cathedral of otranto

Everywhere we travel we view ramparts built to thwart Turkish invaders. No wonder this area was desirable, for it is lush and intriguing with legends that cloud it in mystery. Its also the eastern-most point in Italy and the nearest to the Balkan Peninsula, a mere 60 km away. You can see the need for a lot of ramparts as its active port is an ideal staging post connecting Greece to Italy. Byzantine heritage is alive and well and on show, especially the church of San Pietro and the magnificent Cattedrale, a jewel-like structure in the form of a Greek cross. We revelled, following three apses which led to a cupola in the centre covered with frescoes that date back to AD 1000. Loved the beautiful exterior with a crypt modelled on the Blue Mosque in Constantinople. The enormous mosaic pavement has wow- factor galore covering the whole floor making it important to the art world as well as, to that of religion. Its depiction of the Tree of Life, is 178 feet long, supported by two elephants, is pure magic, while episodes from the Old Testament, knightly tales of the Round Table, zodiac legends are amalgamated with monsters from the Apocalypse. we liked the roughness of the figures and even though the details are not particularly refined, the overall mosaic tableau shows inventiveness and a collage of characters. Out of town stands the Abbey of San Nicola di casole, founded in the 11th century, once the most important monastic centres of the Middle Ages. We walked along Memory Valley where settlements of hermit monks were excavated. We climbed down to the underground vault hollowed out in 2000BC. It stretches for 50 m and contains hundreds of interesting niches. Travelling further south we came to Porto Badisco, a fishing village where not only can you visit the caves, but also trace 6000-year-old graffiti, as well. We stopped for a couple of days to wash off the dust at Cesaria Therme, a health resort with divinely Moorish-style architecture.

I would recommend visiting the cathedral of Otranto for may reason, but those who immediately come to mind is the mosaic which one of the biggest I've ever seen stretching from the entrance of the cathedral all the way to the altar, the architecture inside and the crypt. One thing that deeply struck me was the bones of the martyrs who died at the hands of the Ottomans instead of accepting to convert to Islam. They are piled up inside the walls protected by glass. The myth goes, there are over 1300 human remains from those slaughtered when the Ottomans invaded Otranto. The mosaic is said to be one of the oldest in Italy and it depicts the Heaven and Hell divided by a tree. It is an amazing sight and you need many pictures to capture it all, that's how immense it is. Very near the cathedral there are many souvenir shops and you also get an amazing view of the blue Mediterranean waters. Make time to visit the Fortress as well, definitely worth the trip all the way there.

Certainly worth a visit while in the Puglia area. The mosaics are lovely. The town is worth a walk around, an hour or two should be enough time to see most things.

Take time to read the mosaics with a good guidebook (or a guide) do not forget to visit the cript and take time to look at the magnificent front.

The biggest church in Puglia is fantastic, you won't decide whether it's the floor or the roof... Both magnificent !And, don't miss the second church, below the cathedral... Memories of Istanbul, mix of cultures

This is a striking church, especially because of the 12th century mosaic that covers the entire floor. I can't believe they let everyone walk on it! Spectacular, and well worth a visit.

The Romanesque architecture is interesting, but the most spectacular aspect is the mosaic floor. I am surprised that you can walk over as much of it as you can, but it is very well preserved. This is a very impressive chiesa.

This is an amazing building with a truly amazing mosaic. The crypt is however one of the ghostiest places I have ever been. 800 or so folk were killed during raids by the Turks of many hundred years back. Their bones are in one apse of the church still. It is a sombre sight in a beautiful building in a beautiful town.

Closed from noon to 3 so need to plan accordingly. Mosaic floor is definitely worth seeing. Rose window out for restoration.

The mosaic pavement covers the entire floor of the cathedral of Otranto and it of great interest for its iconography. It is signed (by Pantaleone, a priest) and dated to the XII century.

The mosaic floor is so beautiful, it's of pomegranate trees and Fig trees the astrology...it's really remarkable! It's rustic and very elegant! Of all the churches I've seen in Italy this one is my favorite.

This church was interesting and a little different than most churches. The mosaics, ceiling and side alters are typical of the area, but there is chapel dedicated to the people of the town that were murdered due to their faith. You can see the skulls and bones enclosed in glass cases. Not your typical church!

Obsess over the floor tiles. If you don't get it, go outside and buy one of the guides. It's a crazy mix of christian and prechristian, adam and eve and greek mythology, and I've seen nothing like it anywhere else in Italy.

Otranto's cathedral is rightly famous for the medieval mosaic floor which is unlike anything I have seen elsewhere. Don't miss it. The ceiling is pretty good too.

The mosaics in this cathedral are incredibly well preserved. One of our number was an expert on theMiddle East and has seen mosaics all around the Mediterranean and in Arabian countries. She said these were extraordinarily well preserved, perhaps the best she has ever seen. I was enchanted by the fanciful creations, all mixed together so you had everything from Adam and Eve to Hell and Heaven with various people therein to the 12 months of the year. Be sure to check out the elephants near the entry door - the artist clearly never saw a real one in the flesh, but what he came up with is delightful. Be sure to allow yourself a good bit of time so you can walk all around the church to see the many different creations on the floor. Check out the right-hand side chapel to see three large displays of skulls of locals martyred by invading Arabs for refusing to convert to Islam, and walk behind that chapel's altar to find the stone on which they were beheaded. And if you like really good Italian food, allow time to finish your visit with a meal at nearby L'altro Baffo near the castle.