Bitonto Cathedral

About

Built by the Normans in the 13th century over the remains of an earlier basilica, this Romanesque jewel is the largest church in the region. Even before crossing the threshold, visitors a treated to the ornately sculpted central portal, featuring plant motifs and scenes from the Old Testament), while the rose window is flanked by sculptures of animals. Inside, the parapet staircase is a sculpted marvel, and the marble ambo from 1229 is a masterpiece of medieval stonework. Under the church, the ruins of a 5th century crypt contains rows of marble columns, each is capped with a differently-style capital. The lovely bridge between the cathedral and the Palazzo De Lerma, was added in the 1500s, and is where the bishop would bestow blessings on the people.