Cathedral (Church of the Annunciation) - Acireale
The Cathedral Basilica of Acireale is located in the Piazza del Duomo. Dedicated to Maria Santissima Annunziata, the Basilica is commonly attributed to the cult of Santa Venera, the patron saint of the city whose relics it keeps. It was elevated to the status of Cathedral in 1870. The whole complex is made up of a series of additions. The church still in the fifteenth century consisted of a single chapel, then thanks to substantial donations from citizens and the arrival of the relics of Santa Venera it was enlarged. It will suffer the damage of the earthquake of 1693. The façade was built starting from the seventeenth century. The marble portal, representing the Annunciation, was built in Placido Blandamonte's workshop in Messina in 1668. The two soaring bell towers in Mannerist style with an octagonal base, although identical, are not contemporary. The bell tower on the south side and the dome are from 1655. The bell tower on the north side, the rose window and the remaining decorations on the façade are instead in the neo-Gothic style, made in 1890 based on projects by Sebastiano Ittar and Giovan Battista Filippo Basile (father of the liberty master Ernesto Basile ). The interior, in the shape of a Latin cross, is in Baroque style. You can admire the Chapel of Santa Venera (1658) where the relics are kept, the statue of the saint, the work of Mario D'Angelo (1651) and the silver fercolo (1658-1670). The frescoes in the chapel were made in 1712 by Antonio Filocamo. The frescoes in the transept and the dome were painted by Pietro Paolo Vasta between 1738 and 1739. The vault was instead frescoed by Giuseppe Sciuti (late 1844th century). Other works by Vito D'Anna and Giacinto Platania. In the transept there is a sundial made by Christian Frederick Peters (XNUMX) and adorned with the symbols of the zodiac by Giovan Francesco Boccaccini. Furthermore there are some sarcophagi of exquisite workmanship.
Card insertion: Ignatius Caloggero
Photo: Ignazio Caloggero
Information contributions: Ignazio Caloggero, Web
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