Duomo di San Corrado

The Duomo di San Corrado is a church of Molfetta, city of the Pouilles in Italy.

Duomo di San Corrado, at the origin dedicated to Maria S. Assunta in Cielo, is located at the limit of the old city of Molfetta opposite the port. Built between 1150 and the end 1200, it constitutes a remarkable example of architecture romano-apulienne. It is largest of the Romance churches to have a central nave with domes on its axis (three, in the case of Duomo di San Corrado) resting on a drum at hexagonal base, compared to the others (including the four palatine basilicas) having a roof with Chevron S and with superimposed tiles.

Construction, at asymmetrical base, includes/understands three naves separated by cruciform pillars with columns which theirs are leant. The central nave is overcome by three domes aligned on the axis of the nave and variable heights (the central dome is much higher than the two others). The side aisles have pitched roofs with, for each edge, tiles in chiancarelle like the Trulli of Valle d' Itria. The same type of chiancarelle , assembled in Point-of-diamond with six sides converging in the center upwards for each dome (with an aim of reinforcing the hexagonal base of the drums), recovers the three central domes.

The principal frontage, vis-a-vis the west, is stripped contrary to that of the south which has three windows of late Renaissance style, of the effigies of high prelates, a representation of the pope Innocent III and the statues of San Corrado and San Nicola. The austerity of this frontage is explained by the fact why at the time of construction and until 1882, all that was directed towards the west, into the old city, fell to peak in the sea. Rare photographs former to construction of Banchina Seminario, contemporary of first section of work of new port (that which exists today), precisely finished around 1882, show it well.

The architectural unit is enchased by two bell-towers. That of the south is called torre campanaria because they is there that the bells are, the other is called bell-tower of guet because it was used for the preventive alarm of the possible incursions sarrasines. The two bell-towers are twin, at square base, three levels on height a 39 meters and open on the four sides by simple or geminated windows.

Inside, the artistic elements are stripped but essential:

a baptistry of 1518
a front of furnace bridge with a low-relief of the 14th century
a stone pluteus of the 12th century which represents a pontifical ceremony and the Redeemer (13th century)
a stoup representing a man, probably a buckwheat, which holds a basin in which stroke a fish.

At the origin, Duomo was dedicated to Maria S. Assunta and remained the single parish of Molfetta until 1671. In 1785, the current cathedral was named Maria S. Assunta in Cielo and, since then, the Old Dome took the name of patron saint of the city, San Corrado.

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