Mother Church of Vicars

One of the most significant religious buildings in the village is certainly the mother church of Vicari, also known by the name of mother church. It is a building which has undergone various modifications over time and which has undergone various restructuring and expansion interventions over time. Here, then, is all the information that can be useful for visiting the mother church of Vicari and discovering other interesting spots in the village.

History of the mother church of Vicari

The mother church of Vicari, that is named after Saint George, was built for the first time around 1200. At that time, however, the structure occupied a very small area which was currently dedicated to the choir. Over time, then, with the population of the village, the church also underwent a series of changes and enlargements. The most important, however, is certainly what happened in 1533, when Don Vincent del Bosco, at the time Count of Vicars, decided to enlarge the surface of the church, occupying the space that it still encompasses today. Finally, a further modification was made in the early twentieth century when the external facade was covered with plaster, also going to hide some details typical of the Mannerist style which however were characteristic and very beautiful.

The architecture and any works of art present in the mother church of Vicari

From an architectural point of view, the mother church of Vicari has a Latin cross and is characterized by three naves, with the central one being larger than the two lateral ones. Internally the church has the advantage of still retaining the original furnishings, with some works of art that are of great value. For example, there is a beautiful painting which depicts Santa Rosalia and which was created by the artist Pietro Novelli between 1603 and 1647. Another equally beautiful canvas from the same period is the one attributed to Vincenzo La Barbera which depicts the Immaculate Madonna. Of note in the first side chapel on the right side, a marble table on which scenes from the life of Christ entitled Crucifixion, Resurrection and Saints have been carved. It is a work attributed to the sculptor Antonello Gagini which dates back to the first half of the sixteenth century. Externally, however, the structure has a very simple appearance, also due to the operation of applying the plaster in the early twentieth century.

What you can do around the mother church of Vicari

Walking through the narrow streets of the historic center of Vicars you can also discover other architectural masterpieces that make the village very suggestive. One of them is the church of San Marco, built in 1500 and then enlarged in 1680: it stands out from all the others not only for the Baroque style but also because its bell tower is completely covered with colored majolica. There church of San Vito, on the other hand, was initially built at the end of the 1600s in the open countryside, then the inhabited nucleus of Vicari incorporated the church area. In 1759 the church was completely restored and the occasion was used to add the bell tower still visible today. Inside the church there are some works of great beauty, such as the almost 2-meter wooden statue representing San Vito and the statue of Our Lady of Sorrows, built instead in the nineteenth century. Finally, the symbol of the country is represented by the Castle of Vicars, which stands on a hill known as Pizzo di Sant'Angelo.

How is it possible to get to Vicari

By car: for those who move from Palermo and want to reach the mother church of Vicari they can do so by taking the SS121 while from Trapani it will be sufficient to take the E90. Those who instead move from Catania will be able to choose the A19 to their destination, instead from Messina it is necessary to take the A20 first and then continue on the E90. From Syracuse it is necessary to take the A19 first and then the E932, finally from Enna you can choose to take the SS640 or alternatively the SS19.

Vicari does not have its own railway station for those who wish to travel on the train they will be able to reach the stations of Vespri, Montemaggiore - Belsito or Roccapalumba - Alia and from there continue to Vicari with the bus lines made available by AST.