The Basilica of St. Nicholas is the main shrine of the city of Bari, where thousands of pilgrims from all over the world seek to get to prayers, help and healing from the relics and the healing world they exude. It is an active Catholic church run by the Dominican order. In the crypt of the Basilica, not only Catholic, but also Orthodox services are regularly held.
The church was erected in the 11th-12th centuries. in the Romano-Norman style to store the relics of St. Nicholas, brought in 1087 by Bari sailors from the World of Lycia. The basilica consists of an upper church and an underground crypt, where holy relics lie behind bars in a stone sarcophagus. It is located on a wide square in the very center of the old city and not far from the sea coast. Part of the sculptural decoration of the temple was taken from more ancient Byzantine buildings, so here you can see bizarre figures and ornaments in the portals, reliefs and capitals of the columns. There are many interesting things in the cathedral itself - this is a magnificent ceiling of the 17th century, decorated with carvings, gilding and frescoes; triptych Rico da Candia of the 15th century; ancient ciborium of the 12th century; marble episcopal throne of the 12th century. and much more.
In 2010, the Treasury Museum was opened at the Basilica, which contains exhibits related to the centuries-old history of the temple: documents, tombstones, icons, vestments, religious objects, paintings, jewelry and other materials from the Byzantine era to the present day. In the church shop at the temple, you can buy myrrh exhaled by the relics, icons and various religious souvenirs.