Gallipoli Cathedral Explained

Denomination:	Roman Catholic
Gallipoli Cathedral
Fullname:	Co-Cathedral Basilica of Saint Agatha the Virgin
Status:	Minor basilica, co-cathedral
Dedication:	Agatha of Sicily
Location:	Gallipoli, Apulia, Italy
Diocese:	Diocese of Nardò-Gallipoli
Style:	Baroque
Year Completed:	1696

The Gallipoli Cathedral, formally the Co-Cathedral Basilica of Saint Agatha the Virgin, is a Roman Catholic church located in the town of Gallipoli in Apulia, Italy. Completed in 1696, the Baroque church is a minor basilica and the co-cathedral of the Diocese of Nardò-Gallipoli.

History

The Gallipoli Cathedral was constructed between 1629 and 1696, and is dedicated to Saint Agatha of Sicily.

Architecture

The Baroque facade of the cathedral was designed by Giuseppe Zimbalo,^[1] Francesco Bischetini, and Scipione Lachibari. It is constructed out of carparo stone, sourced from Southern Italy. The church was built with a cruciform floorpan in the shape of a Latin cross.

Interior

The interior of the church is a mixture of the Byzantine and Renaissance styles. The nave is flanked by columns of grey marble, which support an arcade. The interior is ornamented by paintings by Giovanni Andrea Coppola, a painter native to Gallipoli. Nicolò Malinconico painted the frescoes on the walls and in the cupola, which depicts the martyrdom of Saint Agatha.

The cathedral's altar is made of a reused Ancient Roman marble stele. There is an Ancient Greek inscription on the stele that reads:Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: [Δωρ]ον τιμαλφεστατον . . . πελω. / Εγω προσαχ[θεν τη] τραπεζη τη ξενη / . . . ηπερ ην Μαρζηλιου / [ . . . τριφε]γγους και τριφω[του . . .]. / Αυθις δε πει[σθεις τη προ]θυμια παση / Μαγι[. . .]ου πατρωνος αμα και θυτου, / κυρις καθυφιζανεν ευσεβοφρον(ως) / Παντολεων Προεδρος τουδε του θρονου.

Translated into English:I am a most precious gift . . . I was placed on the remarkable altar . . ., which belongedto Marsilios, three times glittering and three times luminous. Acceding to the ardentdesire of Magi . . . os, patron and priest, lord bishop Pantoleon, holder of this throne,sits with great piety.

See also

• Diocesan Museum of Gallipoli

References

Sources

• Book: Briggs, Martin Shaw. In the Heel of Italy: A Study of an Unknown City. Duffield & Co.. 1911. New York. 5247550. December 20, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191219232342/https://books.google.com/books?id=l708AAAAMAAJ&pg=PA316. December 19, 2019. live. Google Books.
• Book: Domenico, Roy. The Regions of Italy: A Reference Guide to History and Culture. Greenwood Press. 2002. 0-313-30733-4. Westport, Connecticut. December 19, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191219194842/https://books.google.com/books?id=wZ-PMNC5XOkC&pg=PA27. December 19, 2019. live. Google Books.
  • Piuzzi. Emanuele. Pittella. Erika. Pisa. Stefano. Cataldo. Andrea. De Benedetto. Egidio. Cannazza. Giuseppe. September 2018. An improved noninvasive resonance method for water content characterization of Cultural Heritage stone materials. Measurement. 125. 257–261. 10.1016/j.measurement.2018.04.070. 117597277 .
• Book: Safran, Linda. The Medieval Salento: Art and Identity in Southern Italy. University of Pennsylvania Press. 2014. 9780812245547. The Middle Ages Series. Philadelphia. 239–336. Database: Sites in the Salento with Texts and Images Informative About Identity. j.ctt5vkcwn.13.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Gallipoli: the Cathedral of St. Agatha Virgin and Martyr of Catania.. June 13, 2017. Foodismo. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20191108151257/https://www.foodismo.it/en/places-to-go/gallipoli/gallipoli-the-cathedral-of-st-agatha/. November 8, 2019. November 8, 2019.