Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Nicosia

Structure of the Basilica of Nicosia

In the Sicilian province of Enna, among the various towns, there is a real village known for being an important place of worship given the important ecclesiastical buildings present, such as the Basilica of Santa Maggiore in Nicosia.
The structure is located in the upper part of the town, below the Norman castle and it is an interesting place to visit not only for the fascinating surrounding area but also because it is an externally 'imperfect' building from an architectural point of view, in the sense that it was not entirely built according to the 'classical' canons or in any case according to the initial project, first of all because it does not have a bell tower and then because the upper part of the facade is not complete, in the latter case perhaps so as not to completely obscure the ancient church that was there before.

Because precisely the charm of this Basilica of Nicosia is also given by the awareness of the historical eras it has gone through, each characterized by the presence of various foreign dominations and related vicissitudes.

The history of the Basilica of Nicosia

When it was built in the XNUMXth century, during the Norman period, it was called Church of Santa Maria della Scala, the name referred to the need to access it via the flights of stairs next door, furthermore the original brotherhood that resided there was that of Santa Maria della Misericordia.
Already in this period there were various conflicts at a political and diocesan level with other Sicilian cities.

After Norman period, it was the turn of that Swabian-Aragonese, period to which the so-called plan ofClock and its Clock Tower, or an old bell tower. Then there was the consecration of the church in April 1267 and the subsequent structural enlargements, although amidst various contrasts, until the completion of the works in 1454.

And we enter the period of Spanish domination, that of Baroque, and it was in fact in this period that notable structural changes took place, such as the construction of sixteen columns and two porticoes, one towards the north and the other towards the west. Also in Baroque style is the magnificent portal of the main façade and then, inside the church, the small throne created by local artisans in honor of Emperor Charles V of Habsburg who sat here when he was visiting Nicosia in 1535.

After the Spaniards, the time came of the Bourbon era and in any case, already in 1757 there was a series of dramatic natural events due to the unstable ground, in fact there were landslides which caused severe devastation to houses and churches, so much so that the basilica was almost entirely destroyed and it was necessary to wait at least a decade to start the reconstruction of the church at the request of Ferdinand III of Bourbon, when we entered the phase of Bourbon domination.

This was the moment in which the construction of the basilica began in its current configuration and in this period various disputes and claims occurred between different factions on various issues, for example on the choice of domination that the church should have assumed, or whether it was a basilica minor or matrix.
It was completed as a structure in 1904, the same year in which it was consecrated by the bishop.

The characteristics of the Basilica of Nicosia

We have already mentioned some architectural features that denote the influence of the foreign reigning sovereigns of the time, but in reality there are also stuccos and ornaments that were created even in more recent times such as the beginning of the 1900s.
The church it is divided into 3 naves, features sixteen Corinthian-style columns and an octagonal dome.
Entering from the main portal, already on the right you can admire various sculptures created by various authors, and then the transept itself is of particular interest given that this, on both sides, houses various chapels each referring to a specific Saint.

Another fascinating element found inside the church is the 'tribune' or 'cona', or a marble group dating back to 1499-1511 and particularly valuable given that it includes insertions in pure gold and depictions of scenes from the life of the Virgin Mary among saints, apostles, evangelists and angels. Given the size and beauty of this marble work, it was considered a "unique work in Sicily".
Inside the basilica you can find other interesting artistic moments including paintings, artefacts and even the relics of some saints.
The Basilica in Nicosia is located in the homonymous wide area of ​​a town certainly worth visiting given the high architectural quality among churches, basilicas, cathedral, convent, baronial palaces, houses and rock properties, and even the Norman Castle which is located high up , as a kind of 'surveillance' over a territory truly rich in unique beauties.
And what about the "Nicosia House" that is, the traveling representation depicted in a procession with characters dressed in period clothing while recalling the Old and New Testament? Absolutely unmissable!

How can you get to your destination

By Car - A19 motorway
From Catania, Agira exit for Agira - Nicosia;
From Palermo, take the Ponte Cinque Archi exit for Villarosa - Nicosia.
For those arriving from Santo Stefano di Camastra, take the SS 117 North-South to Mistretta - Nicosia.

© Ludvig14, CC BY-SA 4.0 - Ludvig14, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons