The Basilica of St Nicholas of Bari was built on a previous building after the 1087 arrival of St Nicholas of Myra’s relics in the Apulian city, Norman since 1071. Emblematic of Apulian Romanesque, it went through several construction phases, until 1197. Inside, there is a ciborium dating back to 1150, as well as the cathedra of Abbot Elias, decorated with mosaics, high reliefs and telamons, dating back to between the end of the 11th and the beginning of the 12th century. The majestic triapsidal crypt is located under the high altar, supported by 26 Romanesque columns and containing the saint’s relics. The Lion Portal, located near the Militia Tower, also dates back to the 11th and 12th centuries and is surmounted by a large projecting arch. The door is richly decorated with liturgical motifs, as well as motifs related to work in the fields (harvest, grape harvest), leaves, animals, even fantastic ones, and scenes from Genesis.
