Church of the Santa Maria dei Greci

The Church of Santa Maria dei Greci is an authentic architectural jewel: the perfect fusion of a Christian temple and Greek temple which together embrace more than twenty five centuries of worship. It is located in the heart of the ancient centre of the city and is called “of the Greeks” because it was a Greek-orthodox cathedral in the Byzantine era. In the Arabian period it was a safe haven of the Christian cult and subsequently the Normans adopted it as a catholic cathedral, which it remained until the new cathedral built by Bishop Gerlando was completed. The building dates from the 12^th or 13^th century and has a Gothic portal preceded by a lovely courtyard; it was built on the basement of a 5^th century BC Greek temple, allegedly dedicated to the goddess Athena. The remains of the peripteral Doric temple are partially incorporated into the structure of the church and clearly visible in the lateral walls and through the glass floor; by means of a narrow underground corridor you can reach the ancient temple basements. Fragments of a precious 15^th century fresco can be scoured on the lateral wall and to the right there is a rare 17^th century wooden statue of Mother Mary. Be sure to admire the 16^th or 17^th century wooden ceilings.