Basilica of Santa Maria a Pugliano, Ercolano, Italy

The Basilica of Santa Maria a Pugliano is the main church in Ercolano and the oldest church in the area around Mount Vesuvius.

The church contains two pagan marble sarcophagi from the 2nd and 4th centuries AD, later adapted into Christian altars, probably in the 11th century. There are records of an oratory dedicated to the Virgin Mary in the 11th century on a hill called Pugliano. During the following centuries the church's popularity increased more and more and pilgrims flooded here from everywhere.

In the early years after the Council of Trent the church obtained formal acknowledgement of its eminence: in 1574 was first mentioned as basilica. In that century main works were made to enlarge and embellish the church. During the eruption of 1631 the churc was miraculously spared by the lava. Some years later a new street (via Pugliano) was built on the solidified lava to easily reach the church from the town centre.

The church is worth a visit for its remarkable history and art treasures: the massive 36-meter high belfry from the end of the 16th century is one of the oldest of the area. Inside the church, there are sarcophagi from the 2nd and 4th centuries AD, that prove the existence of inhabitants in the area of Herculaneum in the aftermath of the eruption in AD 79; the exquisite wooden statues of Madonna di Pugliano and Black Crucifix, both of the 14th century; the font of 1425, one of the oldest outside the cathedral of Naples; the high altar, of the 16th century; the wooden bust of St. Januarius of the 17th century, the magnificent wooden pulpit of 1685, coeval to the wooden choir and behind the altar. Most of the paintings were made by local artists in the 16th and 17th centuries.

The Madonna di Pugliano is worshipped since ever, but before the statue of the 14th century the painted Byzantine-like Madonna di Ampellone was venerated. The main patronal festival is on 15 August, Assumption Day. A special worship is dedicated to St. Januarius, that is co-patron of Ercolano; the statue of the saint has always been carried in procession during the eruptions of Mt. Vesuvius toward the lava front. A bust of St. Januarius facing Mt. Vesuvius was frequently erected in villas and buildings to protect them by the fury of Mt. Vesuvius.

References:

Wikipedia

Religious sites in Italy

User Reviews

anita madonna (2 years ago)
Bhe è la Basilica della mia città. XI secolo..nel centro del borgo antico con il famoso mercato degli stracci.

zionat percussioni attive fb (2 years ago)
Un luogo ,dove il tempo,sembra si sia fermato,incantevole ,il centro storico per arrivare alla basilica ,è immerso da sacro e profano e ha dei colori bellissimi,poi ci si arriva in piazza ,quella della basilica stessa,e qualcosa sembri stia cambiando, ma poi alzi gli occhi verso l entrata della navata centrale ,e li cambia tutto ,vieni proiettato in un altra dimensione ,luci suoni colori ,ma sopratutto gli odori,della basilica sono un qualcosa di indescrivibile.gli affreschi le statue e la fonte battesimale ,San Gennaro la Madonna e il Gesù, statue magnifiche .poi adiacente alla basilica potrete trovare un altra piccola Chiesa sempre appartenente alla basilica stessa ,dove ci sono il Cristo risorto e la Madonna del Rosario.spero che con questa recensione ho acceso la curiosità dei vostri cuori .

Francesco Zeno (2 years ago)
Una meraviglia per gli occhi al suo interno. Peccato sia poco mantenuta negli esterni: una piccola manutenzione estetica ne aumenterebbe l'attrattivitá anche da un punto di vista turistico.

Francesco Paolo Scotti (2 years ago)
LA BASILICA DELLA MADONNA DI PUGLIANO, SITA AD ERCOLANO NELL'OMONIMA PIAZZA. LA BASILICA E LA SUA PROTETTRICE " LA MADONNA ASSUNTA" DOVE IL 15 AGOSTO LA SI FESTEGGIA CON festeggiamenti sia sacri DOVE PARE CHE OGNI 25 ANNI LA MADONNA VIENE PORTATA IN PROCESSIONE PER LA CITTÀ. È FESTA GRANDE, ANNI FA CON PALCHI E MUSICA CON CANTANTI E CANZONI NAPOLETANE, LE GIOSTRE, I VENDITORI DE " A FELL D' MLLONN' N'GOPP L' GHIACC, È " MARUZZAR" CON LA LORO ZUPPA DI COZZE-MITILI- E MARUZZ-LUMACHE, È COS' FORT PO' RUSS- IL FORTE SAREBBE IL CONCENTRATO DI POMODORO COTTO CON SAPIENZA E SEGRETEZZA PER DARE IN SAPORE DI PIACERE AL PALATO E " SOTTO" D'VASCUOTT- TIPO DI FRESELLE PARTICOLARI. INSOMMA..GNAMMMM E CHE DELIZIA..... LA BASILICA È STORIA, ANCHE IL MERCATI DEGLI STRACCI O USATO. UNA VOLTA " PASSAVA " PER SOPRA LA VESUVIANA, CHE RICORDI PER CHI CI HA VISSUTO, ALTRI TEMPI ANCHE SE LÌ IL TEMPO SEMBRA CHE SI SIA FERMATO. ERCOLANO PRIMA IL SUO NONE ERA " RESINA " E R'SNAR. POI CON GLU SCAVI RIBATTEZZATA HERCOLEANUM, QUINDI: ERCOLANO E ALLE SUE SPALLE.... O' MAST...IL VESUVIO CHE DONA IMPONENZA E BELLEZZA AI SUOI PAESI LIMITROFI.. LA BASILICA CON LE SUE NAVATE ED IL SUO SPLENDORE SECOLARE CON LA MADONNA ASSUNTA, ADORNATA DI REGALI IN ORO PER " GRAZIE RICEVUTE". SI RESPIRA ANCORA L' ARIA " PO' CANNALON" STRADA CHE PORTA DAL VECCHIO " 57 " DOVE TRANSITAVA UNA VOLTA IL TRAM E PULMAN ED È PROPRIO UNA STRADA/CANALE CHE TI PORTA IN PIAZZA . È UN FIUME DI PAROLE CHE TI PORTA AD EVIDENZIARE LE BELLEZZE PARTENOPEE E CAMPANE. MA FERMIAMOCI QUA E A VOI A SCOPRIRE IL RESTO.

Mario De Michele (3 years ago)
Mi dispiace per chi segue le mie recensioni..!!! Non sono in grado di mettere meno di 5 stelle nel caso in cui debba recensire una basilica...sono credente!!!!. Per quello che conosco è una delle rare basiliche papali. Nasce per eventi ritenuti miracolososi dopo le avversità dovute alle eruzioni del Vesuvio. Tutto esprime una semplice . ma vera fede del popolo "indifeso"..miracolato , a mio parere, proprio per la purezza dell'ingnoranza o meglio dell'ingeniuta' tanto gradita a Dio.. Bisogna!!!credere!! "andate"...bisogna...bisogna..bisogna.. Sensa farsi troppe domandi inutili..!! È così...da sempre..!!##!!# dal momento che l'uomo prese coscienza del Divino.. È gradito un "mi piace!" per la recensione. Grazie..!!

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Basilica of Santa Maria a Pugliano

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