The cathedral stands on the Civita, the rock spur between the two Sassi – the highest and oldest point of the city. Its bell tower is visible from almost everywhere and the most reliable means of orientation.
The building
The cathedral dates from the thirteenth century and shows the language of Apulian Romanesque: a calm façade of pale limestone, a large rose window above the doorway, a tall bell tower. It is dedicated to the Madonna della Bruna and Saint Eustace, the city’s two patrons.
The site is no accident. Settlement began on the Civita; whoever built here built on the oldest ground in the city. That the church also occupies the highest point was deliberate – it was meant to be visible from both districts.
Outside and inside
The interior was reworked in baroque in later centuries, so that the austere exterior and the richly articulated interior fall noticeably apart. That break puzzles some visitors – in fact it is the building’s real statement: nothing was built anew, everything was built on, as everywhere in this city.
Worth seeing are frescoes, the carved choir stalls and a nativity scene in stone. One chapel holds the devotion to the Madonna della Bruna, around which the city’s most important festival turns.
The feast of the Madonna della Bruna
Once a year an elaborately decorated processional cart is driven through the city – and at the end torn apart by the crowd. Everyone wants a piece of it. To outsiders that seems strange; for Matera it is the core of the year. If you are in town at that time, book a room long in advance.
Getting there and the view
Coming from the upper town, you reach the Civita through narrow lanes from Piazza del Sedile. From the forecourt, Piazza Duomo, the view falls on both Sassi – one of the few points where you see them at once. From here the descent into either district makes a good start.
The square is small and fills up quickly during the day. Early in the morning you often have it to yourself.
Read on
- Rione Civita – the rock spur it stands on
- Piazza Duomo – the square in front
- Churches in Matera – the other churches of the city
- Palazzo Gattini – the noble palace next door
