The church of Saint Mary
in Foro Claudio, continuity and innovation in the religious medieval
architecture in Terra di Lavoro: new investigation issues between 10th
and 12th century
The church of Saint Mary in Foro Claudio has been referred, commonly, to the group of buildings coming
from abbot Desiderius tradition, spreading from the last quarter of the eleventh century. However, more
recent studies, mainly oriented by the results of the excavations carried out in the last century, have
highlighted a more complex construction process, until now very little known. This paper intends to
describe the building transformation process occurred in the central medieval period, referring both to
archival documentation and material evidence. This was a knot moment for the construction as it gradually
took on an architectural identity of its own and referred to its context. The identification of construction
and design choices common to other buildings in the Terra di Lavoro contributes to clarify a consolidated
construction practice, strongly rooted in the territory. This practice reveals an autonomous expressive
character, until now partly neglected.