Church of Sant'Alfonso de' Liguori in Alimena

One of the monuments that over time has become the symbol of Alimena is certainly the church of Sant'Alfonso de' Liguori, both for its very central position and for the fact that it has an extremely particular shape, given that it was not born as a place of worship.

Visiting it can be a truly exciting experience: here is all the information you need to reach and admire it Church of Sant'Alfonso de' Liguori in Alimena.

History of the Church of Sant'Alfonso de' Liguori

In reality, what is known by all today as the Church of Sant'Alfonso de' Liguori in Alimena was born with a completely different purpose. It is, in fact, one sighting tower built around 1600 for greater security in the town: from its privileged position, on the top of the Colle Quisisana at about 800 meters high, you can enjoy a perfect view of the whole gulf, therefore an ideal position to spot any enemy ships. It was used for this very purpose until 1837, when it was decided to equip the octagonal structure with a dome to transform it into a place of worship. Then, by popular unanimity, it was decided to name the church after Sant'Afonso de 'Liguori since the religious had preached for a long time in the region and had enjoyed many successes, involving the faithful with his ideas.

The architecture and any works of art present in the Church of Sant'Alfonso de' Liguori in Alimena

Precisely in relation to the fact that the Church of Sant'Alfonso de' Liguori in Alimena was originally a watchtower, then adapted to a place of worship, its structure is particular and has nothing in common with the classic churches of the time. As already pointed out, his shape is hexagonal, surmounted by a semicircular dome and an iron cross. The exteriors are simple, in stone, with a stone staircase that also allows access to the only portal made of wood and surrounded by a bas-relief arch. The interior, on the other hand, has a circular plan with a single altar placed on one of the walls. To the side of the tower, there is a small building which is subsequent to its foundation and which currently houses the bell tower of the church. The sacristy leads to an underlying compartment, dug into the tuff, which for many centuries was the burial place of the inhabitants of the village. The tombs of notablesinstead, they find a place in the flooring of the main hall of the tower.

What you can do around the Church of Sant'Alfonso de' Liguori in Alimena

The church of Sant'Alfonso de' Liguori is not the only religious structure in the municipality which also boasts many other places of worship, some of which are truly historic. The town, on the other hand, was born in 1628 by the will of Antonio Alimena who buys the licentia populandi and has it built Church of the Holy Souls around which the rest of the country then rises. A century later, then, the church of Santa Maria Maddalena which was soon elevated to the role of mother church. The structure, which overlooks one of the most beautiful squares in the country, namely that of Regina Margherita, houses some important and valuable works such as the statue of the Immaculate Madonna. A few years older, then, are the churches of the Madonna del Carmelo and the very small one which is adjacent to the contemporary Collegio di Maria. The convent dedicated to Santa Maria di Gesù also dates from the same period.

How is it possible to get to Alimena

By car:, those wishing to reach the Church of Sant'Alfonso de' Liguori can do so starting from Palermo and first taking the A19 and then the E932, the same road that can be followed from Enna while from Trapani it is only possible to take the E90. From Catania the reference road is the A19 to your destination while the A18 is recommended for those leaving from Messina.
Finally from Syracuse the road to follow is the E45.

Alimena does not have its own railway station, so those who decide to reach the village on the train they can refer to the Villarosa station and from there continue with one of the buses made available by the AST company.