Alcamo

Rich of monuments and works, Alcamo rises in front of the gulf of Castellammare, among the hills covered by vineyards which extend from the feet of Monte Bonifato to the sea. Native land of Cielo D'Alcamo (author of the "Contrasto d'Amore", the first written literary work in vulgar Italian), Alcamo was born during the Arabic domination as Manzil Al Qamah, a country house-station along the commercial road that joined Palermo to Mazara del Vallo, protected by the two fortresses of Bonifato and Calatubo described, in the XII century, by the arab geographer Al Idris and by the andalusian pilgrim Ibn Gubayr. In the XIV century, under the domination of the Ventimiglia family, with the construction of the castle "of Conti di Modica", after the definitive abandonment of the inhabited centre on Mount Bonifato, protected by walls, the first big inhabited nucleus developes. From the XV to the XVIII century at the borders of the city, there is the settlement of the religious orders around which, outside the 14th century city-walls, the new quarters were born. At the end of the XVII century, with the building of the imposing church of Jesus, the "Piano Maggiore" (the present Piazza Ciullo), hinge between the original nucleus and the "new city", becomes the fulcrum of the baroque of Alcamo and assumes, already from that time, the function of city centre. After the union of Italy, with the transformation of the buildings belonged to the religious orders into schools, hospitals and barracks, and with the destruction of its walls, the building expansion until the slopes of Mount Bonifato begins and, at the same time, there is the progressive decline of the ancient part of the city. In the last years, with the consolidation and the restoration of the main monuments, made with the rediscovery of the architectonic heritage, the historical center assumes again the function of city "living-room".

The visit can begin from the public square, Piazza Ciullo. At the corner with the "cassaro grande" (Corso 6 Aprile), rises the church of S. Oliva. It has been built up between 1722 and 1774 by the architect Giovan Biagio Amico on a previous 14th century church. The outside is simple but imposing, with a high facade enriched by a 16th century portal and a small angular bell tower without external cuspid in the apse. With the restorations carried out after the fire of 1989, in which the ceiling frescoes have been destroyed, the church, in its lonly nave, is rich of putties, paintings and polychrome marbles. Among the works, we remind the "Anime Sante del Purgatorio" (1639), valuable painting of Pietro Novelli, unfortunately badly restored, situated on the main altar; the statue of S. Oliva (1511), one of the masterpieces of Antonello Gagini; two marble panels belonging to the Gagini school, at the sides of the apse, representing S. Luca and S. Angelo (XVI century), and the marble group of the "Annunciazione", coming from the church of "L'Annunziata" and made by Antonino and Giacomo Gagini (1545), which we find in the first chapel on the left. The square is dominated by the church of "collegio Gesuiti" (1684-1767), with the high and harmonious facade decorated of sculptures and friezes, and surmounted, at the sides, by two small twin bell towers. The inside, with its lonly nave with transept, keeps some paintings of Novelli's school (XVIII century), S. Francesco Saverio and S. Ignazio di Lojola and, on the main altar, The Circoncisione (the Circumcision), great painting realized in 1796 by the painter Giuseppe Renda and ordered by the Jesuits. In the near oratory, unfortunately badly preserved, the frescoes of Domenico La Bruna are visible. They represent the "Assunta" and the "Santi Gesuiti" (1738). Walking along Via Mazzini, we arrive in Piazza della Repubblica, at the 14th century Castle of the "Conti di Modica". Often rehashed, the building keeps at present the original structure with rhomboidal plant, with four towers on the corners (two square and two round), and the elegant windows of gothic-catalan taste. Beyond the public square, on Piano S. Maria, is the church of S. Maria del Gesù founded in the XV century, with the annexed convent of the Minor Friars, by the Blessed Arcangelo Plagenza, coming from Calatafimi. Widened in 1507, as the Counts of Modica wished, and restructured in 1762, it is characteri-zed, in the facade, by a singular portal with arches and four columns in white marble, enriched by corinthian capitals. In the inside, after the elegant portal ascribed to Berrettaro (1507), we find a valuable marble case of Baldassare Massa (1556). Above the glass urn, which keeps the Blessed Archangel's corpse, founder of the church, you can admire the splendid table of the "Madonna Greca" (XVI century). The painting is of uncertain author but it can be attributed to Antonello Crescenzio, to whose style it seems to be near, for the influences of the Lombardic art, which are visible in the painting. He represents the Madonna with the Child between the Saints Francis and Benedict and, knelt down with some knights and ladies, the counts of Modica Federico Enriquez D'Aragona and Anna I Cabrera, who rebuilt the church. Remarkable are even the statue of the "Madonna col Bambino" (XVI century) on the main altar, attributed to Berrettaro or Mancino, and the frescoes of the walls representing the "Stazioni della Via Crucis"(the Via Crucis stops), realized in 1901 by Carlo Righetti.

