Marsala Cathedral, Baroque cathedral in Marsala, Italy
Marsala Cathedral is a baroque stone church on Piazza della Repubblica in the center of Marsala, Sicily, with a two-tiered facade that shows traces of its Norman origins. Inside, visitors can see a marble baptismal font from the 17th century and a 1656 painting of the Martyrdom of Saint Thomas Becket.
The cathedral was started in 1176 under Bishop Tutino during the Norman period in Sicily, and it was consecrated before the end of that century. The building was changed several times over the following centuries, and the baroque facade seen today is the result of later renovations.
Thomas Becket, to whom the cathedral is dedicated, was the Archbishop of Canterbury murdered in 1170, and his cult spread quickly across Europe, including Norman Sicily. A painting inside the building shows his martyrdom and remains one of the most looked-at works in the interior today.
The cathedral sits on the main square of Marsala and is easy to reach on foot from most of the town center. Visiting outside of religious services is a good idea if you want to move around freely and look at the interior details.
According to local tradition, a ship carrying Corinthian columns meant for a church in England was blown off course by strong winds and ended up near the coast of Marsala. The people of the town are said to have decided to keep the columns and use them in their own cathedral.
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