The Basilica of Saint Catherine of Alexandria in Galatina

Photographs Ruggiero Doronzo

Translated by Christina Jenkner

The basilica of Santa Caterina d'Alessandria in Galatina, in the heart of the "Greek" Salento, is a unique sacred building that one would never expect to find in Puglia: the most complete pictorial cycles of the region unfold on its walls. Starting from the entrance, the cycle of the Apocalypse is distributed on the walls of the first span and the counter-façade, while on the corresponding vaults stand out Allegories of virtue; in the second span the painted scenes are taken from the book of Genesis, while the sails house the Triumph of the Church and a cycle of the Sacraments… In this book the authors tell us about the historical events that led to the construction of this cathedral and carefully describe all of them the details of the frescoes inside: a real decorative triumph.