Back to Piazza Ciullo, entering the "cassaro stretto", where in the ancient walls "Porta Trapani" opened, we get into the "old city". In "IV November Square", there is the Mother Church, dedicated to S. Maria Assunta and nominated "Basilica" in 1966. It was founded in 1332 and widened in the XVI century. Its present aspect is due to the architects Angelo Italia and Giuseppe Diamante (1669). The facade, designed by Emanuele Cardona, goes back to 1785. The bell tower realized adapting a preexisting military tower, belongs to the original building. Of the same period are the portal of the east side, attributed to Berrettaro (1499), and the elegant "Cappella dello Spirito Santo e della Sacra Spina" (Chapel of the Holy Spirit and of the Sacred Thorn) (1430), at the end of the right aisle. It keeps original stone pointed arches and the fresco of "La Pentecoste" (The Witsunday) (XV century) discovered during the restorations of 1958. At the altar is placed a precious reliquary of 1636, in which there is a thorn, that, as they say, belonged to the crown of Jesus Christ. The inside of the church has got a basilica plan, three naves divided by two rows of red marble monolithic columns, coming from the Mount Bonifato. It keeps frescoes, realized in 1736-37 by the flemish painter William Borremans, and many other works of remarkable historical and artistic interest. Among them there are, in the right nave, a "Crocifisso" (Crucifix) in mixture (1523), a marble case (1519) of Antonello Gagini, and "L'Ultima Cena" (Last Supper) (1613), a painting of Andrea Carrera on the right chapel of the main altar. Admiring are even "L'Assunta" (1605), great painting of Neapolitan school on the main altar, the statue of St. Peter (1586), realized by Giacomo Gagini, on the altar of the tranpset, the "Madonna della Neve" (Our Lady of the Snow), fresco of the end of the XIV century, placed in the chapel on the left side of the main altar and, on the altar of the same chapel, the statue of the "Madonna dei Miracoli" (Our Lady of the Miracles) of Lorenzo Curti (1720) author, with his sons, of some stuccoes of the same church. Very beautiful is also the XVI century portal which lets in the sacristy, attributed to Berrettaro. One of the most valuable works of the church and, probably, of all Alcamo,is the high-relief of the "Transito della Vergine", in the third chapel of the left aisle. Realised in 1529 by Antonello Gagini, it represents, in a very expressive scene, the Virgin Mary on the death-bed encircled by the twelve Apostles. In the near chapel, at the sides of the wooden statue of the "Madonna del Carmelo" (at the end of the XVII century), we find two oval paintings of Borremans representing two episodes of the Old Testament: Abigail taming David's rage and Rutz and Booz. In this painting, according to tradition, the author has represented himself in the figure of Rutz, and one of his daughters in the one of Booz. Going on towards the exit door, in the first chapel of the left aisle, near the marble christening font of the beginning of the 16th century, there is the painting "Madonna del Lume" of Giuseppe Renda (XVIII century). In front of the Mother Church, there is the ex-church of S. Nicolò di Bari, built up around 1558 by Pietro Mastrandrea, chancellor of the brotherhood of the "White men" whose rule imposed them to cure the poor sick men of the city and to assure them a worth burial. The facade shows a beautiful portal surmounted by an elegant window and a little column in carved marble, at the corner with Via XI Febbraio. Entering this street, after few steps, you can admire the beautiful facade of "Palazzo Fraccia" (XVIII century), interesting example of Rococo style. Going on through the "Corso stretto", in a small square planted with tree, there is the church of S. Maria del Soccorso, realized in three naves in the original structure of the XVI century, and restructured in 1736 with an hexagonal plant. It keeps the entrance portal with a lunette (XVI century), attributed to Berrettaro, and in the inside, the typical 16th century stuccoes and the statue of the "Madonna del Soccorso", of the same author. Going on with the vist, at the corner of Via Rossotti, almost in front of the 16th century Communal Loggia, now used as commercial centre, we find the church of the "Angelo Custode" (Guardian Angel), founded in 1659, with the annexed "Conservatorio delle Reparate" (1684). Rebuilt in the 18th century by the architect Giovan Biagio Amico, it keeps some frescoes of unknown author and two paintings of Domenico la Bruna, L'Angelo Custode (the guardian angel) and S. Francesca Romana, painted in 1738. At the end of Via Rossotti, near the 17th century Palazzo Rossotti, of which we can admire the beautiful central balcony, one of the most ancient monuments of the city rises: the church of the SS. Salvatore or "Badia Grande" (Big Abbey), which has been recently changed into a "musical auditorium". It has been built during the 14th century and widened in the 16th century; its present structure is due to the 18th century reconstruction. The inside has got only one nave. At the walls there is a series of stucco statues of Bartolomeo Sanseverino (1758), apprentice of Serpotta, and, at the vault, frescoes of Carlo Brunetti (XVIII century), who is even the author of the painting "Trasfigurazione" situated on the main altar. It also keeps two paintings, which have been attributed to Pietro Novelli, "L'Estasi di S. Teresa" and "L'Assunzione", one statue representing St. Benedict from Norcia made by Antonino Gagini (1545) and a marble case always of Gagini and Baldassare Massa (XVI century). In the near Piazza Libertà, we find the rests of the church of the "Annunziata", lonly example of Gothic-Catalan style in Alcamo. Of the original structure (XIV century), which has been several times rehandled in the future centuries, remain some columns of the right nave, a part of the apse and some chapels with refined decorative elements. Continuing through "corso VI Aprile" towards "Porta Palermo", in Via De Ballis you can see the interesting Tower of House De Ballis (which belonged to a noble and rich family coming from Piacenza), one of the rarest examples in Alcamo of civil architecture of the 15th century. It keeps its original battlement and elegant windows.

