On my travels accompanying the Classics department's Half term trip to Sicily, I was lucky enough to see myriad ecclesiastical structures. From Cathedrals, Duomos, chapels and converted Hellenistic temples.
It all started in Cantania, shortly after arriving on the Eastern coast of Sicily. Cantania is the island's second largest city to Palermo: 500,000 populous.
The centre of Catania houses the Duomo and the University. In the Piazza Duomo there is a magical conglomeration of architectural stylings. The C11 Norman foundations still exist within the C18 baroque exterior added by the Bourbons.
Upon leaving Cantania we drove 40km up the coast towards Acireale. This sleepy town has a lovely C17 centre with beautiful chapels and two Duomos in its central Piazza. The St Peter's Duomo to the right, and The Santa Maria Duomo to the left.
Not only were there whopping great cathedrals in this sleepy Sicilian town, but there were fantastically rustic chapels addorning every street corner. The third cathedral was the below, notice how it draws on French angular styles, not dissimilar to Notre Damme, Paris. This may well be as a result of the architect specifically capturing the island's Norman heritage.
We then moved on to Taormina. A popular tourist destination where I was convinced that the Godfather had been filmed. I was of course, mislead. Within the centre were beautiful Catholic chapels opening out onto the Via Alta.
Elaborately decorated and marvelled-to-the-max. These chapels are emblematic of Sicilian Christian culture. Upon leaving Taormina, we drove across to Suracusa which has the Island of Ortygia at its helm. The town itself was at its height of power in the C4BCE and the harbour was the arena for the infamous destruction of Athens' Great Expedition.
In the town centre of Ortygia there is a cathedral which is the product of no less than 5 differing architectural styles. At it's origin it was a Greek temple to Hera. Then it was added to by the Sacracen empire on their conquest of Sicily (the tell-tale arches at its roof constructed later by the Normans give this away). Then it was expanded on by the Normans in the C11. Finally the Italian baroque front was added in the C18 which gives this majestic building a sense of wonderment I have never seen any where else.
The arches are not originally Greek. They are in fact C11 Norman installations to allow light into their converted church. The Normans were a pious people and churches would have formed the platform for their new societies on Sicily and the heart of their communities.
Our next Duomo was Marsala. The golden stone is indicative of the upper Western coast of Sicily; the columns at its front are reminiscent of the Carthaginian and Roman heritage of this town.
Our final destination was Palermo. The Duomo is dedicated to Vergine Maria Santissima Assunta in cielo - The Virgin Mary's Ascension. This incredible structure was built by Roger II of Sicily in C12. It too encompasses a variety of architectural styles; built by the Normans; founded on the site of a Byzantine basilica, although that was later converted to an Islamic mosque.
The cathedral was added to in the Gothic style in the C13-15s under Spanish occupation of Sicily. Finally, in the C18, the building was Classicised to add Neoclassicism to its enormously diverse style.
What an island! What a trip! Thalatta, thalatta!
