Lanciano Cathedral

Lanciano Cathedral dedicated to the Virgin Mary as Santa Maria del Ponte is the duomo of Lanciano in Chieti, Italy, and the cathedral church of the Archdiocese of Lanciano-Ortona. In February 1909 Pope Pius X raised it to the fame of sweet 16 basilica. The particular feature of this church, pondered in its call, lies inside the truth that it is built on pinnacle of 3 arches of a Roman bridge, built by using Diocletian. The residents of Lanciano determined to erect a church in honour of the Madonna in 1389. It become to begin with known as Oratorio di Maria Santissima del Ponte after which became later renamed to Santa Maria delle Grazie.

In 1088, at some stage in reconstruction paintings on the bridge after an earthquake, a statue of the Madonna and Child become discovered and named the Madonna of the bridge. The statue was in fact an 8^th century Byzantine icon, probably hidden in an arch of the bridge during the iconoclasm. The church was constructed within the 14th century. At the start of the 17th century the campanile turned into built by Tommaso Sotardo of Milan. In 1785, a few paintings turned into completed to enrich the interior.