San Giustino Cathedral is an 8th-century religious treasure of Romanesque design. The clock tower and rose window of the façade dominate the Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II, where you’ll find cafés and a pizzeria. Admire the carved stone portico as you pass through the wooden portals of the cathedral.
Metal chandeliers hang from the high ceilings of the nave, which has a bright and airy feel. Stroll along the marble floor and inspect the many ecclesiastical items adorning the opulent church interior. Above the glass doors stands the organ, behind which lie spiritual works of art with gold-leaf frames.
Admire the Renaissance frescoes on the walls and see the statue of San Giustino, a former bishop of Chieti. Branch off to the side chapels and marvel at the stained-glass windows. Beneath the Baroque nave lies a Romanesque crypt revealing some of the features that survived from an earlier incarnation of the church, including medieval murals and a marble ark containing the relics of the cathedral’s saint.
After your visit inside the cathedral, head outside to the plaza. Try traditional Italian cuisine from the pizzeria on the corner of the plaza, as you enjoy a vista of the cathedral. Gaze up the bell tower that was constructed by architect Antonio da Lodi in 1498. The first version of this church was built in the 8th century on the ruins of a pagan temple.
San Giustino Cathedral is open to visitors on weekdays from early morning to evening, with a 4-hour break at noon. It is free to enter. Find the church on the northern flank of the Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II, a little north of central Chieto. Walk northeast from the Terminal Bus Chieto for 10 minutes to get here. You can also drive and leave your car in the plaza’s parking lot.
In the same district, visit the Palazzo d’Achille, the Palazzo Henrici and the Palazzo Arcivescovile.
