Pope Innocent III bestowed the title of diocese on Matera, and was completed only in 1270. Initially, the church was dedicated to the Virgin Mary, as follows from historical documents, then, in 1318, it received the name Santa Maria del Episcopio, and from 1389 it began to bear the name Santa Maria della Bruna in honor of another patroness of the city. In 1627, the bishop of Matera, Monsignor Fabrizio Antinori, solemnly consecrated the church in honor of both patrons - Saint Eustachius and the Virgin Mary, but the name of Santa Maria della Bruna took root more among the people.
The western facade of the cathedral is notable for a round rosette window with 16 beams and a 52-meter bell tower on the left. Inside, the cathedral is shaped like a Latin cross and consists of three naves. Of particular note are the Byzantine fresco depicting the Madonna della Bruna and Child, the relics of St. John of Matera, the wooden choir in the apse, the nativity scene created in 1534 by the sculptor Altobello Persio, the fresco depicting the Last Judgment and the Renaissance Annunziata chapel.
