{"id":23102,"date":"2025-05-19T07:00:35","date_gmt":"2025-05-19T07:00:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/villeinsalento.com\/mother-church-of-the-ss-salvatore-in-alessano\/"},"modified":"2025-05-19T07:00:35","modified_gmt":"2025-05-19T07:00:35","slug":"mother-church-of-the-ss-salvatore-in-alessano","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/villeinsalento.com\/en\/mother-church-of-the-ss-salvatore-in-alessano\/","title":{"rendered":"Mother Church of the SS. Salvatore in Alessano"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you are near <\/span>Alessano<\/b>, in Salento, an unmissable stop is undoubtedly the <\/span>Chiesa Madre del SS. Salvatore<\/b>, an imposing place of worship that dominates the main square of the town.<\/span><\/p>\n

This church, with its majesty, represents one of the most significant testimonies of Salento spirituality and is an ideal destination for those who want to discover more about the local culture and tradition.<\/span><\/p>\n

Its strategic position makes the visit an experience not to be missed, both for architecture enthusiasts and for travellers interested in small villages off the beaten track. If you decide to visit it, you will find yourself in front of a heritage that manages to convey a deep sense of spirituality.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Chiesa
Chiesa Madre del SS. Salvatore<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

History of the Chiesa Madre del SS. Salvatore<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The first news about the <\/span>Mother Church of SS. Salvatore<\/b> date back to the mid-12th century, when a cathedral in <\/span>Puglian Romanesque style<\/b> was built on the same site as the current church, adjacent to the city walls, in its south-eastern limit.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

The oldest documentation regarding the cathedral dates back to 1198, when an anonymous bishop from Alessandria mentioned a church that had already been in use for a few decades. The original building had a single nave and six side chapels, each dedicated to a saint, including <\/span>Saint Leonard<\/b>, <\/span>Saint Nicholas of Bari<\/b>, <\/span>Saint Martin of Tours<\/b>, <\/span>Saint John the Baptist<\/b>, the <\/span>Annunciation of Mary<\/b> and the <\/span>Archangel Michael<\/b>. The presbytery was decorated with a wooden choir and the roof was probably made of trusses in the same material. In front of the church there was a city cemetery, later suppressed in the 16th century, while noble families and notables were buried in the basement.<\/p>\n

In the 17th century, the cathedral was in urgent need of restoration. Bishop <\/span>Andrea Tontoli<\/b>, among his many initiatives, beautified the building with a new pulpit, the high altar and an episcopal courtyard decorated with the Tontoli family coat of arms, depicting Veronica with the Holy Face. During this period, the church also saw the introduction of structural changes and the renewal of some liturgical furnishings.<\/span><\/p>\n

By the end of the 18th century, the cathedral no longer met the needs of the growing population of Alessano. Bishop <\/span>Dionisio Latomo Massa<\/b> began the construction of a new cathedral, commissioning the project to the architect <\/span>Felice De Palma<\/b>. Construction work began in 1763 and was completed in 1839, but in the meantime, in 1818, the diocese of Alessano was suppressed and aggregated to that of Ugento, downgrading the church from cathedral to <\/span>Collegiate Church of SS. Salvatore<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The new cathedral had a neoclassical fa\u00e7ade designed by engineer <\/span>Benedetto Torsello<\/b>. The imposing and elegant fa\u00e7ade is characterized by three entrance portals, of which the central one is surmounted by the coat of arms of the city of Alessano. <\/span><\/p>\n