{"id":3473,"date":"2021-04-12T12:59:00","date_gmt":"2021-04-12T10:59:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.joebuzz.it\/wordpress\/?page_id=3473"},"modified":"2025-02-24T18:04:42","modified_gmt":"2025-02-24T17:04:42","slug":"the-churches-of-monreale","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.prolocomonreale.it\/wordpressEN\/the-churches-of-monreale\/","title":{"rendered":"The churches"},"content":{"rendered":"
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THE CHURCHES<\/b><\/h2>\n<\/div><\/section>\n

Beginning from the end of the 16th century in Monreale\u2019s neighbourhood religious and lay brotherhoods flourish, churches and chapels refer to the Baroque style. We quote the churches of Agonizzanti, San Castrense and Madonna dell\u2019Orto among the most valuable expression of norman architecture.<\/p>\n

THE CHURCH OF SAINT MARY OF THE AGONIZING PEOPLE<\/strong><\/p>\n

It was built at the end of the 15th century in front of the Dome, on a pre-existing Medieval building which was part of the city walls incorporated in its perimeter. It’s a jewel of the Baroque art. The structure with a single nave justifies its use as former jails’ chapel during the Inquisition’s era. The interior is decorated with the finest style of the Baroque: cherubs, garlands and allegorical statues by Procopio Serpotta, son and scholar of the great Giacomo, who was one of the greatest Sicilian artists of those years.<\/p>\n

ROANO CHAPEL<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Baroque-styled Crucifix\u2019s Chapel, known as Roano Chapel, is located inside the left nave of the Cathedral, and it was built at the end of the 17th century at the behest of the Spanish archbishop Juan Ro\u00e0n. Richly decorated with \u201cmixed marbles\u201d, with many polychrome marble inlays, the chapel also hosts the remains of its client. It has a hexagonal plant, surmounted by a dome culminating with a lantern. The decorative apparat illustrates the path of Christian Redemption; in the internal compartment the space is marked out by the statues of the prophets Ezekiel, Daniel, Isaias and Jeremy all pointing at Christ.<\/p>\n

THE CHURCH OF SAINT ONUPHRIUS<\/strong><\/p>\n

It is one of the least known churches of Monreale and it\u2019s located beneath the Church of Collegiata. Dating back to the second half of the 17th century, the church has just one nave and two overlooks: one on the church of Saint Agatha of the Mounts and the other on Umberto I Street. The fa\u00e7ade, which needs some restoration intervention, is composed by a door, a 17th-century portal with the overhanging circular window and a bell tower. Even the statue of Saint Onuphrius needs an urgent restoration<\/p>\n

In the 18th century, the church hosted various Monrealese local associations and it\u2019s been the seat of the Confraternity of the Holy Crucifix since 1989. Currently it is not operational and it opens only for the Holy Crucifix\u2019s celebrations.<\/p>\n

THE CHURCH OF SAINT AGATHA OF THE MOUNT<\/strong><\/p>\n

It is located in Palermo Street. It has been closed for many years and takes its name from the Company of Pity\u2019s Mount. It has a basilical plant with three naves with Baroque decorations of Serpottian school. The 17th century majolica floor is a real treasure. An imminent restoration is expected.<\/p>\n

THE CHAPTER CHURCH OF THE SACRED HEART<\/strong><\/p>\n

It is located on Giovanni Amendola Street, a crossroad of both Palermo Street and Benedetto D\u2019Acquisto Street. Seat of the Grand Bailiwick of Sicily of the Military and Hospitaller Order of St. Lazarus of Jerusalem and the Chapter of the Knights of St. Lazarus in Monreale, it was built at the behest of Archbishop Alessandro Farnese, who entrusted the church to the Jesuits, the day after the Council of Trent. The new Order had been present in Monreale since 1552 and the College had 240 students. Two centuries passed, and in 1767 the Jesuits were expelled from the Catholic kingdoms and therefore from Sicily. The church became a rectory and was entrusted to a secular priest. In 1792, archpriest Benedetto Grimaldi founded the Educatorio del Santissimo Cuore di Ges\u00f9 (School of the Sacred Heart of Jesus), offering free shelter to 60 poor girls. The building went through various vicissitudes, and was restored and reopened for worship in 2000. Initially designated as the seat of the Teutonic Order, after its removal from Monreale, it became, in 2019, the capitular church of the Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem.<\/p>\n

THE CHURCH OF SAINT CAJETAN <\/strong><\/p>\n

Its construction dates back to the first half of the 19th century; located in Vittorio Veneto Square, It is among the most recent and least known churches of the Norman town. It was originally designated as the seat of Theatine Order; then it was closed and later entrusted to the Albergo dei Poveri, founded by the Archbishop Benedetto Balsamo. Deconsecrated in 1930, during the Second World War it was used as military base by Allied soldiers. In was restored in 1989.<\/p>\n

