Matera Cathedral

The Church of Saints Peter and Paul, commonly known as the Church of San Pietro Caveoso, dates back to the end of the 13th century. The building has undergone modifications and renovations over the centuries, with the loss of many of its original construction features. In the 17th century, the church was completely renovated with the addition of the current façade and the construction of the bell tower, while the interior was enlarged with the addition of side chapels and the replacement of the original wooden ceiling with a tufa roof. In 1706, the church was reconsecrated, as a plaque indicates, and it was further modified: the bell tower cornice was added, the interior was covered with stuccoes and decorations and a false wooden ceiling was placed under the tuff roof.

The Cathedral of Altamura was built by Emperor Frederick II (1220-1250) in 1232 and became one of the most venerated sanctuaries in Puglia. In 1248, under pressure from Emperor Frederick, Pope Innocent IV declared Altamura exempt from the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Bari, making it a Palatine Church, one of the four in Puglia. The current orientation of the church is the opposite of the original, although it is not known whether the change dates back to the reign of Robert of Anjou (early 14th century) or to the enlargement carried out in 1521-1547. From the 18th century onwards, the upper parts of the two bell towers and the small gallery separating them were added. Since 1986, the church has been the seat of the Bishop of Altamura-Gravina-Acquaviva delle Fonti.

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.