Insigne collegiata parrocchiale di Santa Maria Maggiore

The Insigne Collegiata di Santa Maria Maggiore is a church with a Latin cross layout and three naves, marked by semicircular apses along its western end. Its Baroque facade on Piazza XXIV Maggio is divided into three sections by mixed-line pilasters and features a central entrance.

The church was built in the 11th century following a vow made by Norman leader Robert Guiscard to the Madonna after his forces conquered the area in 1060. In the following century it gained further importance when the relics of Saint Adam the Abbot arrived, transforming it into a pilgrimage site.

Saint Adam the Abbot has been the patron saint of Guglionesi since his relics arrived here in the 12th century and remains central to local devotion. His presence connects the town to a broader religious tradition that shaped Mediterranean communities.

The church sits centrally on Piazza XXIV Maggio and is easily reached on foot from the town center. As an active place of worship, visitors should observe appropriate behavior and dress when entering.

Visitors to the 12th-century crypt can discover a rare architectural form with rounded arches supported by columns that create small bays featuring circular colonettes. This underground chamber showcases a distinctive approach to medieval construction that is rarely seen elsewhere.