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Church of Santa Maria a Mare, island of San Nicola, Tremiti

Perhaps the charm of this church comes from the white reflection of the stone of Swabian origin that constitutes it.


The fact is that this structure is also due to the Lateran Canon friars who in 1473 commissioned the facade to the sculptor Nicolò di Giovanni Cocari and to the architect Andrea Alessi, coming respectively from Florence and Durazzo.


The final result was a building with simple and elegant lines.


The portal is embellished with a high relief representing the Virgin of the Assumption, surrounded by angels and apostles in her presence.


At the ends of the portal, there are niches that house four statues of as many saints: Sant ‘Agostino, San Paolo, San Pietro and San Giovanni.


A curiosity: the furrows on the facade are the result of some cannon shots fired in 1808 by the English fleet.

The interior of the church is mysterious and scenic: pillars with Byzantine crosses, a Cistercian-era choir, Gothic-style arches and cross vaults.


The baptismal font is flanked by three trapdoors inside which the skeletons of two women were found!


The floor mosaic was made by the Benedictines in 1045 and partly represents an eagle with open wings.


The wooden ceiling is also a valuable work, which in 1755 was embellished with Baroque decorations.


What to say, if you visit the Tremiti Islands it is strongly recommended to see this piece of the island's past, and you can learn more about this jewel here.

While here is our article to delve deeper into the wonders of the island of San Nicola, in addition to the fact that you will find many other articles in our blog.

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