Overview
The spiritual heart of Potenza
A symbol of Potenza, the Cathedral of San Gerardo has a very ancient history. The building we see today stands on the remains of an early Christian basilica. Today's church was built in 1197, but its neoclassical façade, with its sober and elegant appearance, dates to the 18th century. A wide semicircular staircase leads to the main door, made of bronze and topped by a rose window.
The interior, in the shape of a Latin cross, consists of a single nave and around ten chapels. Of particular interest is the one dedicated to St Gerard, the patron saint of the city. But what attracts visitors' attention above all are the frescoes that adorn the dome. They were completed in the 1930s by the Venetian painter Mario Prayer and depict the citizens in procession with Bishop St Gerard to the presentation of the people to Mary and God.
Next to the church, on the right, stands the bell tower, one of the tallest buildings in Potenza. The structure visible today replaced the original tower, demolished in the mid-19th century following damage caused by the earthquakes that struck the city.
