BASILICA DI SAN NICOLA Photo Gallery
Basilica of St. Nicholas Bari photo gallery | galerie photo de la basilique Saint-Nicolas Bari | Fotogalerie der Basilika St. Nikolaus Bari | galería de fotos de la basílica de San Nicolás Bari | fotogaleria bazyliki św. Mikołaja Bari | galleria fotografica della Basilica di San Nicola Bari | фотогалерея базилики Святого Николая Бари | サン・ニコラ大聖堂（バーリ）のフォトギャラリー | 바리 성 니콜라 대성당 포토갤러리 | 意大利巴里圣尼古拉大教堂照片画廊
Basilica of St. Nicholas Bari photo gallery | galerie photo de la basilique Saint-Nicolas Bari | Fotogalerie der Basilika St. Nikolaus Bari | galería de fotos de la basílica de San Nicolás Bari | fotogaleria bazyliki św. Mikołaja Bari | galleria fotografica della Basilica di San Nicola Bari | фотогалерея базилики Святого Николая Бари | サン・ニコラ大聖堂（バーリ）のフォトギャラリー | 바리 성 니콜라 대성당 포토갤러리 | 意大利巴里圣尼古拉大教堂照片画廊
The Basilica of Saint Nicholas (Basilica di San Nicola) is located in Bari, in southern Italy, and stands as one of the most important religious and architectural landmarks of Apulia. Construction began in 1087, shortly after a group of merchants from Bari transported the relics of Saint Nicholas from Myra (in present-day Turkey), and continued until 1197. The church was conceived as a monumental structure to honour the saint and to assert the city’s ecclesiastical and political ambitions. Its foundation was supported by both the local clergy and the Norman rulers of southern Italy, and it quickly became a key pilgrimage destination in medieval Europe.
Remarkably, the basilica has maintained its structural integrity and original Romanesque form through the centuries. It was never destroyed, and – unlike many medieval churches – it did not undergo major stylistic reconstructions during later architectural periods. While certain elements – such as the Baroque ciborium and later additions in the interior – reflect changing artistic tastes, the core of the building remains faithful to its 11th- and 12th-century origins. The basilica has, for centuries, served as a place of worship for both Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Christians, as Saint Nicholas is revered in both traditions. For this reason, liturgies in the Eastern rite are still held in the crypt. The crypt itself, where the saint’s relics are kept, is accessible to both pilgrims and visitors.
Within the basilica is also the cenotaph of Queen Bona Sforza, wife of Sigismund the Old and mother of Sigismund Augustus, kings of Poland. Following her death in 1557 in a nearby castle, her body was interred in a specially prepared tomb within the church. The sarcophagus, carved from red marble, bears inscriptions that emphasise her royal lineage and her close ties to Poland. The presence of Bona’s tomb in the Basilica of Saint Nicholas highlights both the political and cultural significance of Bari in the 16th century, as well as the lasting connections of the Sforza dynasty to the region.
The architectural style of the basilica is austere and monumental. It features a solid façade flanked by two towers and a simple, unadorned structure, characteristic of Apulian Romanesque architecture. The interior is spacious, with three naves separated by heavy columns. Notable elements include the wooden ceiling, the pulpit, and a Baroque ciborium over the main altar.
