Co-Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of Mary, Gerace, Co-cathedral and minor basilica in Gerace, Italy.
The Co-Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of Mary in Gerace is a Norman church featuring 20 granite and marble columns with late imperial capitals that support its central nave and side aisles. The building stands as Calabria's largest religious structure and contains a crypt with additional columns from Roman times.
Norman builders constructed this church between 1080 and 1120 as part of the region's transition from Byzantine to Norman control. The Chapel of San Giacomo inside preserves a 12th-century cross linked to the Templar order.
The basilica displays Roman columns from ancient Locri Epizefiri in its crypt, showing how medieval builders incorporated locally sourced ancient materials into their religious structures. This blend of old and new remains visible in the interior today.
Visitors find the basilica at Via Duomo 28 in Gerace, a hilltop medieval village best explored on foot. The church is easily accessible from outside, but reaching it involves navigating through narrow village streets.
The Chapel of San Giacomo holds a rare 12th-century cross connected to the Templar warrior monks. This artifact survived centuries of changes and remains one of the most intriguing details inside the church.
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