S. Nicola (or Grotto of the Madonna)
Taking as a reference point the Superintendency office located at the beginning of the fenced area that encloses the monuments of Cava d'Ispica - Nord (coordinates Lat. 36.51.01.14 Long. 14.50.16.19), to reach the rock church of San Nicola (XIII-XIV century) you have to cross the adjacent provincial road that leads to Modica, take the dirt road and continue for about 120 meters, on the right you will find a small cave marked by a tourist sign. The church consists of a rectangular hall (4 x 4,5 meters) which is accessed from a side entrance. Immediately to the right of the entrance there is a niche that most likely constituted the apse, followed immediately after by another smaller niche. The walls of the church have the remains of 5 devotional frescoes among which a fresco representing a "Madonna with Child" stands out on the left wall, followed by St. Nicholas for some writings visible on the sides of the face attributable to the saint. On the wall in front of the entrance, a hardly recognizable fresco that would represent the Annunciation. The dating period of the figures is probably the Swabian one[1] (XII-XIII century)
[1] Giovanni Di Stefano: Cava D'Ispica page 40
Card insertion: Ignatius Caloggero
Photo: Ignazio Caloggero
Information contributions: Giovanni Di Stefano, Ignazio Caloggero, Web
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