Former Church of San Giacomo de Spada (Multimedia Library)
The church of San Giacomo de Spada was born as a chapel with an altar dedicated to the Saint from which one of the four districts of the city took its name when it was surrounded by walls.
The original structure existed at least since 1379, the date on which it is mentioned in a notarial deed.
In the 500th century, the century of Alcamo's fine arts, various churches, oratories and chapels in the Gothic style underwent enlargements or internal and external changes, such as the church of San Giacomo.
In the church, enlarged and architecturally valuable, there was an altar with the picture of the Saint where pilgrims were depicted on their way to the Sanctuary of Compostela; to the right and left of the altar were the statues of San Giacomo and Sant'Andrea.
In 1569 the homonymous Confraternity was founded in the church with the aim of assisting and hosting pilgrims with all charity and in 1649 a room was annexed to the church for this purpose.
In 1746 the activity of the Hospital of San Giacomo ceased and the premises were sold under lease and transformed into residential houses.
Following the law of 6 July 1866, Royal Decree for the suppression of religious corporations, the church of San Giacomo, after centuries of glorious history, was confiscated and granted to the Municipality which in 1874 chose it as the seat of the Civic Library.
Closed due to damage from the 1968 earthquake, after a careful restoration, on 13 January 1998 it was inaugurated to house the San Giacomo de Spada Multimedia Library. (Source: Municipality of Alcamo)
Card insertion: Ignatius Caloggero
Photo: Ignazio Caloggero
Information contributions: Ignazio Caloggero, Web
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