In the first half of the 11th century, the Archbishop Bisanzio built a church on this ground, later completed by his successors Nicola I and Andrea II. This church was later destroyed by William I, called the Bad, during the destruction of the city from 1156.
The current church, which dates back to the 12th and 13th centuries, was built by Archbishop Rainaldo on the ruins of the Byzantine cathedral, inspired by the style of the Basilica of San Nicola. For the work, materials from the previous church and from other destroyed buildings were used. The cathedral was consecrated on October 4, 1292.
Starting with the 18th century, the building underwent a series of renovations, demolitions and additions. During those times, the facade, the interior of the naves, the interior of the ancient baptistery and the crypt were rebuilt in baroque forms on a design by Domenico Antonio Vaccaro.
The church is an important example of Apulian-Romanesque architecture. The simple facade is divided by two pilasters in three parts, that reproduce the section of the naves, with the tympanum in the middle.
The bell tower, elegant and graceful, rises to a height of 69 meters. It has three rows of mullioned windows, one of three-light windows, one of four-light windows, and ends with a cusp.
The rear facade, which encloses the apses, flanked by two bell towers, has a superb windows at the center, a masterpiece of the Apulian sculpture of the late 12h century.
Inside, the church, which was stripped of all the baroque decorations, has three naves separated by two rows of eight slender columns.
HOW TO GET THERE
The Cathedral of San Sabino is located in Piazza dell’Odegitria, in the heart of the historical center of Bari, about 1.2 kilometers away from the Bari Centrale train station. To find it on foot, use the map below.