the Metropolitan Cathedral of San Gerlando is the main Catholic place of worship in Agrigento, in Sicily, the mother church of the metropolitan archdiocese of the same name. In December 1951 Pope Pius XII elevated it to the dignity of a minor basilica.
From B&B MiraValle Agrigento you can reach the Cathedral on foot, walking just 750 metres through the alleys of the historic centre of Agrigento.
The first works for the construction of the Cathedral of Agrigento began before the year 1100 at the behest of Bishop Gerlando. But only 200 years later, during the bishopric of Bertoldo De Labro, the completed church was dedicated to San Gerlando, patron saint of the City of the Temples.
Over the years and centuries, other buildings were added to the original one and other improvements were made inside. This resulted in a considerable variety of styles that can still be admired today inside the Cathedral: from Norman to Gothic-Chiaramontano, from Renaissance to Baroque.
Already by 1600 the cathedral of Agrigento had lost its original style and structure. A frightening landslide, which occurred in Agrigento in 1966, caused considerable damage to the Cathedral, which remained closed, under restoration, for about ten years. Inside you can admire frescoes and sculptures of great artistic value.
Sources: Municipality of Agrigento, Wikipedia
Source: Wikipedia
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