Facade of the Cathedral of San Sabino in Bari, Apulia, Italy

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Cathedral

Bari


Built over the original Byzantine church, the 12th- to 13th-century Romanesque cathedral, dedicated to San Sabino, is technically Bari's most important church, although its fame pales alongside San Nicola. Inside, the plain walls are punctuated with deep arcades and the eastern window is a tangle of plant and animal motifs. The highlight lies in the subterranean Museo del Succorpo della Cattedrale, where excavations have revealed remnants left over from an ancient Christian basilica and various Roman ruins.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Bari attractions

1. Museo del Succorpo della Cattedrale

This subterranean museum beneath Bari cathedral reveals well-preserved remnants of an ancient Christian basilica and various Roman ruins. This fascinating…

2. Castello Svevo

0.14 MILES

Roger the Norman originally built this castle in the 12th century over the ruins of a Byzantine structure. Later, Frederick II of Swabia built over the…

3. Basilica di San Nicola

0.14 MILES

Bari's signature basilica was one of the first Norman churches to be built in southern Italy, and is a splendid (if square and solid) example of Pugliese…

4. Colonna della Giustizia

0.15 MILES

The Colonna della Giustizia (Column of Justice) is the place where debtors were once tied and lashed (in the less gentle days of the 16th century).

5. Piazza Mercantile

0.15 MILES

This beautiful piazza is fronted by the Sedile, the headquarters of Bari's Council of Nobles. In the square's northeast corner is the Colonna della…

6. Museo Nicolaiano

0.17 MILES

Exhibits artefacts from the adjacent Basilica di San Nicola, including chalices, vestments, parchments, relics and paintings.

7. Spazio Murat

0.21 MILES

Check out this repurposed heritage building for an ever-changing series of interesting and innovative cultural and art displays, part of the nexus of…

8. Teatro Margherita

0.25 MILES

Originally constructed from 1912 to 1914, this historic theatre was restored and reopened in 2018 and is now used for travelling art and photographic…