Cathedral of Taranto, San Cataldo
The Cathedral of Taranto, dedicated to Saint Cataldo, is the oldest cathedral in Puglia and the archiepiscopal seat of the Archdiocese of Taranto. Built by the Byzantines in the 10th century under Emperor Nicephorus II Phocas on earlier foundations dating from the 5th century, it preserves one of southern Italy’s most significant early medieval interiors, including a Norman-era nave and a Baroque chapel housing the relics of the city’s patron saint.
At a glance
- Type
- Roman Catholic cathedral (basilica minore)
- Period
- 10th century (Byzantine foundation); earlier 5th-century structure on same site
- Style
- Byzantine origins; Norman and Baroque additions
- Location
- Old City (Città Vecchia), Taranto, Puglia, Italy
Overview
The Cathedral of Taranto — formally the Cattedrale di San Cataldo — is the mother church of the Archdiocese of Taranto and one of the oldest continuously functioning cathedrals in southern Italy. Dedicated to Saint Cataldo, an Irish bishop who is said to have stopped at Taranto on his return from a pilgrimage to the Holy Land in the 7th century, the building occupies the highest point of the ancient island city. Its construction layers span more than a thousand years, from Byzantine stonework to Baroque gilded chapels.
History
The earliest structure on the site dates to the 5th century AD, when Taranto was a late-Roman and early Christian city. The Byzantines rebuilt the cathedral substantially in the 10th century under Emperor Nicephorus II Phocas, establishing the basilica plan that still defines the building’s core. After the Norman conquest of Puglia in the 11th century, the nave was enlarged and the columned interior took its present form. Subsequent centuries added the ornate Baroque Cappella di San Cataldo (1657–1713), which enshrines the patron’s relics beneath a richly decorated vault.
What you see
The façade, facing the old-town square, is a restrained Baroque composition in local limestone. Inside, the nave is carried on ancient columns — some clearly reused from earlier Roman structures — creating a rhythmic arcade typical of southern Italian Byzantine-Norman churches. The high point of the interior is the Cappella di San Cataldo on the right transept: walls encrusted with polychrome marble, gilded stucco, and 18th-century paintings surround the silver urn containing the saint’s relics. A crypt beneath the nave preserves Byzantine and medieval frescoes.
Cultural significance
As the oldest cathedral in Puglia, San Cataldo is a benchmark for understanding the Byzantine and Norman cultural stratification that defines the religious architecture of the Italian south. The relics of Saint Cataldo have drawn pilgrims since the Middle Ages and the annual feast (10 May) remains Taranto’s principal civic and religious event. The cathedral is listed among the protected heritage assets of the Ministry of Culture (MiC).
Practical information
- Address
- Piazza del Duomo, 74123 Taranto TA, Italy
- Hours
- Check official website or contact the Archdiocese of Taranto for current visiting hours
- Admission
- Free entry to the cathedral; donation welcomed
- Coordinates
- 40.4760° N, 17.2287° E
Getting there
Taranto is served by the Taranto railway station on the Bari–Taranto and Metaponto–Taranto lines; the Old City is a 20-minute walk or short taxi ride from the station. By road, take the SS7 (Via Appia) or the A14 motorway to the Taranto exit. The cathedral is in the pedestrianised heart of Città Vecchia, best reached on foot from the Ponte Girevole (swing bridge) connecting the island to the mainland.