The Church of San Giuseppe in Rosolini

The Mother Church of Rosolini

About fifty kilometers from the city of Syracuse stands the feudal village of Rosolini. The country has been founded in 1713 by the Moncada family and in the center of the town stands the famous Church of San Giuseppe in Rosolini. It is one of the most beautiful and best preserved religious buildings in all of south-eastern Sicily, and there are many tourists and visitors who decide to go to Rosolini to admire this imposing neoclassical church.

Church of San Giuseppe in Rosolini: history and architecture

The parish of San Giuseppe in Rosolini was built at the behest of Prince Francesco Moncada who entrusted the work to one of the best students of the master architect Pompeo Picherali of Syracuse.
The church was completed in 1840 after several decades of intense work and thanks to the collaboration of the people and the carters who willingly offered to transport the stones from the Scalarangio quarry, and essential for the construction of the load-bearing walls of the parish of San Giuseppe.
The facade of the building is a nice mix between Baroque and Neoclassical style. The central door is embellished with a crenellated entablature which becomes one with the triangular architrave.

On the sides there are stupendous Corinthian-style columns which perform both a structural and an aesthetic function.
The side doors of the church also have a triangular architrave on the upper part, but much smaller than the one found on the main facade. The pediment consists of a large arch in which a square window has been placed and bordered by Corinthian columns.
On the sides we find the statues of Saint Peter and Paul and on the upper end is the bell tower.

The internal part of the Church of San Giuseppe in Rosolini is divided into three large naves arranged in the shape of a Latin cross. The interiors are finely decorated with marble and polychrome stuccos, as well as interesting carved stone bas-reliefs.

Church of San Giuseppe in Rosolini: works of art present

The structure of the parish of San Giuseppe in Rosolini is not the only appreciable aspect of the building; in fact, even the many works of art present enrich the artistic heritage of this church.
The high altar is made of polychrome marble and is the result of the careful work of the Rosolina native Salvatore Ignaccolo. Also in the Presbytery it is possible to admire a Baroque-style niche decorated with bas-reliefs and stuccos of various colors and in which the statue of St. Luigi Gonzagapatron saint of the country.

On the apse there are several frescoes made by the painter Giuseppe Assenza and which portray the Nativity, Jesus among the doctors and the presentation of the child Jesus in the temple.
Along the left aisle we find a wooden statue depicting the Immaculate Conception and then two paintings, also made by Giuseppe Assenza, and depicting Maria Assunta and the Conception. In this part of the church it is also possible to see a bust of Monsignor Mingo, a native of Rosolini, an altarpiece of the Madonna del Suffragio and an altar which had formerly been consecrated to the souls in purgatory.

In the right aisle a baptismal font that dates back to the 1700s and coming from the chapel of San Girolamo, inside of the ancient Platamone castle. An enormous fresco depicting the baptism of Jesus fills the entire nave together with some canvases made by Gregorio Scalia and depicting the flight of the Israelites from Egypt and the death of St. Joseph.

Church of San Giuseppe in Rosolini: what to see nearby

Those who come to Rosolini to admire the Church of San Giuseppe can take the opportunity to visit a village rich in history.
Il Platamon Castle it was the place where the ancient Platamone family, feudal lords of Rosolini, resided.

This place is called by the people of Rosolino 'U Castieddu' and due to a collapse caused by the earthquake of 1693, it was practically shattered. What remained of the castle was incorporated into the feudal center, in fact it is not uncommon to stroll through the streets of the center and see on the walls of the historic buildings, integral parts of the Platamone Castle.

Just behind the Mother Church of San Giuseppe is the Piazza Masaniello with the Triton Fountain. It would be the first square of Rosolini and was dedicated to the Neapolitan hero Masaniello who with great courage opposed the Spanish government that wanted to subjugate southern Italy.

Church of San Giuseppe in Rosolini: how to reach your destination

Rosolini is only 50 kilometers from the center of Syracuse and is very well connected with the rest of Sicily, as well as with the airports of Catania Fontanarossa and Comiso.

Those arriving by car from Catania must take the Catania-Siracusa motorway, better known as the E45, and exit at Rosolini.
Those leaving from Palermo must first take the Palermo-Catania motorway and only then take the E45.
Those who come from further afield can easily land in Catania or Comiso and continue their journey with an AST line bus that connects the airports to Rosolini.

© trolvag, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Davide Mauro, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons