Molise was indirectly involved in the Crusades because it was crossed by the routes (coastal road and Frentano-Traiana road) travelled by the Crusaders headed for the sanctuary of Mount S.Angelo and the Apulian ports. It is probable that the port of Termoli itself was used as a secondary point of gathering and embarkation for the troops. After the defeat of the Crusader forces at Hittin (1187), crowds of refugees from Jerusalem landed on the Apulian coast. These included not only soldiers but also craftsmen who had worked in the Holy Land and acquired vast experience that was later put to use on the construction of western churches and fortifications. The same phenomenon occurred in conjunction with later expeditions: the Crusade of Frederick II, which had profound consequences on the architecture of southern Italy, is a significant example.
At the cathedral of Termoli, for instance, there are horseshoe arches and Moor’s heads in the façade. The relics of patron saints were brought back  (one of these is preserved in a reliquary obtained from a horse’s harness dating back to the time of the Crusades), while in the pulpit of Our Lady of the Assumption at Ferrazzano there is the representation of a camel.

Termoli (Cattedrale)

Termoli (Cattedrale)

Termoli (Cattedrale)