Church of San Giovanni Evangelista in Scicli

La Church of San Giovanni in Scicli with its rich facade welcomes the visitor to discover thebaroque art. Inside, the church is dominated by cobalt blue and gold and embellished with eighteenth-century paintings, while the sacristy houses a rare depiction of Christ on the Cross.

The history of Scicli and the Church of San Giovanni Evangelista

Scicli, in the heart of Val di Noto, rises between three valleys.
The village, flourishing under Greek and Roman rule, continued to grow in the Middle Ages, but the 1693 earthquake destroyed most of the buildings and put the population to the test.
In the eighteenth century the reconstruction of the village began, and the construction of the Church of San Giovanni Evangelista destroyed by the disaster, began in 1760 by the architect Alberto Maria.

The works take many years, in fact in 1776 Giovanni Gianforma completes the stuccos while the internal decorations are completed in 1854. The current structure is the result of numerous interventions that continue until the beginning of the 900s when the building houses the remains of the soldiers Sciclitani fallen during the First World War.

The architecture and works present in the Church of San Giovanni Evangelista in Scicli

The Church stands next to the Municipal Palace of Scicli which replaces a Benedictine monastery demolished in the early 900s.
The building, in late baroque style, has a bell tower from 1803 and a concave-convex façade with three orders. In the first order, the Ionic columns are interrupted by a large portal bearing the Benedictine motto "PAX". The second order, in Doric style, is crossed by a wrought iron jealousy that recalls the style of the balconies of the surrounding buildings, while the third order is closed at the end by two pillars.
Inside, the Church has an elliptical plan covered by an oval dome with nineteenth-century stucco and gilding. The environment appears cozy with cobalt blue and gold decorations and on the vault there is a painting of San Benedetto.
The Church houses a pipe organ from 1841, the work of Salvatore Andronico Battaglia and the sacristy preserves a particular canvas of Spanish origin which dates back to the XNUMXth century. The Christ of Burgos called "Christ in a skirt", depicts the crucifix covered by a priestly robe, a very rare iconography which therefore attracts many visitors.

What to do in Scicli and its surroundings

The Church of San Giovanni Evangelista is located in the living room of Scicli next to the Town Hall in the neo-Renaissance style. Within walking distance are the Church of St. Michael the Archangel, Church of St. Matthew, the oldest in the city and Palazzo Spadaro whose facade is enriched by wrought iron balconies.
The historic center also has numerous noble palaces which testify to the role of the village in the history of the island. Among these the best known are: Palace Benevento known for its balconies decorated with faces of men and fantasy animals and Palazzo Bonelli-Patanè embellished with rich decorations by the painter Raffaele Scalia.
A few steps away is theAncient Cartia Pharmacy, an Art Nouveau pharmacy which is now a museum in which medicines and poisons are kept.

Along the coast a few kilometers from Scicli, the Extra-urban park of Costa di Carroa nature reserve with flora and fauna typical of areas with brackish water.

How to reach the Church of San Giovanni Evangelista in Scicli

By car, from Ragusa take Corso Italia in the direction of Syracuse and continue along the SS115. Take the junction for Syracuse and continue towards Scicli on the SP42 up to via Francesco Mormino Penna where the Church of San Giovanni Evangelista is located.
From Messina take the A20 from Viale Boccetta and continue on the E45 for 204km up to Ispica. Follow the signs for Scicli on the SP41 in the direction of Via Francesco Mormino Penna where the Church is located.
From Palermo, take the E90 from via Roma and continue to the Resuttano exit where you take the SP50 in the direction of the SS121 in Santa Caterina Villarmosa. Continue in the direction of Gela and continue towards Scicli on the SP51, then follow the indications on the SP19 for the Church of San Giovanni Evangelista.

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