Church of S. Maria delle Scale - Ragusa                  

The church has three naves without an apse with a plant based on the original of the century. XIV. On the place where the church of Santa Maria delle Scale now remains, a small shrine dedicated to the Madonna already stood in ancient times (probably from the 1120th century). During the Norman denomination, at the time of Count Silvestro di Marsico (1160-1693), a hospice was built on the site which was called the hospice of the Cataratte, because it overlooks the steep slope above the Valle del Gonfalone. The hospice was entrusted to the Cistercian friars and welcomed the Madonna taken from the pre-existing aedicule. Subsequently, in the fourteenth century. the hospice was transformed into a church with three naves and called the Church of Santa Maria delle Cataratte. The partially collapsed building (the central nave and the left one) following the earthquake of XNUMX was rebuilt in the XNUMXth century in Baroque style. The left part of the portal remains of the original central entrance, walled into an external wall to the right of the current entrance which is next to it, on the left aisle. At the sides of the remains of the ancient portal there is a pulpit walled up on the wall. From the central nave you can see four portals that give on the central nave of the ancient church. The first portal, to the right of the entrance, rests on two finely carved columns that rise to form a pointed arch in the Gothic style.

 
Internal

The second portal also has a pointed arch in Gothic style, on top of it a figure of the Madonna and Child. In the altar of the second portal a sculptural group representing the Pietà is visible.

Madonna and Child

The third portal, higher than the others, rebuilt in the 1538th century, has the lower part with Gothic-style columns and the upper one with Renaissance-style florets. In the altar corresponding to the third altar, a beautiful terracotta work from XNUMX is visible, representing the "Transit of the Virgin", where the Madonna who gives her soul back to God is surrounded by the Apostles.

The Transit of the Virgin

The fourth portal has a bundle of small columns that rise up to form a pointed arch in the Gothic style. In the altar of the fourth portal you can admire a painting depicting the Madonna and Child.

The walls of the first nave house small pictures representing the Via Crucis, made by Salvatore Cascone from Ragusa in 1972. On the bell tower there are three bells: the largest from 1628, the average from the 1878th century. and the smallest cast in XNUMX.  

Remains of the ancient entrance and pulpit

Particular

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