The Cathedral of Ostuni: a great beauty
The Cathedral of Ostuni is an enchanting place that should not be missed.
Because of its rather ‘special’ location, Ostuni is a town that can be seen from a great distance, even if you are far away and have a lot of walking to do. Among the various details that cannot escape your attention, as well as your sight, are the ‘illuminated cross’ on a small rise and the grandiose Cathedral, which, to tell the truth, we discover a little at a time when we venture through the narrow streets of the Borgo Antico.
The grandeur of the Basilica is not due to its enormous size but to the richness of its decorations.
Ostuni’s Cathedral was built between 1469 and 1500 following the 1456 earthquake, which caused considerable damages.
The sovereigns of the Kingdom of Naples, Ferdinand of Aragon and Alfonso II, favoured its construction. The cathedral is surrounded by buildings mostly dating back to the 16th and 18th centuries.
The façade is tripartite; in the central part, sculpted in low relief, there is the enthroned Madonna and Child surrounded by angels, and at the foot there is Bishop Nicola Arpone, under whom the construction began. The side portals have bas-reliefs of St Blaise, patron saint, and St John the Baptist in the lunettes. The central part of the façade is dominated by a rose window, one of the world’s greatest masterpieces. This rose window, in pure Gothic style, leaves those who admire it astounded because it manages to combine culture and art. At the centre of the rose window there is the figure of Christ the Sun, lord of time and light.
The material used for the construction of Ostuni’s Cathedral is known as “pietra gentile” (gentle stone) because it is “docile to the chisel”; this material is able to offer stunning effects even if it is subject to continuous corrosion, which makes it necessary to intervene to preserve it.
Over the centuries, the interior of the temple has undergone many interventions and therefore many transformations. Inside the church, there are large canvases in the central nave and transepts, commissioned in the 18th century by Bishop Bisanzio Filo. We can appreciate stone altars on the right side made under Bishop Conte Luchino del Verme; while under Bishop Francesco Antonio Scoppa the temple was further embellished with stucco work, with a new bell tower and a choir.
In the left aisle we notice the marble Baptismal Font and the altar of the Sacred Heart. The bust of St. Oronzo and St. Blaise were also placed on the left side.
A beautiful painting of the Assumption is placed on the high altar. In the right aisle there is the chapel of the Holy Trinity and the remains of the fresco of Saint Elizabeth in the chapel of the Holy Sacrament.
Ostuni’s Cathedral is visited by thousands of tourists throughout the year and is one of the city’s main attractions.
