Basilica Minore dei Santi Medici Cosma e Damiano

The Basilica of the Holy Doctors Cosmas and Damian rises above Alberobello with two bell towers. Its monumental facade offers a contrasting architectural expression to the town's trulli and marks the importance of devotion to its patron saints.

Why it matters

The basilica reflects Alberobello's development from a rural settlement into a town with an ambitious religious centre. The cult of the Holy Doctors provides a cultural identity that is not confined to the celebrated dry-stone buildings.

What to notice

Antonio Curri's facade and twin towers give the church its distinctive skyline. The Latin-cross plan was conceived with a crossing dome that was not realised. Eighteenth-century wooden images of Cosmas and Damian preserve the devotional pairing at the heart of the dedication.

Context and history

An earlier chapel dedicated to the Madonna delle Grazie is recorded in the seventeenth century, followed by repeated enlargement. Curri's facade was inaugurated in 1885, with work continuing into the early twentieth century. The church received sanctuary status in 1938 and minor basilica status in 2000, later milestones in its religious history.