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| Matera Cathedral | |
|---|---|
 Matera Cathedral, west front | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Catholic Church |
| Rite | Roman Rite |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Cathedral |
| Status | Active |
| Location | |
| Location | Matera,Basilicata |
| State | Italy |
 Interactive map of Matera Cathedral | |
| Architecture | |
| Type | Church |
| Groundbreaking | 1230 (1230) |
| Completed | 1270 (1270) |
| Specifications | |
| Length | 40 metres (130 ft) |
| Width | 55 metres (180 ft) |
| Height (max) | 60 metres (200 ft) |
| Spire | one |
| Spire height | 90 metres (300 ft) |
Matera Cathedral (Italian:Duomo di Matera, Cattedrale di Santa Maria della Bruna e di Sant'Eustachio) is aRoman Catholiccathedral inMatera,Basilicata, Italy. It is dedicated to theVirgin Mary under the designation of the Madonna della Bruna and toSaint Eustace. Formerly the seat of theBishops, later Archbishops, of Matera, it is now the cathedral of theArchdiocese of Matera-Irsina.
The cathedral was built in Apulian Romanesque style in the 13th century on the ridge that forms the highest point of the city of Matera and divides the twoSassi, on the site of the ancient Church ofSaint Eustace, protector of the city. Construction began in 1203, the year in whichPope Innocent III raised Matera to the rank of an archdiocese in union withAcerenza as theArchdiocese of Acerenza and Matera, and was completed in 1270.
The original dedication was to Santa Maria di Matera, as recorded in a contemporary notarial document. Then, on the evidence of a will of 1318, it was entitled Santa Maria dell'Episcopio, and from 1389, the year in whichPope Urban VI (already Archbishop of Matera), instituted the feast of theVisitation, it was dedicated toSanta Maria della Bruna, also a protector of the city. Finally, from 1627 Monsignor Fabrizio Antinori, archbishop of Matera, dedicated the cathedral to the Madonna della Bruna and to Saint Eustace.
The west front is dominated by therose window of sixteen rays and by thecampanile on the left side, 52 metres high. The cathedral has aLatin cross ground plan and contains threenaves, separated byround arches supported by columns with stone capitals. Much of the interior received a Baroque-style decoration in the 17th and 18th century, including gilded stuccoes and frames.
The interior has anItalo-Byzantine fresco[1] depicting theMadonna della Bruna and Child, dating from 1270 and attributed to one Rinaldo da Taranto; therelics of SaintJohn of Matera (translated here in 1830);[2] carved woodenchoir stalls (60 in total) in theapse (1453), by Giovanni Tantino ofAriano Irpino; a sculptural group of aPesebre (1534,Nativity scene) and painted limestone crib, both created byAltobello Persio;[3] the Chapel of theAnnunciation erected inRenaissance-style period by Giulio Persio; and a 14th-century fresco depicting theLast Judgment, which re-emerged during recent restoration work. Thehigh altar has analtarpiece byFabrizio Santafede depictingThe Virgin with Saints.
40°40′00″N16°36′41″E / 40.6668°N 16.6113°E /40.6668; 16.6113
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