The Basilica of San Nicola is the great Romanesque church in Bari Vecchia, the old town of Bari, built to hold the relics of St Nicholas, the bishop of Myra who lives on in the figure of Santa Claus. Sailors from Bari carried the bones off from Myra, in today's Turkey, in 1087, and the church went up around them. It is one of the few places in the West where Catholic and Orthodox pilgrims pray side by side.
The Basilica of San Nicola at a glance
- Where: Largo Abate Elia, in the northern part of Bari Vecchia, a short walk from the old harbour.
- Built: from 1087; the crypt was consecrated by Pope Urban II in 1089 and the whole church in 1197.
- By: begun under Elias, abbot of the nearby Benedictine monastery and later Bari's archbishop; the name of the master builder is not recorded.
- What it is today: a pontifical basilica run by Dominican friars and a major pilgrimage church for both Catholics and Orthodox Christians.
- Time needed: 30 to 45 minutes, including the crypt.
From stolen relics to a pilgrims' church
In 1087 Myra was under the control of the Seljuk Turks, and both Venice and Bari wanted to bring the relics of its famous bishop to safety, and to their own city. According to the Italian account, a crew of 62 sailors from Bari got there first, took the bones from their tomb despite the protests of the local guardians, and landed them in Bari on 9 May 1087. Abbot Elias kept the relics in his monastery and at once began a new church on the site of the former palace of the Byzantine governor, which had been destroyed a few years earlier.
Pope Urban II came to Bari in 1089 to place the relics in the finished crypt, and the upper church was consecrated in 1197. The building was restored several times, in the 13th, 15th and 17th centuries, and in the 20th century most Baroque additions were stripped out to bring back the bare Romanesque interior. Since 1951 the basilica has been in the care of the Dominicans, who put special weight on its role as a meeting place between the Western and Eastern churches.
What to look for
- The fortress-like front: a plain, square façade framed by two low, massive towers. The church was used as a stronghold more than once.
- The bishop's throne of Elias: a carved marble cathedra from the late 11th century, resting on small figures who seem to strain under its weight, one of the finest Romanesque sculptures in southern Italy.
- The ciborium over the high altar: the oldest in the region, with four columns and capitals carved with leaves and animals.
- The gilded wooden ceiling: one of the few Baroque features left, set with 17th-century paintings by Carlo Rosa about the life of St Nicholas.
- The crypt: 26 columns with Byzantine and Romanesque capitals around the saint's tomb, and the Renaissance tomb of Bona Sforza, Queen of Poland, in the apse of the church above.
Manna, a column and the May festival
Every year the clergy draw off a clear liquid from the saint's tomb, called manna; believers take small bottles of it home. In the crypt you will also see a red granite column behind a grille. Legend says St Nicholas himself brought it miraculously from Rome, and it is still touched by pilgrims for luck. In early May the city celebrates the arrival of the relics with a historical pageant and a procession that takes the saint's statue out to sea.
Tips for your visit
- Go down to the crypt: that is where the relics are, and where you will often hear Orthodox prayers sung in Russian or Greek.
- Dress respectfully, with shoulders and knees covered, and keep quiet during services.
- Late afternoon light falls nicely on the pale stone façade; the courtyard in front is quieter early in the morning.
- Combine your visit with a walk through the lanes of Bari Vecchia to the Cathedral of San Sabino.
Nearby
- Statue of St Nicholas: a bronze figure by Zurab Tsereteli, a gift from Russia in 2003, right next to the basilica.
- Cathedral of San Sabino: Bari's Romanesque cathedral, a few minutes' walk south through the old town.
- Castello Svevo: the Norman-Swabian castle on the edge of the old town, with its moat and towers.
- The seafront wall: the old sea wall behind the basilica, good for a walk along the water with views over the harbour.
See Bari with World City Trail
Our Bari scavenger hunt turns the old town into a game you play on your phone. The route links 10 stops and takes around two hours, with about 35 minutes of walking. The Basilica of San Nicola is one of the stops, and the route leads you through the lanes of Bari Vecchia.
If you prefer a different format, Bari also has a self-guided walking tour and an outdoor escape game.
Play the Bari scavenger hunt →
Take the self-guided walking tour of Bari →
Play the outdoor escape game in Bari →
Facts checked in October 2026.