Things to see · Churches and sanctuaries
Mother Church of Santa Maria Assunta, Gorgoglione
Gorgoglione (Matera)
Mother Church of Santa Maria Assunta, Gorgoglione is in Gorgoglione, province of Matera. Opening hours: Open for worship; outside services it may be closed: check with the parish. Admission: Free entry.
- Free entry.
- Open for worship; outside services it may be closed: check with the parish.
About this place
The Mother Church of Santa Maria Assunta is the main church of Gorgoglione. It overlooks piazza Zanardelli and is built of exposed stone, with a large bell tower on the south-east side.
History
Built on a Romanesque plan, the church was remodelled in Baroque style in the 18th century, when the interior was redone with stucco and altars. It has been restored several times over the years.
What to see
• The stone façade, divided into three sections, with the taller central part topped by a pediment and a niche holding a statue of the Virgin above the portal.
• The three-aisled interior, separated by two rows of four arches: the central nave is covered by a barrel vault, while the side aisles have small domes.
• The altars: the high altar and seven altars along the side aisles, decorated with stucco.
• The artworks: a 15th-century statue of San Rocco, an 18th-century Madonna del Rosario and a 17th-century wooden crucifix.
Festivals
The church is at the heart of Gorgoglione’s most important festival, held in June: on 11 June the statue of the Madonna sets off from here on a decorated cart pulled by oxen to reach the Sanctuary of the Madonna del Pergamo. On 13 June the patron saint, Sant’Antonio di Padova, is celebrated.
Useful information
• It is a church open for worship: visit quietly and dress appropriately.
• In the surroundings of the village you can visit the Pergamo sanctuary and the Cinto dell’Eremita.
