Mother Church of Sant'Antonio Abate in Francofonte

One of the most characteristic monuments of Francofontein Province of Syracuse, it certainly is Basilica of Sant'Antonio Abate, also known by the name of Mother Church. The structure has a particular history that is closely intertwined with that of the village: here is all there is to know to organize a visit to the Mother Church in Francofonte and take advantage of it to discover the other suggestive attractions of the area.

History of the basilica of Sant'Antonio Abate

Il village of Francofonte it was founded in 1360 but the basilica of Sant'Antonio Abate probably existed before the foundation of the town. According to recent studies, it may have seen the birth between the 1542th and XNUMXth centuries, at least as regards the original nucleus of the abbey which was then implemented over the centuries. In XNUMX the church suffered a first earthquake that damaged it, even if not irreversibly.

The opportunity for a small restoration, however, is mainly used to embellish its interiors with paintings and other types of decorations. With the terrible earthquake of January 1693, however, the Mother Church of Sant'Antonio Abate suffers important damages but the parish priest of the time decides that the new church must rise in exactly the same place as the previous one, also incorporating the parts of it that I am still standing.

The renovation works ended in 1699 while the bell tower was completed only in 1717. During the Second World War the bell tower was used by the Germans as a base for artillery and only for a fortuitous case was it not shot down by US anti-aircraft fire.

The architecture and any works of art present in the Mother Church of Sant'Antonio Abate

The Mother Church of Sant'Antonio Abate has a Latin cross plan and its façade has a romantic style very essential. The only concession to Baroque it is given by the decorations of the three portals, each of which has a window that houses a painting.
Il entrance door, on the other hand, is made of wood and has a small bas-relief depicting St. Anthony. Inside, however, the church is divided into three naves, divided by a double row of columns ending with Corinthian style capitals. Numerous chapels open along the two side naves which contain works of art of various types, such as a marble baptismal font made in the eighteenth century or some secondary altars dating back to the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.

What you can do around the Mother Church of Francofonte

Francofonte, known to be the country of oranges, offers its visitors a cross-section of history enclosed in its main monuments. Certainly worth a visit Chadra Castle, of which part of the structure and many ruins remain today, which for centuries had the function of defending the village from the attack of enemies, the Saracens in particular. Even the Palagonia Palace, which today houses the offices of the Municipality, is a fine example of civil architecture dating back to the last years of the eighteenth century, as is the Garden Fountain, which is located in the historic center, and was the ancient seventeenth-century wash house. Francofonte, however, is also folklore and gastronomy, so the presence of visitors to the Tarot Festival, which obviously sees oranges of this type as great protagonists.

How is it possible to get to Francofonte

Those who want to get to Francofonte, in the province of Syracuse, to visit the Mother Church of Sant'Antonio Abate can move easily with theauto. The town can be reached from Syracuse via the E45 and then the SS194, while for those coming from Palermo the route to follow is the A19 motorway and then the E932. Finally, from Messina it can be reached by taking the A18 with the exit at Francofonte.

The village can also be reached by trainalthough the town does not have its own railway station. The closest are those of Lentini or Priolo Melilli from which you can then continue to Francofonte with the local bus lines made available by the ATS company.