Description of the attraction
The Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta is the main church of the city of Benevento in the Italian region of Campania. It was built at the beginning of the 7th century, during the founding of the Lombard Duchy of Benevento, but during the Second World War it was almost completely destroyed and rebuilt in the 1960s.
The cathedral stands on the site of the first Christian church of Benevento, where at one time the ancient Roman capitol was also located. The foundation of the cathedral dates back to the beginning of the 7th century, although later, under Arekis II, it was enlarged (in the 8th century). Then, in about 830, the Lombard ruler Siko I added a nave and two side chapels to the church and placed inside the classic columns that were the landmark of the church until its destruction in 1943.
In the 10th century, when Benevento became a diocese, Bishop Roffredo expanded the cathedral again, and the façade and bell tower were built in the 13th century. In 1456, the almost completed Santa Maria Assunta suffered during an earthquake - it was restored with the help of Pope Pius II and consecrated in 1473. Perhaps it was then that two more side-chapels appeared in the church. The church suffered serious damage during the earthquakes of 1688 and 1702, after which it was restored and retained its appearance until the Second World War.
The current building of the church was built in the 1950s and 60s by the architect Paolo Rossi De Paoli. The cathedral has retained its Romanesque façade, bell tower and original crypt with fragments of 14th century frescoes. All other elements date from the second half of the 20th century.
The facade of Santa Maria Assunta, made at the end of the 13th century, is faced with white marble. It is notable for six arcades and a main portal with an architrave and two ornate imposts. The upper arcades are a loggia, which is separated by decorative columns. A rosette window with mosaics can be seen above the portal, and in one of the windows of the lower arcades you can see the image of a 13th century knight.
The interior of the cathedral is made in a modern style, although some historical elements have been preserved here: a huge statue of St. Bartolomeo from the early 14th century, works of art from the 18th century and, of course, the crypt of the 7-8th centuries.
