Church of the Madonna del Carmelo in Acate

Ad acate in province of Ragusa, there are numerous architectural and cultural beauties to visit including the historic one Church of the Madonna del Carmelo.

The history of the Church of the Madonna del Carmelo in Acate

Among the most loved and appreciated religious structures present in the territory of Acate in the province of Ragusa is the Church of the Madonna del Carmelo. It is a religious building whose construction was started in the year 1605 in the region of the foundation of the convent of the Carmelite Fathers who precisely took care of the church and the convent itself.
Its realization is managed with a great spirit of sacrifice and with the contribution of the whole community. Unfortunately, in 1693 the church was seriously damaged by the earthquake of 11 January which struck a large part of Sicily, therefore an intervention of movement was necessary which in fact led to the reconstruction of the church. Further elements were also added, including the bell tower which was completed in 1794.
Another historical date that has characterized the events of this building is the period of the early nineteenth century. In particular there was the suppression of the convent of the Carmelite Fathers and in fact the church changed ownership passing to the parish of San Nicolò di Bari which was always present in Acate.
Subsequently, other maintenance and restructuring interventions became necessary, completed in 1970 with a complete overhaul of the roof and replacement of the entire floor.

The structural characteristics of the Carmelo Church in Acate

La Church of Carmelo in Acate it is a religious structure developed with a single nave with a semicircular apse. The roof was made with exposed wooden beams while the current flooring was obtained using grit tiles. The prospectus is very simple with a structure that includes a bell tower on the left side with a belfry surmounted by the cusp.
Inside there are several decorations on the side walls with four arches which once also featured altars that were eliminated in the 1970 renovation.
A small peculiarity concerns the insertion of an additional altar in 1985 which was obtained with the use of a polychrome marble frontal taken from the parish church of San Nicolò di Bari, also in Acate.

What to see in Acate besides the Carmelo Church

In the territory of the town of Acate there are many other beauties to visit in addition to the church of the Madonna del Carmelo.
First of all, it is impossible not to be enchanted by the magnificence of the Mother Church of San Nicola di Bari destroyed on two occasions and in particular in the earthquake of 1693 and 1846. This means that the current structure has been completely revisited and there are only a few elements that date back to the original building. Among other religious structures is the Convent of the Capuchin friars which was built in 1737 by Prince Vincenzo Paternò and the institute of the nuns of the Sacred Heart also called college of Mariah, very ancient as it preceded the earthquake of 1693. To underline the beautiful facade of the Castle of the Princes of Biscari which also provides for the presence of a church dedicated to San Vincenzo and in which the body of the saint is kept. This church has naves enriched with decorative stuccos of various types and a very ancient and precious organ. Even the castle is a medieval building as its construction began in 1494 and over the centuries it has been repeatedly revisited from an architectural point of view and expanded.

How to reach Acate

It is possible to reach the town of Acate starting from Palermo using your own car auto in a journey that takes over 3 hours and 30 minutes for a total of 227 km and crossing the E90, the A19, the E392 and the SS115 to be taken from the Butera exit. There is no public transport that allows you to reach Acate directly from Palermo, rather it would be necessary to stop first in Ragusa or in other cities located nearby.
Instead, starting from Catania there is a road route of about 97 km which can be covered in an hour and 30 minutes of travel crossing the E45, the SS194 and the SS514.
From Messina the journey requires 192 km via the A18 motorway for 2 hours and 25 minutes.