the church of santa maria del casale
This is one of the most illustrious churches of the city and marks the twilight of Romanesque art and the birth of Gothic art. It is a bit tucked away between the city and the airport but is a real gem to discover!
built on the ruins of a chapel for saint francis from assisi
The church of Saint Mary of Casale in Brindisi is a bit tucked away on a strange terrain between the city and the airport runway but is a real gem to discover. It is one of the most illustrious churches of the city and marks the twilight of Romanesque art and the birth of Gothic art. This place of worship was built in 1284 by the Prince of Taranto Filippo I and his wife Caterina. They built it on the ruins of a chapel in honour of St. Francis from Assisi who once stopped right here, on his way back of a journey to the Holy Land.
National monument
This church is a national Italian monument since 1875. It has a very elegant façade which makes the building unique thanks to the combination of the white stone of the nearby village of Carovigno with the local tuff stone. You may see a variation of colours creating amazing light reflections, zig zag, and herringbone or chessboard drawings. Inside the church you can see about 1300 magnificent fresco paintings of religious themes, made by Rinaldo from Taranto and others. Next to the church there is a cloister with an arcade built around late 1500.
nice to know
This beautiful Chiesa di Santa Maria del Casale once was the seat of the Templar’s trial of the kingdom of Sicily in 1310. They fell in misfortune and were persecuted by the king of France Filippo II the Fair, hungry for their riches. This was the end for the legendary knights with a white cloak and a red cross on the chest.
how to get there
The church is open every day from 9 am–8 pm. It can be found right before the airport parking area.