The church has a Neoclassic fa\u00e7ade in non-plastered stone, and it\u2019s divided into an inferior part, composed by a double-leaf wooden door and a rectangle-shaped portal in the centre and by pilasters and two niches where the simulacra of two saints of the Theatine order were placed on the sides, and into a superior part, composed only by a lunette window and a tympanum. The interior of the church, which has just one nave with barrel apse, is poorly decorated and characterises by bichromia. The lateral walls host six chapels with overhanging windows closed by golden shutters, from where the nuns attended the religious functions. The major altar is realised in multicolour marble, with a marble staircase of five steps. On the floor we can witness an ossuary commemorating the Monreale war dead of the First World War. It is only opened sometimes as an exhibition space<\/p>\n

THE CHURCH OF THE SAVIOUR<\/strong><\/p>\n

It is known as \u201cCollegiata\u201d. It was built in the 17th century for the veneration of the Holy Crucifix: ever since the time of Archbishop Venero, the simulacrum of the Crucifix is \u200b\u200bcarried in procession every year on the third day of May, in memory of the miracle of the disappearance of the bubonic plague in Monreale. The church is on the top of a stairway in Carrubella neighborhood and is richly decorated. On the left wall above the choir we can admire a painting by Mat\u00edas Stomer.<\/p>\n

The simulacrum of the Crucifix, above the altar, belongs to the school of the sculptor Antonello Gagini. At the beginning of the 18th century, on the external wall of the sanctuary a majolica panel of about 50 square meters was created, depicting the Crucifix watching over Monreal.<\/p>\n

THE CHURCH OF SAINT ANTHONY OF PADUA <\/strong><\/p>\n

It is, like the Church of Saint Onuphrius, one of the least known churches of Monreale. Also known in Italian as \u201cChiesa di Sant\u2019Antonino\u201d, it\u2019s located in the Pozzillo neighbourhood and It was built in 1720. It was originally designated as the seat of the Franciscan Congregation of Saint Anthony from Padua, then it hosted the Congregation of the Saints Julian and Eunus, founded in Palermo in 1649 by the order of porters door attendants.<\/p>\n

The fa\u00e7ade is modest and is composed by a door, a portal, a rose window located above the portal, a bell tower and an aedicule of uncertain date. The interior of the church has just one nave hosting an altar decorated with mosaics, which is brightened by the rose window. Above that we find the statue of Saint Anthony. On the right wall there is a canvas depicting San Sebastiano. To the right of the altar, a plaque commemorates the restoration which took place in 1923 by the Matranga family. The curch is currently being used.<\/p>\n

THE CHURCH OF SAINT VITUS<\/strong><\/p>\n

It is located in San Vito neighbourhood, from which it takes its name. It’s the most ancient church of Monreale, being built some years before the Dome, whose construction provoked an economic and social crisis of the neighbourhood, whose effects remain nowadays. The church, with an Arab-Norman style, was built on a squarish base, divided into three naves and its mixed fa\u00e7ade has a rectangular shape. This church is characterised by many refurbishments occurred in the course of the time. A first refurbishment dates back to the 16th century, but it\u2019s during the 18th century that a full restructuting of the church happened, especially concerning the internal decorations, which were changed in a more a Neoclassic style. In 1985 the last restoration was carried out: the baptismal font was relocated, while the left aisle was restored, while downpipes and the gutters were added to the church.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section>\n

Link to Wikiloc<\/span>
Link to Wikiloc<\/span>
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Cattedrale Monreale<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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THE DOME<\/a><\/h3>
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The Dome of Monreale is an architectural marvel of Romanesque-Latin-Norman-Byzantine style: it is simple, majestic and severe. It shows off a great profusion of wealth, with mosaics on a gold background surrounding the internal of the Dome for more than six thousand square meters\u2026<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/p><\/div>

Fontana Chiostro Monreale<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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THE CLOISTER<\/a><\/h3>
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The Benedictine Cloister was part of the monastery and is one of the most important cloisters of all the Mediterranean area. It\u2019s the heart of the entire Abbey Complex and It is a wonderful example of Byzantine architecture in Sicily\u2026<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/p><\/div>

Fontana del Tritone<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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THE FOUNTAINS OF MONREALE<\/a><\/h3>
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Being a town built on the slopes of Mount Caputo, fountains are essential. The lower part of Monreale benefits from the water taken from the Oreto river, but at the same time has no water sources in its upper part. An archbishop in the 1700s decided to solve the problem by building an aqueduct to bring water to the homes of inhabitants of Monreale\u2026<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/p><\/div>

Quartiere Ciambra<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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THE NEIGHBOURHOODS<\/a><\/h3>
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In the\u00a0Historia della chiesa di Monreale, published in 1596 by the archbishop Ludovico II Torres (written using the pseudonym of Gian Luigi Lello) , we find out that Monreale was divided into four parts. The first and most ancient, the Pozzillo, took its name from the flowing water\u2026<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/p><\/div>

Biblioteca Torres<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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THE LIBRARIES<\/a><\/h3>
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The first core of the library \u201cSanta Maria La Nuova\u201d dates back to the arrival of the monks who received many privileges from king William: among other things, the abbot was elevated to the rank of archbishop\u00a0 and the abbey had \u201clibris et sacris vestibus argento et auro\u201d\u2026<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/p><\/div>

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