Cathedral

The Cathedral building stands almost in the center of the ancient village, probably on the ruins of a Greek temple. An inscription on the north façade certifies 1171 as the date of completion of the works.

In 682 d. C. was elevated to a bishopric by Pope Leo II.

The Turkish invasions of 1500 devastated the building. It was Luca Antonio Resta, the then bishop who restored it to its ancient splendor, and then rededicated it to the Madonna Annunziata on the third Sunday of October 1576. Since 1969 the Cathedral has become the titular bishopric.

Outdoor of the Cathedral

The restorations of 2010, which affected the entire external surface of the building, restored its original appearance, after the continuous interventions and renovations had significantly altered its structure.

Externally the Cathedral has the typical elements of the Apulian Romanesque: the walls marked by blind arches and pilasters, two portals: Porta small and Porta grande, surmounted by imposing rose windows and a bell tower, which now stands on the north-west corner, but originally it was located on the east side.

To the south you can see the ancient episcope, fully restored, while, along the north side, about two meters below the road level, is the Byzantine church (8th-9th century), the twin of the church of San Pietro in Otranto.

Indoor

The interior has a Latin cross plan with a single nave ending in the presbytery. The nave was rebuilt several times until 1670; year of the replacement of its wooden roof with a barrel vault supported by 10 columns, 5 on each side.

Along the side walls there are some altars that host numerous paintings made by prestigious artists of the Kingdom of Naples, some of Michelangelo's inspiration, depicting:

• the Immaculate Madonna with Saints Francis of Assisi and Francesco di Paola.
• the Madonna with Saint Anthony of Padua and the Blessed Luca Belludi;
• the Immaculate Virgin with Saints Filippo Neri, Francesco di Sales, Ignazio di Loyola and Francesco Saverio;
• the Madonna with Saints Gaetano di Thiene, Carlo Borromeo and Andrea Avellino;
• the Annunciation;
• our Lady of the Rosary;
• Mary's visit to Sant'Elisabetta.

The high altar, in Baroque style, rises significantly with respect to the nave, and is positioned on the remains of a Greek temple dedicated to the goddess Minerva. It was built by the bishops De Marco and Capreoli between 1670 and 1685. It is a sculptural work of considerable interest and is enriched by two seventeenth-century paintings depicting the Madonna Annunziata, protector of the city.

On the sides of the apse there are two chapels, one of which preserves the relics of Santa Dorotea (co-patroness of Castro), the other some valuable papier-mâché processional statues, including that of the Madonna Annunziata.

The church also welcomes:

• a Byzantine fresco of Santa Lucia;
• a seventeenth-century wooden pulpit;
• a 17th century pipe organ.