Basilica di San Nicola
باري
In the heart of Bari Vecchia rises the Basilica di San Nicola, one of the most important shrines in Christendom. Built to hold the saint's relics, for centuries it has drawn pilgrims both Catholic and Orthodox, a symbol of a dialogue that spans the whole Mediterranean.
History
The Basilica di San Nicola was built between 1087 and 1197 to receive the relics of Bishop Nicholas of Myra, taken in 1087 by a group of sailors from Bari from the ancient city of Myra, in present-day Turkey. When the saint's bones reached Bari, the city had only recently come under Norman rule, and the arrival of such revered relics hugely increased its prestige. Bari thus became one of the main pilgrimage centres in Europe, a crossroads between East and West. The church also became the model for so-called Apulian Romanesque, a style that would later spread throughout the region.
What to see
The façade, plain and powerful, is flanked by two truncated towers and frames three finely carved portals. Inside, the eye is caught by the gilded 17th-century coffered ceiling and the famous ciborium over the high altar, the oldest in Apulia, supported by four columns. Don't miss the episcopal throne of Abbot Elias, which an inscription would link to the years 1098-1105 but which more probably dates from the first half of the 12th century, held up by human figures bent under its weight. In the evocative crypt, supported by dozens of columns with different capitals, the saint's relics rest beneath the altar.
Curiosities
From the tomb of San Nicola the so-called "manna" is collected, a clear liquid that forms on the relics and that for centuries has been venerated by the faithful and given out in special phials. The basilica is also one of the very few places in the world where both Catholic and Orthodox rites are regularly celebrated: the crypt in fact holds an Orthodox altar. The figure of San Nicola, a bishop generous towards children, lies at the origin of the legend of Santa Claus.
How to visit
The basilica stands in the historic centre of Bari, within walking distance of the port area. Entry is free and the building is open every day; for the feast of San Nicola, in early May, the city comes alive with the evocative procession and the historical pageant re-enacting the arrival of the relics by sea. An unmissable stop on the Bari treasure map.
