Discover the crypt of the Cathedral of Otranto

The Cathedral of Otranto and its crypt: the heritage of humanity

The crypt, dating back to the 11th century, is a perfect miniature of the Cordoba Mosque or the Cistern of Constantinople because here, in Otranto, the colonnade with columns belonging to different styles and different worlds is also shown here.
Thumbnail because everything is represented in significantly smaller sizes and spaces.

How the crypt of Otranto presents itself to the ecstatic eyes of visitors

Beautiful, you will find it impossible to count all the columns for a particular and magical game of perspectives. We have counted the aisles and columns for you, with our place-teller
The naves are five, three semicircular apses, forty-two marble columns.
These are the numbers of a breathtaking scenery.

The capitals of the columns: religious diversity represented in art

QThis place, at least this is one of the many interpretations that has been given, should have been the bond between East and West in terms of faith and religion.
Here, people of different faith had to find their own God.
The multi-ethnic nature of the faithful who visited these places is given by the different styles of the capitals. In fact you can see ionic, Corinthian, Asian, Egyptian, Byzantine, Islamic, Syrian, Persian, etc. capitals.
Each capital holds arches with peduccio lengthened arches on the abacus and enchanting small cross vaults.

The beauty of the crypt is not only due to the peculiarity of the colonnade: the importance of the frescoes in the Cathedral of Otranto.

Inside the crypt of the Cathedral of Otranto, the discovery continues: splendid frescoes dating from the eleventh and thirteenth centuries are on the walls, ready to be admired.
The Blessed Virgin Mary with Child (between the XI and XII century), before Giotto, beautiful representation of the Madonna. Jesus Master, of the thirteenth century, in which the three-dimensional perspective is interesting. St. Francis, to whom there is a true legend/story linked: it is said that he came to visit the lands of Otranto, before embarking on the Holy Land. This story can be trusted because Otranto, due to its strategic position, was a crossroads for all the Crusaders and the companies of the faithful who were heading for Jerusalem and, from its port, ships departed at times from the Holy Land.

The Virgin Mary with Child: unquestionable masterpiece before Giotto

Because of its state of preservation, as you can see in the gallery below, this fresco is a true masterpiece of beauty.
Our Lady, loving mother, holds in her arms and at the same time embraces the child Jesus, who, with eyes animated by profound love, turns her gaze towards her Mother.
The attitude of the Virgin Mary, who keeps her hand in her hands, is very beautiful, as if to reassure her and soothe her.
A true masterpiece and restoration work on the crypt, it exalted its brilliance and colours.

Cathedral of Otranto and Crypt: two masterpieces in unicum, World Heritage Site

We cannot say more. Sometimes the words are superfluous and the images cannot reach, however detailed they may be, the real beauty of the cathedral and the splendour of the crypt.
You can discover Otranto’s beauty and its lighthouse by making urban trekking

Pictures of the Crypt of the Cathedral of Otranto