Irsina Cathedral

The Cathedral of Tricarico was built in the 11th century by order of Robert Guiscard, thanks to the donations of his nephew, Robert de Montescaglioso. In 1383 Louis I of Anjou was crowned King of Naples here. Originally built in the Romanesque style, it has been remodelled and enlarged several times over the centuries, by Bishops Pier Luigi Carafa senior in 1638, Pier Luigi Carafa junior after the plague of 1657 and Antonio del Plato between 1774 and 1777. The work carried out by the latter bishop gave the cathedral its present appearance.

Gravina Cathedral dates back to the 11th century according to the monk historian Ferdinando Ughelli in his work Italia Sacra (1721). This first church was destroyed between 1447 and 1456, first by a fire and then by an earthquake that devastated the whole area. The reconstruction lasted thirty years and was carried out by Bishop Matteo D'Aquino (1482-1508). Between the 17th and 18th centuries, its interior underwent various Baroque interventions. Today the church is a synthesis of different architectural styles: late Romanesque, Renaissance and Baroque.

The present cathedral was built between the 11th and 13th centuries on the remains of a former early Christian church. In 1281, the church was partially rebuilt in Roman-Gothic forms, but in 1456, this Romanesque cathedral was severely damaged by an earthquake; moreover, due to a long series of non-resident archbishops, the building was abandoned. It was not until 1524 that the complete restoration of the church began. After the earthquake of 1921, the dome of the bell tower was replaced by a terrace, while the dome of the cathedral was rebuilt in 1934, as the earthquake of 1930 had seriously damaged the original cylindrical dome.