The Cathedral of Gerace, dedicated to Santa Maria Assunta, is one of the most interesting buildings to discover in Gerace. Not only because its history, among several collapses and damages, caused also by the earthquake at the end of the 18th century, follows the history of the village, but also because of its particular structure.
The style is Romanesque, and inside it presents itself in all the elegant simplicity of the Latin cross. In addition, one cannot fail to notice the contrast, also chromatic, between the white that hovers on the walls and the darker color that predominates on the trussed ceiling. The Baroque influence, on the other hand, is evident on the high altar, and the Byzantine influence on the transept.
Visiting the Cathedral of Gerace is an excellent starting point for learning about Norman religious buildings.
One of the buildings most scarred by the countless earthquakes is definitely the Norman Castle of Gerace.
It dates as far back as the 7th century, but was fortified and renovated in the Norman era, around 1050. To that period, in fact, dates the central keep-the walls were made from huge megalithic blocks.
Few ruins of the castle remain today, but it was once surrounded by mighty walls and also had a drawbridge. In the center of the building, there was also a small Byzantine oratory, which was used until the 17th century. Unfortunately, the grandiose building on the top of the hill was largely destroyed by the violence of the mid-18th-century earthquake.
The Church of San Francesco d'Assisi is one of the most important Franciscan churches in southern Italy and is the most important example of the Calabrian Gothic style.
The building dates back to the 13th century and was part of a convent founded by Daniele, one of San Francesco' companions. In the 19th century, the church was deprived of all its art objects, as it was feared confiscation by the French. It was used as a prison, then a mill, an oil mill and even a private residence.
