Things to see · Churches and sanctuaries
Mother Church of San Giacomo Maggiore
Pietrapertosa (Potenza)
Mother Church of San Giacomo Maggiore is in Pietrapertosa, province of Potenza. Opening hours: About 10:00–13:30 and 15:00–18:00; visits are suspended during services. Admission: Free entry.
- Free entry.
- About 10:00–13:30 and 15:00–18:00; visits are suspended during services.
About this place
The Mother Church of San Giacomo Maggiore is the main church of Pietrapertosa. It stands along the road that runs through the village, and it is recognisable by its bell tower, which spans the street with an arch.
History
It was built around 1400 in the Romanesque style, and in the following centuries it was enriched with artworks and furnishings, especially between the 16th and 18th centuries.
What to see
• The bell tower, marked by five stone cornices, with the arch passing over the street.
• The two-aisled interior, with four frescoes in the pendentives.
• The 16th-century wooden choir and an 18th-century confessional.
• The stone baptismal font, rediscovered in 1940.
• The paintings attributed to the painters Ferro and Giovanni De Gregorio, known as il Pietrafesa.
• The crypt, beneath the church.
How to get there
The church is in the centre of the village, on Via Vittorio Emanuele, a few minutes’ walk from the car park at the entrance to the old town. From here you can climb up to the Arabata and the Norman-Swabian castle.
Useful information
• It is an active place of worship: please visit quietly and dress appropriately.
• Opening times may change depending on services and the season.
• Just outside the centre is also the Convent of San Francesco, with an important cycle of 16th-century frescoes.
