| According to many local historians and Bante Brigantino Chronicle, in 1059, a group of sailors from Amalfi, survived from a shipwreck, made a vow to build a crypt dedicated to Virgin Mary, above which the current Church of St. Maria degli Amalfitani was dedicated to. The upper church was built by people from Amalfi, in the first half of XIIth century, during a period of economic growth and expansion of Amalfi whose people had many estates, such as many monasteries not only in Monopoli town.
The church made up of tufa, is divided into three naves that end in three semicircular apses; the main is the widest one. The two small apses on the sides were destroyed by the building of the closest houses in 1932. The main apse on the outside shows architectural and decorative details peculiar of XII century. With many renovation works in 1932, the church lost its Baroque details and brought the church back to its original aspect. Originally, the church was built in Paleocristian style. From the right nave, we can reach the basilian crypt that it maybe the original church wanted by Amalfi sailors, that became a necropolis during the period of pestilence. From the left nave, we can reach the atryum of the apses. A series of arches that link coloumns together. Each capital is in romanesque style. The original altar was destroyed in 1500.The current one was built by the best- known “maestro of the marble” Nicolò Lamberti. Nowadays, the church is a place for religious ceremonies, for painting expositions and the seat of classic music concerts. |