Church of San Pietro e Paolo in Casalvecchio Siculo

Casalvecchio Siculo is a small town in Valle d'Agrò, in the Metropolitan City of Messina. The origins of the village date back to the times of the Byzantine Empire and in the center it is possible to find very ancient buildings, such as the Mother Church or even more ancient, like the Church of San Pietro e Paolo in Casalvecchio Siculo.

This Church, one of the most important of the entire island, was built in 560 AD and then destroyed during the period of the Arab invasions; it was subsequently rebuilt and underwent various modifications, in fact the current appearance of the Church of San Pietro e Paolo in Casalvecchio Siculo are the medieval ones of the XII century and are linked to the name of King Roger II, with the addition of typical elements of the Arab style and of course Norman.

From ancient sources we know that the Church has always been flanked by the Monastery, which enjoyed many possessions, prestige and power in the surrounding area.

Today the Church of San Pietro e Paolo in Casalvecchio Siculo is open to both the faithful and art history enthusiasts, who come to the town to visit this majestic and unique monument.

The architecture of the Church of San Pietro e Paolo in Casalvecchio Siculo and what to admire inside

The Church of San Pietro e Paolo in Casalvecchio Siculo appears as a building that presents a mixture of style, mainly theArab and the Norman: red terracotta bricks, pointed arches, decorations with colored tiles on the outside, while inside there are slender columns, stone cladding and large single-lancet windows from which the sunlight filters.

The main façade of the Church is characterized by the particular decorations in colored bricks, which repeat the shapes of intertwined pointed arches, while in the center of the façade there is a large arch which gives access, as in a fortification, to the main door of the Church .

Inside, the church has three naves, niches and domes. Other typical elements of this construction are the towers, which rise laterally at the entrance, the columns with capitals and the typical medieval battlements.

What to do at the Church of San Pietro e Paolo in Casalvecchio Siculo and in the surroundings

The first encounter between the visitor and the Church of San Pietro e Paolo in Casalvecchio Siculo is undoubtedly a moment to remember: with its polychromy, grandeur and its ancient charm, the Church immediately captures the visitor's attention, inviting him to enter, to discover all about this sacred building.

After the visit, all that remains is to discover all the other beauties of the centre, such as the Church of the Santissima Annunziata , Church of San Teodoro Martire, the War Memorial and the various stone portals scattered throughout the centre, evidence of theOrder of the Knights of Malta. Furthermore, in the village it is possible to admire the landscape from the terrace of Casalvecchio, but also to discover the glimpses of the Old Town Square or relax on a bench overlooking the valley from the delightful San Teodoro square.

From Casalvecchio Siculo you can also reach the beautiful green areas of the Ranciara Gorges and the oasis of Pizzo Verna.

The Gorges, formed by the passage of the fiumara in the Valle d'Agrò, are a miniature version of the splendid Alcantara Gorges, complete with waterfalls and rock walls, while the Pizzo Vernà oasis includes peaks that reach 1286 meters above sea level. height, allowing the eye to range from Etna to the coasts of Calabria.

Sandwiched between the Fiumara d'Agrò and the Misitanò torrent, Casalvecchio Siculo is very close to the coastal towns of Santa Teresa di Riva, Nizza di Sicilia and Sant'Alessio Siculo, all three facing the Ionian Sea. Messina, on the other hand, is only 44 km away and can be reached in less than an hour's journey.

How to get to the Church of San Pietro e Paolo in Casalvecchio Siculo

Casalvecchio Siculo, in the Metropolitan City of Messina, can be easily reached by car or train.

In the car, take the A18 Messina-Catania, exiting at the Roccalumera junction, about 5,7 km from the town, while on the train, getting off at the Santa Teresa di Riva station (4 km from the centre) you will find buses and shuttles going to the town.

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