Cattedrale di Ariano Irpino

The Cathedral of Ariano Irpino, or "Duomo", stands in the square of the same name and is dedicated to Santa Maria Assunta in Cielo (Saint Mary of the Assumption into Heaven), to Saint Ottone Frangipane, patron saint and protector of the diocese, and to Saint Elzearo da Sabrano, co-patron saint.

Built on the ancient ruins of the Temple of Apollo around the middle of the 10th century, the Cathedral played a prominent role for the entire community of Ariano, which gathered around this place of worship in a single body, merging customs and sacred rituals with civil institutions. As time went by, the cathedral became more and more a symbol of the city, with its bishop rising to the role of pater patriae, spiritual leader and unifying force of the people. 

The Cathedral of Ariano Irpino, devastated, like so many other buildings, by the continuous earthquakes and looting to which Ariano Irpino was subjected, has undergone numerous reconstructions, the last of which was following the earthquake of 23 November 1980. All that remains of the past is the Romanesque gabled façade, dating back to the 16th century and built in green Roseto sandstone. The portals date from this period, while the rose windows are of posthumous workmanship. Inside, the Cathedral is distinguished by the presence of nine chapels, a crucifix and a series of noteworthy works, including the painting of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary into Heaven, by an anonymous Roman author, commissioned by Bishop Tipaldi in 1745, and the painting of the Annunciation by the Flemish painter Wenceslas Cobergher, dated 1590.

Among the most appreciated places of worship in Irpinia, rich in religious and artistic evidence, the Cathedral of Ariano still shines in all its beauty.