Cathedral (Mother Church)

Count Roger decided to build a temple to Saint George, his protector, in precisely the place where he won the battle against the Saracens in 1090. This explains the unusual choice of its peripheral location in respect to the town, much unlike most urbanised settings throughout the ages where the Mother Church is centrally positioned. Archaeological investigations have however revealed the sacredness of the area in times preceding the arrival of the Normans. The Church has three naves, with a series of chapels on the left hand side. Strong cylindrical and semi-octagonal pillars, with simple capitals, support pointed arches. Inside, the church boasts two precious Madonnas with Child and a marble statue of a holy Bishop in the Gagini style. The church suffered great damages during the 1968 earthquake.