About the church

The Basilica of St. Nicholas has no ecclesiastical origins. The structure existed already a century before (around the year 1000). At that time it was the residence of the governor of the byzantine (Greek) governor of Italy, called “Catepan”.
In 1071 Bari and all southern Italy were conquered by the Normans, who moved the capital city to Salerno and from 1130 to Palermo. Losing political importance and therefore commercial trading, people from Bari in 1087 organized an expedition to southern Asia Minor, bringing back to their city the relics of St Nicholas, an event that rapidly became known throughout Europe. As a church in his honour they dedicated this ancient Catepan’s palace. To this purpose they demolished other buildings and chapels, leaving in the area only the Church of St. Gregory (X century).
The Basilica of St. Nicholas safeguards the Saint’s relics and stands imposing in the Old Town of Bari overlooking the Adriatic Sea. It is within a five-minute walk from the Harbour and fifteen from the Central Railway Station. The Romanesque architecture of the Basilica is characterized by a massive, masonry-wall construction and a sombre, austere style. It is worth remembering that the church was built on what was previously the residence of the Byzantine Governor (Catepan’s Court) and, thus, much of the pre-existing building materials were re-utilized. For this reason, it has been difficult for even accredited art historians to agree on the building phases. In any case, the wall structure, which is somewhat irregular (the north side is about 2 metres longer than the south side), can be attributed to the Abbot Elias (+1105 A.D.), whilst the decorations are prevalently attributable to his successor, the Abbot Eustatius (+1123 A.D.). The sculptures are true works of art and it is believed that the three classical pieces, that is, the Bishop’s Throne of the Abbot Elias, the Lions’ Portal and the Ciborium with its capitals, may have been commenced by Elias and completed by Eustatius.

Main events:

1087. may 9. Three ships arrived in the port of Bari with the relics of St. Nicholas taken in Myra (Asia Minor, today Turkey)

1089. Oct. 1: Consecration of the Crypt. Pope Urban II puts the relics under the main altar of the Crypt (underground church).

1096. October. With few exceptions, entered the church of St. Nicholas the most famous knights of the first Crusade (on the road to Jerusalem).

1098. October 3-10. A general council of 185 bishops was gathered and presided by pope Urban II, with St Anselm of Canterbury debating with Greek theologians denying the western addition (Filioque) to the Creed.

1156. June. The Basilica is the only church that king William the Bad saves, while destroying the entire city.

1197. June 22. Conrad, bishop of Hildesheim, chancellor of emperor Henry VI (son of Friedrich I Barbarossa), consecrated the Basilica, before the German army went to the Middle East for the Third Crusade.

1304. King Charles II of Anjou writes the Ecclesiastical Constitution of the Basilica. Only after 1929 the clergy of St. Nicholas fell again under pope’s jurisdiction.

(from www.basilicasannicola.it , info also available in French, Spanish, Russian and Greek)