Basilica di San Nicola

Why go

The basilica brings Bari’s medieval sculpture and continuing religious traditions into the same visit. Its broad nave and galleries lead towards the shrine below, while the carved bishop’s throne shows how much artistic ambition accompanied the arrival of the saint’s relics.

What to look for

• The crypt’s 26 marble columns have varied stones and carved capitals beneath cross vaults.
• Two low, heavy towers frame the square façade, giving the church a defensive appearance.
• The altar canopy’s columns carry foliage, animals and mythological figures.

The full story

The basilica began with the arrival of Saint Nicholas’s relics from Myra, in present-day Turkey, in 1087. Sailors from Bari removed them from their original shrine, and the new church was built to house them. The crypt was completed first: Pope Urban II placed the relics beneath its altar in 1089. The whole building was consecrated in 1197. That sequence explains why the underground shrine is central to the church rather than an incidental room below it. The basilica became a pilgrimage destination for both Roman Catholics and Orthodox Christians, a role it still holds. Above ground, the late eleventh-century stone throne made for Abbot Elias connects the building’s early leadership with its sculpture. The galleries opening above the aisles also helped establish an architectural model that other churches in the region followed.

Useful to know

• Include the crypt as well as the upper church; worship may affect movement around the shrine.
• Compare the basilica with Bari Cathedral to distinguish the two churches and their different saints.

Your next visit

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