Churches and monuments

Churches and monuments of Piazza Armerina

Piazza Garibaldi: The Cathedral or Duomo
One feels a sense of amazement when, along the Via Roma, just before arriving at the Piazza Garibaldi you can see the majestic dome of the Cathedral towering above the roofs of houses, above the pediment of the Town Hall (eighteenth century), Palazzo Capodarso (eighteenth century), the Church of Fundrò (seventeenth century), the former Benedictine monastery (XVII century), as if to underline its architectural supremacy over other monuments of the city, which, though egregious, they can not compete with this giant that dominates and overlooks the entire urban landscape. All these buildings, of great simplicity and elegance, as well as be appreciated individually, be treated as a single architectural complex, where each building is harmoniously integrated into the overall structure of the magnificent Piazza Garibaldi, pulsating heart of the city, from which depart in each direction from the ancient taste streets, where every stone has something to say to the visitor, with watchful eyes, know to appreciate the intrinsic beauty essential.

Castellina

Just around the former Benedictine Monastery of the district is located Castellina, one of the four historic districts of the city, so named because it lies at the foot of a castle in medieval times stood in place of the Convent of St. Francis. At its heart is the Church of St. Venerable, whose foundation goes back probably to 1180, while the current prospectus of 1650. In the lower part of the neighborhood is bordered by the ancient Tower Castellina (1337) and a stretch of wall, characterized by a wide gap that acts as a gateway to the neighborhood.

Piazza Duomo

Back on the Via Cavour you will reach Piazza Santa Rosalia, recently restored, where ahead on the right of the Palazzo Trigona Canicarao (seventeenth century) and the former Magistrates Court on the left, once the seat of the power station, now home to the University.
Shortly later, the visitor is offered the magnificent spectacle of the former Convent of St. Francis (eighteenth century), with the famous balcony of Gagini, which came shortly before the sight of the cathedral.

The Cathedral
View of Piazza Armerina with the Cathedral.

It took almost three centuries to complete this massive work, from the majestic portal with twisted columns, strongly supported by Trigona Mark Baron, who, until his death in 1598, established a legacy for the construction of a religious building in the most sumptuous of existing fifteenth-century Mother Church, of which today remains the Catalan-Gothic bell tower at the bottom, with alterations in the sixteenth top. The interior has a Latin cross, has a large nave with side chapels and adjoining houses numerous works of art, including mention of the seventeenth-century painting 'The Assumption of the Virgin by Filippo Paladini, placed on the altar of the transept, the Martyrdom of Saint Agatha of Jacopo Ligozzi wooden Cross and the school Antonello (Antonello da Messina) of unknown, conventionally called Master of the Cross in Piazza Armerina, painted on both sides (the crucified Christ, in the front, the risen Christ, in the rear).

In the same square, the center of which stands the statue of Baron Marco Trigona, depicted in the gesture of offering to the city's cathedral, also overlooking the palace of the Floresta Trigona (eighteenth century), that soon, hopefully, become worthy seat archaeological museum of the city.

The Mount

Along the Via Monte, the oldest strata coaming (road), we find many buildings worthy of mention: the Palazzo Geraci, the Monastery of the Trinity, the building as a dwelling that indicates the tradition of Mark Baron Trigona, elegant portal Gothic-Catalan style, the palace of the Marquis of Roccabianca, unfortunately badly altered. The district is the Mount classical example of urban Norman, with characteristic streets organized in the form of fish bone leading from the main road. Down the street you can visit the Mount seventeenth-century Church of the Guardian Angels, richly frescoed, and the church of S. Mary Chain (XII century), formerly of Mount St. Nicholas. Crucifix from the street leads to the homonymous district, where just a few meters away stands the church of the Crucified and the church of S. Martin of Tours, the first church founded by the Normans in the new city of Platia, whose construction began in 1163.

Piazza Castello
Located in the southern part of the neighborhood, "Monte", this charming square includes, in addition to the Aragonese Castle, built in the late fourteenth century, and long residence of King Martin I of Aragon, which takes its name, some elegant palaces ( Velardi and Roccella of the eighteenth century, Starrabba of the nineteenth century) and the lovely church of Our Lady of the Snows (seventeenth century), attached to the convent of the Augustinians, who over the centuries has suffered ups and downs and is now owned by the Sisters of the Holy Family Spoleto, which they used as a rest home for elderly nuns.

