Romanesque cathedral · 13th century · Matera, Basilicata

Pontifical Basilica Cathedral of Maria Santissima della Bruna and Sant’Eustachio

The Cathedral of Matera — formally the Pontifical Basilica Cathedral of Maria Santissima della Bruna and Sant’Eustachio — is a Roman Catholic cathedral overlooking the sassi of Matera, the UNESCO World Heritage Site ancient cave city of Basilicata. Built between 1230 and 1270 in the Apulian Romanesque style, the cathedral is dedicated to the Madonna della Bruna, patron saint of Matera, whose feast on 2 July is celebrated with one of the oldest and most spectacular processions in southern Italy.

At a glance

Type: Roman Catholic cathedral / pontifical basilica
Period: 1230–1270 (Romanesque); later modifications 15th–18th century
Style: Apulian Romanesque
Location: Matera, Province of Matera, Basilicata, Italy
Coordinates: 40.6668° N, 16.6106° E
Diocese: Archdiocese of Matera-Irsina

Overview

Matera Cathedral is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Matera, Basilicata, Italy, dedicated to the Virgin Mary under the title of the Madonna della Bruna and to Saint Eustace. Formerly the seat of the Bishops and later Archbishops of Matera, it is now the cathedral of the Archdiocese of Matera-Irsina. The cathedral stands on the civita — the rocky spur between the two sassi basins of Barisano and Caveoso — at the symbolic and physical heart of the ancient city, visible from virtually every point in the surrounding landscape.

History

The cathedral was built between 1230 and 1270, during the period when Matera flourished as an important centre of the Norman and Swabian Kingdom of Sicily. It was constructed in the Apulian Romanesque style, closely related to the great Romanesque cathedrals of Bari, Trani, and Bitonto. The building was consecrated in 1270 and became the seat of the bishops of Matera. In subsequent centuries the interior received Baroque modifications, including new altars and frescoes, while the Romanesque exterior was largely preserved. The cathedral survived the centuries of abandonment that characterised Matera’s sassi, remaining an active place of worship throughout.

What you see

The cathedral’s facade is articulated in the Apulian Romanesque style, with a central rose window, blind arcading, and sculptural decoration around the portal. The bell tower, rising to 52 metres, is one of the landmarks of the Matera skyline and features an octagonal upper register with double-light windows. The interior is a three-nave basilica with a 16th-century lacunar ceiling and a series of Baroque altars housing notable paintings and sculptures. Among the most celebrated works is the Byzantine-influenced image of the Madonna della Bruna herself, venerated in the apse chapel. The crypt of the Original Sin, with its extraordinary early medieval frescoes, is accessible nearby.

Cultural significance

Matera, designated European Capital of Culture for 2019, is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List as one of the earliest and best-preserved examples of troglodyte settlements in the world. The cathedral is the spiritual and architectural crown of this extraordinary urban landscape, situated at the highest point of the civita with the sassi spreading below it. The feast of the Madonna della Bruna, held on 2 July, culminates in the ritual destruction of the processional float — a tradition dating to 1389 — and is one of the most unusual and vivid expressions of popular religiosity in southern Italy.

Practical information

Address: Piazza Duomo, 75100 Matera MT
Opening hours: The cathedral is generally open daily for visits and worship; check the diocesan website for current hours
Admission: Free entry to the cathedral; guided tours may have a fee
Feast day: Madonna della Bruna procession: 2 July

Getting there

Matera is connected by the Ferrovie Appulo-Lucane (FAL) regional railway to Bari (approximately 1.5–2 hours), which is the main Apulian transport hub with an international airport. From Bari, buses also serve Matera directly. The cathedral is in the historic centre, a 15-minute walk uphill from the main bus and train arrival points. A car is convenient for exploring the wider Matera territory.

Sources & resources

Known as the Cathedral of Matera, the Cathedral of Matera, which has the official name of the Cathedral of the Madonna della Bruna and of Sant&#39;Eustachio, is the main Catholic place of worship in Matera, the mother church of the archdiocese of Matera-Irsina.



The cathedral was built in the Apulian Romanesque style in the thirteenth century on the highest spur of the Civita that divides the two Sassi.



Built on the area of ??a previous Norman castle and as evidenced by recent excavations on a previous early Christian place of worship, it is the most majestic cathedral in the region.



On the area of ??the ancient Benedictine monastery of Sant&#39;Eustachio, protector of the city, where Pope Urban II had already stayed between 1093 and 1094, the cathedral was built starting from 1230, a few years after Pope Innocent III had raised the city ??of Matera to the rank of archdiocese in union with Acerenza; it was built at the behest of Emperor Frederick II of Swabia, Holy Roman Emperor and Count of Matera.



In order for the new temple to dominate the surrounding buildings and the two underlying valleys of the Sassi with its bulk, it was necessary to raise the rocky base by over six meters.



Completed in 1270, the new cathedral was originally dedicated to Santa Maria di Matera, as shown in a notary deed of the time. Subsequently in a will of 1318 it is entitled to Santa Maria dell&#39;Episcopio and from 1389, the year in which Pope Urban VI (former archbishop of Matera) instituted the feast of the Visitation, was dedicated to Santa Maria della Bruna, also protector of the city . Finally, starting from 1627 Msgr. Fabrizio Antinori, archbishop of Matera, dedicated the cathedral of Matera to the Madonna della Bruna and to Saint Eustace. On July 2, 1962, Pope John XXIII elevated it to the dignity of a minor basilica. In 1991 he received a visit from Pope John Paul II.



Since 2003 it has been involved in important restoration works. In 2006 it received a series of consolidation and restoration interventions, including that of the medieval trusses and previously collapsed cornices. These interventions were also carried out thanks to the funds of the Gioco del Lotto, based on the provisions of law 662/96.



On 5 March 2016 it was reopened for worship by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State, who opened the Holy Jubilee Door for the occasion.



Also present were Msgr. Salvatore Ligorio, Metropolitan Archbishop of Potenza-Muro Lucano-Marsico Nuovo, Msgr. Claudio Maniago, bishop of Castellaneta, Msgr. Agostino Superbo, archbishop emeritus of Potenza-Muro Lucano-Marsico Nuovo, mgr. Antonio Ciliberti, archbishop emeritus of Catanzaro-Squillace, mgr. Michele Scandiffio, archbishop emeritus of Acerenza, mgr. Giuseppe Favale, elected bishop of Conversano-Monopoli, and Msgr. Pierdomenico Di Candia, diocesan administrator of Matera-Irsina.

???????

https://culturalheritageonline.com/places/pontifical-basilica-cathedral-of-maria-santissima-della-bruna-and-santeustachio-l4734/

#CulturalHeritage #CHO