he visit to the small jewel of the church of Ss. Cosma and Damiano is a must. It has been built around the XVI century and restructured in 1721 with an hexagonal plant, according to the plan of the architect Giuseppe Mariani, it recalls the baroque elegance of Borromini's module. There, you can admire two splendid paintings of Borremans (XVIII century), "L'Immacolata" (at the main altar) and "La Madonna col Bambino tra Santi" (at the second altar on the right), two paintings of Andrea Carrera "La Madonna del Rosario" (1658) and "La Madonna degli Angeli" (1669), and two wonderful stucco statues, skillful works of Giacomo Serpotta: the "Carità" and the "Justice" in which there is an expressive strength and a stylistic rigour which exalts the essence of the baroque art. In front of it, there is the church of St. Thomas (1450), one of the monuments of greatest historical and architectonic value in the city. In the facade, there is a splendid portal composed by cordons decorated with floral motifs, acanthus leaves and other refined ornaments, and surmounted by an elegant little window. All this shows a remarkable plastic-chiaroscuro effect, and offers a synthesis of the swabian-chiaramontan style. The inside has got a nave with two cross-vaults divided by one arch, supported by two big columns, having capitals with acanthus leaves and wickers' plaits.

Before going out of the corso, in Piazza Vespri, there is the church of St. Francis of Assisi, rebuilt in 1716 and going back, with the annexed convent, to 1348. In its inside there are two remarkable marble statues realized in 1520 by Antonello Gagini, "S. Marco" and "Maddalena", and a marble ancona attributed to Giacomo Gagini (1586). Among the paintings, of great interest are, at the main altar, a 16th century painting of Andrea Carrera, "S. Francesco d'Assisi che chiede l'indulgenza della Porziuncola", and, in the chapel of the Virgin Mary, a painting of Giuseppe Carrera (1610). In the neighbourhood, two interesting architectonic elements of the XV-XVI centuries are visible: in the near "piazzetta Leopardi", the elegant portal in carved stone of the so-called "house of Ciullo" (actually the house, perhaps of a notable, going back to the end of the 16th century); in a building in Via Solferino you can see an elegant window with a little spiral column, which is an unusual element in Alcamo recalling the 15th century architecture of Genoa. You leave "corso 6 Aprile" through the 19th century "Porta Palermo" (1961) decorated by two bronze bas-reliefs, realised by the sculptor Giuseppe Rubino (1901-1984). They represent "working scenes in Alcamo" and Cielo d'Alcamo being crowned poet by a winged "Glory" at the presence of Frederic II the Swabian. Walking through via Florio (a street, which run along the edge of the ancient oriental walls until the past century) then turning on the right for Via Commendadore Navarra, we arrive at the church of S. Francis from Paola or "della Badia Nuova", which was founded, with the annexed monastery, between 1531 and 1540 and then rebuilt in 1699 according to a plan of Giovanni Amico. At the walls of the only nave, you can admire eight remarkable stucco statues of Giacomo Serpotta, which have been realized in 1724 (Mildness, Peace, S. Peter, S. Paul, Fortress, Purity, the Addolorata and the Maddalena), a remarkable painting of Peter Novelli (XVII century), St. Benedict, distributing the Rule, and St. Francis from Paola, painting of Andrea Carrera of 1652.

