Cattolica di Stilo
Encyclopedia
The Cattolica di Stilo is a Byzantine
church in the comune of Stilo
, Calabria
, southern Italy
. It is a national monument.
. The name derives from the Greek word katholiki, which referred to the churches provided with a baptistery
. It is one of the most important examples of Byzantine architecture, together with the church of San Marco in Rossano Calabro.
The western sides lies on a free rocks, while the southern area, ending with three apses, stands on three stone bases. The construction is in bricks.
The interior was once entirely covered with frescoes. The left apse has a bell built in 1577, when the church was converted to the Latin rite. The interior has also several inscriptions in Arabic
, which have led the scholars suspect it could have been also used as a Muslim oratory. One inscription translates to "There is only one true God".
Byzantine architecture
Byzantine architecture is the architecture of the Byzantine Empire. The empire gradually emerged as a distinct artistic and cultural entity from what is today referred to as the Roman Empire after AD 330, when the Roman Emperor Constantine moved the capital of the Roman Empire east from Rome to...
church in the comune of Stilo
Stilo
Stilo is a town and comune in the province of Reggio Calabria, in the Calabria region of southern Italy. It is located 151 km from Reggio Calabria....
, Calabria
Calabria
Calabria , in antiquity known as Bruttium, is a region in southern Italy, south of Naples, located at the "toe" of the Italian Peninsula. The capital city of Calabria is Catanzaro....
, southern Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. It is a national monument.
History
The Cattolica was built in the 9th century, when Calabria was part of the Byzantine EmpireByzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
. The name derives from the Greek word katholiki, which referred to the churches provided with a baptistery
Baptistery
In Christian architecture the baptistry or baptistery is the separate centrally-planned structure surrounding the baptismal font. The baptistry may be incorporated within the body of a church or cathedral and be provided with an altar as a chapel...
. It is one of the most important examples of Byzantine architecture, together with the church of San Marco in Rossano Calabro.
Architecture
The Cattolica follow a plan with "inscribed cross", typical of the middle Byzantine age. The interior is divided by four columns into five similar spaces. The square central space and the angle ones are covered by domes. The angle ones have with tambours with the same diameter, while the central dome is slightly taller and larger.The western sides lies on a free rocks, while the southern area, ending with three apses, stands on three stone bases. The construction is in bricks.
The interior was once entirely covered with frescoes. The left apse has a bell built in 1577, when the church was converted to the Latin rite. The interior has also several inscriptions in Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
, which have led the scholars suspect it could have been also used as a Muslim oratory. One inscription translates to "There is only one true God".