Bari Vecchia, Church of Vallisa, (author: Gigi Scorcia is licensed under CC BY 2.0 )
<p style=”font-size: 0.9rem;font-style: italic;”><a href=”https://www.flickr.com/photos/7994827@N03/2847030066″>”in giro di domenica con 38°C all’ombra”</a><span>by <a href=”https://www.flickr.com/photos/7994827@N03″>Gigi Scorcia</a></span> is licensed under <a href=”https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/?ref=ccsearch&atype=html” style=”margin-right: 5px;”>CC BY 2.0</a><a href=”https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/?ref=ccsearch&atype=html” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer” style=”display: inline-block;white-space: none;opacity: .7;margin-top: 2px;margin-left: 3px;height: 22px !important;”><img style=”height: inherit;margin-right: 3px;display: inline-block;” src=”https://search.creativecommons.org/static/img/cc_icon.svg” /><img style=”height: inherit;margin-right: 3px;display: inline-block;” src=”https://search.creativecommons.org/static/img/cc-by_icon.svg” /></a></p>
The church of Vallisa is a small Romanesque basilica, commissioned by the Ravello and Amalfi merchant communities that were in town in the Middle Ages. The name “Vallisa” is derived from the dialect word Raveddise, used by Bari inhabitants to indicate the Ravello merchants. The three semicircular apses that characterize the rear of the church overlook Piazza Ferrarese.
The building, dating back to the 11th century, has its entrance in Strada Vallisa, one of the small and typical alleys that cross Bari Vecchia old town. The façade is preceded by a deep three-arched porch. The interior has a simple basilica plan with three naves terminating in as many apses. This place, so different from the past, has maintained its austere and mystical charm. Today it is a deconsecrated church, used as a diocesan auditorium where various music shows take place.
