Scicli

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

zoom palazzo del municipio
palazzo del municipio

The church of San Giovanni Evangelista (St. John the Evangelist) is located a few metres from Via Nazionale, near the town hall building.
In 1693, the earthquake destroyed the old building that was established by Baroness Giovanna Di Stefano. For the new church a new plot of land was chosen near the new Scicli, which was created and planned after the earthquake.
The nuns wasted no time; in the early 18th century they rebuilt the convent (later demolished to make room for the town hall) and in 1760 they decided to rebuild the church, too. It was designed by Vincenzo Sinatra , but the reconstruction was managed by Friar Alberto Maria di San Giovanni Battista. It was the friar who designed the interior decorations.
In 1776 the church was complete and can still be admired in all its beauty today.

The Church of San Giovanni Evangelista
The Church of San Giovanni Evangelista in Scicli is high and imposing. A curved staircase (indicating how many steps) separates the entrance door from the street level. The facade is built in white limestone and is divided into three horizontal bands each divided vertically by pairs of columns. The ground floor houses a green portal with yellow decorations in relief. On the first floor there is a black wrought iron balcony and three green doors. The central part of the top floor is broken and this produces the effect of a structure projected upwards.

The lower section has a wooden entrance portal and two small side niches . The central section has three windows of different sizes concealed by a louvre balcony enriched by a wrought iron railing and is completed by an elegant curved broken tympanum .

zoom Nicchia laterale
Nicchia laterale

The splendid white stone façade shines and enchants the square, with the entrance above street level. The vivacity of its components looms threateningly over passers-by.

The chiaroscuro effect is given by the projecting columns and the structure’s undulating movement, rounded in the central part and concave at the sides, animating the façade and bringing it to life.

The whiteness is again broken up by the play of light and shadow and the black railing of the louvre windows on the second floor. On the first level, where the entrance portal is located, the classic Baroque festoons, still used today for birthday parties, were carved on the capitals.

These particular capitals are called Michelangelo's ionic capitals .

dettaglio Gelosie, secondo livello  Festoni sui capitelli delle colonne del primo livello

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