Old Cathedral of Montevago

Although Montevago was founded by Don Rutilio Xirotta, its territory was previously part of the barony of Miserendino since the end of the fourteenth century, consisting of three fiefdoms, which in the seventeenth century became its property. One of these, Gipponeri, was authorized by the sovereign to be populated and this is how the history of Montevago, characterized by the monumental Mother Church commissioned by Cardinal Gravina.

History of the old Cathedral of Montevago

Construction began at the end of the eighteenth century Mother Church, was blessed in 1820 by Cardinal Gravina, son of Prince Giovanni Gravina Moncada and Eleonora Napoli.

The history of Montevago Cathedral it is closely connected with this religious man who, at the end of the eighteenth century, was appointed Archbishop of Nicaea by the then Pope Pius VI and then continued as Apostolic Nuncio both in Switzerland and Spain and ending as Archbishop of Palermo.

His legacy was represented by the construction of the Mother Church of Montevago and by the legacy of precious objects and works of art.

The architecture of the old Cathedral of Montevago

Unfortunately, the Cathedral of Montevago was totally destroyed by the terrible earthquake that shook the Belice in 1968 and only ruins remain of the Mother Church.

However, we can say that originally its tuff façade presented a neoclassical style and was made up of two superimposed orders divided by a significant entablature.

The lower one was divided by double and single pilasters placed vertically and, within these spaces, a significant door opened in the center of the body, dominated by a triangular-shaped tympanum which was located inside a round arch. On the sides there were double doors surmounted by windows also featuring triangular-shaped gables.

The upper order was highlighted thanks to an elevated central body where a window dominated by a curved tympanum opened centrally.

On the sides there were two bell towers ending with spires. The one on the right had a clock powered by a system of mechanical gears.

The Cathedral of Montevago had a plan a Latin cross and was divided into three naves having chapels on the sides. The central nave was imposing and was characterized by large pillars that supported round arches and in the place where it crossed the transept, a hemispherical dome rose.

Bordered at the front by balustrades with small columns, the presbytery included a monumental high altar with an adjoining wooden choir and episcopal seats.

Also beautiful were the frescoes that adorned the walls of the apses which narrated biblical stories by Francesco La Farina.

On the pillar of the transept there was a wooden pulpit richly decorated with bas-reliefs while the side chapels that opened in correspondence with the bays housed a marble baptismal font, an altar with the statue of Saint Lucia, a wooden statue depicting Baby Jesus, a wooden crucifix from the nineteenth century, a statue of Our Lady of Sorrows, a launch of the Crucifix and several marble busts.

The Cathedral of Montevago also housed a statue of the Madonna of Fatima, several pictorial works of the Sicilian school of the eighteenth century now housed in the New Mother Church.

What is possible to do in the surroundings of the old Cathedral of Montevago

The Montevago area offers uncontaminated rural landscapes of scenic beauty but not only that. For example, the Contrada Caliata hosts the remains of a building of Muslim origin and in the Contrada Mastroagostino those of a Roman country villa.

Montevago is also famous for its spa complex Acqua Pia spa, where you can exploit the quality of an underground spring that produces water that has various healing properties.

even the Magaggiaro Forest it is an alternative to visiting the Cathedral of Montevago, as it is a well-equipped recreational area where you can enjoy the pleasures of an uncontaminated area rich in vegetation. For history lovers however, the Municipality of Montevago wanted to redevelop the old village destroyed by the earthquake, with an open-air museum, the Montevago Visual Paths Museum, another stop not to be missed.

How is it possible to get to the old Cathedral of Montevago

By car:, from Palermo take the Palermo-Sciacca highway with entrance at Pagliarelli and exit at Sambuca Sicilia – Santa Margherita di Belice. Alternatively you can choose the Palermo – Mazara del Vallo motorway and exit at Castelvetrano to take the Castelvetrano – Sciacca highway, exiting at Menfi – Montevago. From Agrigento take the Agrigento – Sciacca highway with exit at Santa Margherita di Belice.