Inside the Cathedral of San Giuseppe, the design and decorations are eclectic, drawing inspiration from a Neo-Gothic style. The color contrasts in the wall decorations, featuring white and green marble, echo the bicromatic design of Tuscany’s great 13th-century cathedrals.
The church took on its present form after 1890, following restoration work by Francesco Benedetti. It was expanded and now features a Latin cross plan with the addition of a transept, built with ribbed vaults.
This creates a contrast between the presbytery area, marked by the transept and its pointed arches, and the nave, which retains a simple flat ceiling without beams or other adornments. To mask the lack of trusses in the ceiling and the absence of side aisles, Benedetti added semi-columns along the pillars—known as “lesenes”—and placed pointed arches between them, giving the illusion of lateral aisles.
Benedetti also cleverly used two partition walls supporting the nave’s vault, crafting frames that mimic trusses, further enhancing the illusion.
Despite the apparent lack of resources, the architect’s skill in creating a cozy and evocative atmosphere within the Cathedral is evident. This ambiance is now highly appreciated by both worshippers and tourists who visit for religious and cultural reasons.
Contributing to this atmosphere are the remarkable artworks within, especially those created by Florentine painter Achille Carnevali between 1923 and 1927. Of notable quality are the four stained-glass windows depicting Abraham, Judas, David, and Zerubbabel, as well as the wall decorations (Episodes from the Life of Saint Joseph) and those in the presbytery (Doctors of the Church).
Moving toward the presbytery, we can admire the monumental altar featuring a polyptych of Christ in Glory surrounded by angels playing music, created during the late 19th-century restoration. The baptismal font, ambo, marble altar, and choir loft with organ were added in the early 2000s, above the entrance portal.
There are only a few remnants of the original church decoration. On either side of the entrance portal, we find two 16th-century wooden statues of Saint Augustine and Saint Monica. In the right transept stands a 18th-century statue of the Madonna della Cintura, and the crucifix in the presbytery also dates to the 18th century.
The most significant artwork in the cathedral, however, comes from outside. In the middle of the nave, on the right, there is a triptych from 1505 by the painter Michele Greco from Valona, displayed in a well-lit glass case. This Cretan-Byzantine school painting, titled “Madonna della Misericordia with Child and Saints Nicholas and Catherine of Alexandria”, is known as the “Triptych of Cona a Mare.” Commissioned by Cola Bevilacqua, a local merchant, the triptych was originally displayed in the church of Cona a Mare, located outside the city walls of Santa Maria. The church was destroyed by a landslide in 1816.
Its oriental style reflects a time when Vasto was an important port along Adriatic trade routes, with Venetians trading throughout the Mediterranean and a significant Croatian community devoted to San Nicola.