Back again in Piazza Ciullo we reach, near Via Amendola, the church of St. Domenico or "del Rosario", built up in 1660 and restructured in 1761. Of remarkable historical interest is "La Madonna della Stella" (the Virgin Mary of the Star), which is a fresco realised in 1464, perhaps by Tommaso De Vigilia for the church of S. Maria della Stella (which was elected in 1313 first Mother church of Alcamo. Its rests are in the same street), from which it has been removed, together with the wall on which it has been painted, in occasion of the transfer of the Dominican Fathers to their new seat. Among the other works, of great interest is a 17th century painting of Vito Carrera, "La Madonna del Rosario", a bas-relief of the Gagini school, "La morte della Vergine" (the death of the Virgin Mary), and a precious painted Cross hung at ceiling (XV century). Wg through the "Corso 6 Aprile", where you can see numerous noble palaces, among which "Palazzo Pastore" (XIX century), another must is the church of Ss. Paul and Bartho-lomew. It was built up in 1689 on a 16th century preexisting structure, which had an annexed hospital of the incurables, and it is considered the highest expression of the baroque style in Alcamo. The inside, with a latin cross plan and three naves, is richly decorated with 18th century putties and frescoes. Among the works, in addition to the painting of St. Peter and St. Paul, of Giuseppe Felice realised in 1761, of great interest is "La Madonna del Miele" (the Virgin Mary of the Honey), a painting of the end of the 14th century, which has been fixed to an oval table and which has been already attributed to Tommaso De Vigilia or Guglielmo De Pesaro, but the recent restorations have evidenced in it the influence of the school of Duccio di Boninsegna and Simone Martini. Still going through the "corso", we enter on the right, in Via Francesco Crispi at the end of which there is the church of the "Crocifisso" or of "St. Francis from Paola" founded in 1550 and then rebuilt during the 18th century. The most interesting part is the unique convex facade, which is a remarkable interpretation of the rococo architecture. In the sacristy rooms there is a beautiful crucifix of Giovanni Matinati (1549). Always from Piazza Ciullo, walking through Via Discesa Santuario, at the end of which, in the ancient quarter of St. Vito (one of the first settlements at Mount Bonifato's feet), we find the rests of an ancient "Arab Fountain", and we reach the "Santuario di Maria SS. dei Miracoli". The church, erected at the end of the 16th century, rises on the place where, on the 21st June 1547, the miraculous image of the Virgin Mary had been found. The present structure goes back to the beginning of the 18th century and shows, in the outside, several styles, from the Baroque to the Renaissance. Of remarkable interest are the portal, the two 17th century carved windows and the elegant baroque bell tower enriched by a majolica spire. In the inside, in addition to the typical 18th century decorations, we find, near the entrance door, the sarcophagus of the Captain Fernando Vega, which has been sculptured in 1556 by Rocco Rapi; a bas-relief of the Gagini school; a precious 17th century holy-water font, and some paintings: the Nativity of the Virgin, the Sacred Family and the Annunciation, of Giuseppe Patania (1828), and the Birth of the Virgin and the Immaculata, of Friar Felice from Sambuca.

Few kilometers northwards, on an evocative rock, which dominates the surrounding landscape, there is the castle of Calatubo, a byzantine fortress, which had been rebuilt by the Arabs, and which is today in a complete state of abandonment. In the same locality, there have been discovered two necropolis, an Arabic one and a Greek one, with hundreds of graves containing many important finds. On Mount Bonifato, in the middle of the forest (110 hectares of pine-wood which compose one of the natural reserves of Sicily), in the place where the muslim settlement rose until the XIV century, there are the rests of some monumental medieval buildings: at the top, the tower of the castle of the Ventimiglia family (XIII century), called "saracen tower"; in the lower part the "Porta della Regina" (the Queen's gate), one of the gates of the town; at the southern edge of the pine-forest, there are the rests of the "Funtanazza" (the big fountain), a great water tank; finally, on the north-west side, you can see the traces of the ancient sycan-elym village. The forest, set up at the beginning of the century, instead of a cork-wood, which has been destroyed, is composed by species which are typical of this area and by others which have been introduced from the outside (Domestic Pines, Aleppo Pines, Cypresses, Holm oaks, Carobs, Plane-trees, and Palms). Typical of the underwood are the Pistacia Lentisca, the Chamaerops humilis, the "Ampelo-desma", the "Ferula", the "Terebinto" and many other plants. It is easy to meet there the the Bonelli Eagle and the Buzzard, the Fox, the Weasel, and some reptiles among which the Green Lizard, the Coluber and the Viper.

Circuito Amica Sicilia Piano Santa Maria 17 - 91011 - Alcamo TP e-mail : info@scopellosicilia.it

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