Cathedral of Castellaneta

Located at the highest point of Castellaneta, on the edge of the gorge, stands the beautiful Cathedral dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, announced by the 14th-century bell tower next to the Bishop's Palace.\n\nBuilt on the remains of the ancient Church of San Nicola, the Cathedral was constructed in the year 1000 and later updated in the 15th century to the Apulian Romanesque style. The 18th-century restoration unified moldings and decorations under the sign of the Baroque: statues of the four cardinal virtues surmount the elegant white limestone facade, while the only survivor from the ancient Romanesque church is the bell tower adorned with biforas.\n\nNext to the cathedral stands the more recent Bishop's Palace, currently housing the collection of the future diocesan museum, including the precious 16th-century polyptych by Gerolamo da Santacroce.