Tra la prima e la seconda cattedrale di Salerno: testimonianze materiali e documentarie

Concerning Medieval Salerno, the place of the ancient cathedral, i.e. the building preceding the Norman reconstruction, is nowadays a discussed issue. However, a renewed analysis of historical documentation, of both architectural and sculptural remains, and of institutional relationships between the ecclesia mater and the religious foundations in the cathedral city area allows reconsidering the problem. As first, this paper takes into consideration the Norman crypt, usually thought to be the starting architectural phase (1081), in order to clarify whether or not ancient elements were reused, referring both to historical sources and to documented excavations of the 1950’. Then, with particular respect to documentation of the Ecclesia Dei Genitricis and San Matteo, that dates up to Tenth Century, the ancient structures will be identified. Crucial issue of the paper is the analysis of the churches next to the cathedral as most of them were founded since the Ninth Century by bishops, noble men and women of the Lombard prince entourage.They are also named in a Twelfth Century document related to the translactio sancti Mathei feast, as on 6th May, the parish churches of Salerno had to pay homage to the Archbishop bringing arbores – i.e. flower crowns – to the cathedral. The diachronic analysis of the institutional relationship of the cathedral with other churches in town, most by private foundation, from the Lombard era to the Norman control show how the perception and action of ecclesia mater changed across the centuries, from a complementary role to a central supremacy, in any case without changing its place within the urban landscape.