The construction of the Church of Saint Dominic spanned several centuries. Work began in 1258 when Bishop Pancrazio—himself a Dominican—decided to establish a monastery in Bitonto. Even by 1374, the church remained unfinished, and it wasn’t until 1388 that the main altar was finally completed.

Over time, the building underwent many transformations. In 1809, the church was entrusted to the Confraternity of the Most Holy Rosary, while the monastery was repurposed for civic use and became the town hall. Despite all the changes, the lower portion of the façade still preserves traces of the original structure. The Romanesque-style entrance portal, austere and imposing, is crowned by the coats of arms of Charles III of Durazzo and Queen Joanna I. A smaller emblem nearby—depicting three fish—may have belonged to the family of the friar who founded the monastery. The windows in the upper portion of the façade date back to a 17th-century interior renovation, while the city crest of Bitonto stands prominently at the top.

During the Baroque period, the church was enriched with elaborate stucco work and decorative elements such as the pulpit, the wooden choir stalls, and the organ loft, which was built in 1720 and adorned with floral motifs. The current nave is divided into three large square bays, each covered by an intricately decorated dome. As you enter, you'll find the impressive funerary monument of Petruccio Bove, built in 1485, on the left-hand side. The image of Saint Peter Martyr, sculpted into the pediment, is the work of local artist Nuzzo Barba.

The church also houses several altars and valuable paintings, including a magnificent Madonna of the Rosary, painted in the 18th century by Paolo de Maio.

The wooden statues used in the Good Friday procession are preserved in the side sacristies, dating back to the early 1600s and central to one of Bitonto’s most moving religious traditions.

Of particular visual impact is the chapel dedicated to the Miracle of Soriano, where rich Baroque ornamentation and refined stucco work create a majestic and evocative atmosphere.