Things to see · Churches and sanctuaries
Church and Convent of San Domenico, Ferrandina
Ferrandina (Matera)
Church and Convent of San Domenico, Ferrandina is in Ferrandina, province of Matera. Opening hours: Open for worship; outside services it may be closed: check with the parish. Admission: Free.
- Free.
- Open for worship; outside services it may be closed: check with the parish.
About this place
The church of San Domenico, with its attached convent, is the symbol of Ferrandina: its large dome can be seen from dozens of kilometres away.
History
The Dominicans came to Ferrandina from nearby Uggiano. The complex was begun in 1517 and renovated in the Baroque style in the 18th century; the church, built higher up than the convent, was completed in the second half of the century.
What to see
• The façade divided by paired pilasters, with the Dominican coat of arms in stone above the monumental portal.
• The dome, the symbol of the town.
• Paintings of the Neapolitan school, including the «Miracolo di Soriano» (Miracle of Soriano) by Francesco Caivano, dated 1649.
• The high altar in polychrome marble, the wooden choir in the apse and the antique organ.
• The statues of the dead Christ and of the Magdalene, carried in procession on Good Friday and Holy Saturday.
Useful information
• It is a church open for worship: visit quietly, outside of services.
• In the same area of the historic centre are the church of Santa Chiara and a small museum of rural life.
