Church of the Santa Maria dei Greci

The Church of Santa Maria dei Greci is a true architectural gem, a place where a Christian church and an ancient Greek temple coexist, seamlessly fused by time. Nestled in the oldest heart of the city, it is called “dei Greci” (“of the Greeks”) because, during the Byzantine rule, it served as a Greek Orthodox church, and later, throughout the centuries of Arab domination, it remained a steadfast stronghold of Christian worship. The visit to the Church of Santa Maria dei Greci has recently been enhanced with innovative, interactive, and multilingual digital tools, including AI-powered totems, touchscreens, and virtual reality headsets. This innovation breaks down cognitive barriers and offers all visitors an experience that clearly and intuitively reveals the various historical and architectural phases of the building.

During the Arab period, it was a safe haven for the Christian faith, and subsequently, the Normans adopted it as a Catholic cathedral, which remained so until the completion of the new Cathedral , built by Norman Bishop Gerlando.

The building, in its current form, dates back to the 12th–13th century. Preceded by a charming courtyard, it features a Gothic portal adorned with the noble coat of arms of the Pujades family, a wealthy Spanish lineage that converted to Christianity in the 15th century.

The church, with its three naves, was built on the foundations of a 5th-century BC Greek temple. 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’s foundations and admire its remains.

On the right nave’s wall, traces of a precious early 15th-century fresco depicting episodes from the life of the Virgin can be seen, alongside a remarkable 16th-century wooden sculpture of the Mother Mary. Be sure to admire the 16th- or 17th-century wooden ceilings, which still preserve traces of painted decorations: a refined composition of sacred images of saints, noble coats of arms, scenes of daily life, and vases with foliage, reminiscent of those found in the Cathedral.