Archaeological Garden and Bell Tower

Desciption of the archaeological area : Archaeological Garden and Bell Tower

The archaeological area is located in the comune di Telese Terme in provincia di Benevento.

Here are the remains of the ancient cathedral built after the ancient city of Telesia was destroyed by the Saracens around 847 AD.

In the vicinity of the cathedral stood the bishop’s palace and the built-up area surrounded by walls.

Significant Roman architectural elements and epigraphs were also used in the surviving structures of the cathedral, the bishop’s palace, surrounding dwellings and wall remains. A burial ground is located inside the bell tower.

The cathedral consisted of three main naves with arches and columns. It was severely damaged by an earthquake in 1349, which caused sulphurous vapours to escape, causing the city centre to be abandoned.

The bell tower, a remnant of the ancient cathedral of the Holy Cross, has been turned into a small museum displaying various archaeological artefacts, alongside contemporary works of art and a reconstruction of Trajan’s catapult.