The Board

Along the way V. Emmanuel, which connects Piazza Castello to Piazza Garibaldi, meet the former convent of the Jesuits, with the adjoining church of St. Ignatius of Loyola (seventeenth century), and St. Anne's Church (XVIII century), the elegant shapes and sinuous.

Channels

A little further is the Piazza Garibaldi, where you can easily visit the area adjacent channels, an ancient historian who until 1492 was home to Jews (Giudecca) and was a place of commerce and crafts. The neighborhood is located in the lower part of the city, where is the 'oldest source of channels, from which four mouths gushing fresh water, which is then conveyed to annex the medieval wash-house. The source is located near a small church dedicated to Saint Lucia, probably rebuilt in 1685 on a former Jewish synagogue in the fourteenth century. In the highest part of the neighborhood you can visit the Church dell'Itria seventeenth century, the elegant Baroque doorway of sandstone, which was the second parish in the city after St. Martin.

The Seminar

After taking the Via Umberto I immediately met the seventeenth-century Church of the Holy Souls in Purgatory. Along the side road that leads along the floor Saint Anthony, which takes its name from the church, now desecrated, dedicated to the patron saint of pets. On this square facing the church of St. Vincent and the former convent of San Domenico (seventeenth century), both buildings are part of the building complex of the episcopal palace.
Cammarata from the street, opposite the entrance to the seminary, he returned to Via Umberto I, along which they meet the beautiful Palazzo Mandrascate, unfortunately badly altered, the former Convent of Santa Chiara, gutted in a botched attempt at restoration, schedules and other interesting buildings. THIS SEMINAR IS TO PLACE THE BED AND BREAKFAST ragging BAOBAB

Plan Theatines

Position compared to the large adjoining St. John's, which raises the fourteenth century church of San Giovanni, exquisitely painted in the eighteenth century by the Flemish artist Guglielmo Borremans, is the church of San Lorenzo al Patrisanto, commonly known as the Church of Theatines.
In the same square Martyrs of Hungary (the old Holy Father, later renamed Largo Weekly Market) is the Tower of the Holy Father, part of the medieval city walls. Nearby you can visit the seventeenth-century church of St. Stephen and the Commandery of the Knights of Malta, whose construction dates from the twelfth century. Nearby is the Teatro Garibaldi, whose construction dates from around the second half of the nineteenth century (instead of the main facade is later, dating back to the early twentieth century).
A little further on, after having passed the monument dedicated to Gen. Antonino Cascino, hero of the First World War, we find the sixteenth century church of San Pietro, with a fine coffered wooden ceiling of 700.

The rural suburb of Casalotto belonged to the wealth of Mazzarino and Branciforte until around 1598 it became part of the town square. In the village there was an oratory of St. Philip Blacks, who in the seventeenth century it was transformed into a sacramental church. The church of San Felipe is located in the homonymous plan and presents a simple statement, with a portal carved in sandstone. In the lower part of the district stands the seventeenth-century Carmelite church, with an adjoining monastery, which was built on the ruins of the century church of St. Albert, whose bell tower is still in Gothic-Catalan.
Interesting sixteenth-century cloister and the marble Madonna of A. Gagini placed above the door of the church.

Fuoriporta

Grand Priory of St. Andrew
Founded in the early decades of the twelfth century, this church, dedicated to the Holy One of Avellino, is a fine example of medieval Sicily. Within a restoration done in the past century has brought to light a series of frescoes, dating from the twelfth to the fifteenth century.

It was founded in the first half of the fifteenth century, but the present building probably dates from the next century. Interesting the porch pillar, which is the base for a lodge to low arches supported by columns.

Shrine of the Old Town Square

It is so named because, according to tradition, this place must have been the old square (Pluto), before being destroyed by William I. Here, in 1348, was found the image of Our Lady of Victories, which is currently housed in the Cathedral. The sanctuary is located, instead, a copy of the sacred icon that every year on the last Sunday in April, is carried in procession from the Old Town Square to the church of the Guardian Angels, and brought back on May 3, when a holy day big festival that involves the whole population.