Bari Vecchia, Church of Vallisa, (photo by Gigi Scorcia, 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, built by the communities of Ravellese and Amalfi merchants present in the city in the Middle Ages. The name Vallisa derives in fact from raveddise, that is the term in dialect with which the inhabitants of Bari called the merchants of Ravello. The three semicircular apses, which characterize the back of the church, overlook Piazza del Ferrarese.

The building, dating back to the 11th century, has its main entrance in Strada Vallisa, one of the small and characteristic alleys that intersect the historical center of Bari Vecchia. The facade is preceded by a deep portico with three arches. The interior has a simple basilica layout with three naves ending in as many small apses. This place, which is very different from how it should have been in the past, has retained an austere and mystical charm. Today it is a deconsecrated church used as a diocesan auditorium in which numerous musical events take place.