The Mother Church of Santa Maria al Presepe in Campobello di Mazara

Campobello di Mazara, in the Free Municipal Consortium of Trapani, western Sicily, is a hill town, located about 110 meters above sea level. Among the oldest buildings in the place, there is the Mother Church of Santa Maria al Presepe.

The Mother Parish of Santa Maria al Presepe in Campobello di Mazara was built in 1825 and today is still perfectly preserved in its original facility. The "vara" which houses the precious crucifix inside the church. Other works of art from the XNUMXth century are found in the Parish.

Some of the most important artists of the time participated in the creation of the Church, the sacred furnishings and the works found in the Parish.

The Mother Parish of S. Maria al Presepe: The Architecture and the Works

The Mother Parish of S. Maria al Presepe appears from the outside as a bright, two-storey building, flanked by the Bell tower , attached to one side of the Church and adorned with blind windows on the first two floors. The highest part of the bell tower is instead characterized by open single-lancet windows.
The facade and bell tower are light in colour, decorated with brown stone bricks that mark the main lines of separation of the rooms, especially the floors. The wooden door it is framed by pilasters and surmounted by the tympanum.

Upon entering the church they find themselves three naves , which guard the sacred treasures of Campobello: among the most interesting works, the Crucifix by Fra Umile from Petralia , the large launch that contains it, built in 1856 and the High Altar named after San Vito, patron saint of the municipality. A wooden statue made in 1700 and covered with a layer of silver is also dedicated to the Patron Saint.

The interior of the Church is in neoclassical style and you can also admire various images of sacred scenes, as well as the Statue of Mary of Sorrows and the Dead Christ Placed in the Coffin, works of art from the XNUMXth century.

The Mother Parish of S. Maria al Presepe: What to do in the surrounding area

At the Mother Parish of Santa Maria al Presepe, tourists on holiday can go to mass, but also discover all the artistic beauties of the building and admire the works of art it houses.

A stay in the country of oil, however, can also be an opportunity to discover the local products , to be enjoyed in the restaurants and farmhouses in the area: in addition to oil, you can find very fresh fish cooked according to traditional Sicilian recipes and also meat-based dishes, such as murata meat or vinegar cutlets.

Naturally, in addition to the delicious typical dishes, Campobello di Mazara also offers its visitors many interesting activities to do during a stay in the town: walking around the centre, you will discover hidden treasures, such as the Clock tower or the many watchtowers scattered across the hills and along the coast; furthermore, the Campobello marina is one of most beautiful beaches in the area, with waters that are almost always calm and therefore perfect, even for those on holiday with children.

A few kilometers from Campobello di Mazara there is Castelvetrano , the largest medieval centre, today populated by around 29.000 people: here the main attractions are the historic centre, where the Mother Church of Maria Santissima Assunta is located, built in 1520, the Church of San Giovanni Battista, from the late sixteenth century and the splendid Cuba of Delia from the XNUMXth century, Church of the Holy Trinity.

Among the civil buildings, you cannot miss a visit to Selinus Theater , neoclassical construction inspired by the temples of nearby Selinunte.

It is precisely the archaeological site of Selinunte, however, one of the major attractions of the area together with the civic Museum and to the Cusa Caves, places not to be missed for those who are in Campobello di Mazara: the park reveals streets, houses and temples of the ancient Greeks, while the sacred or commonly used objects found in the archaeological area are exhibited in the Civic Museum of Selinunte; the Cave of Cusa they are instead a magical place, where time seems suspended for over 2000 years: here the limestone rock with which the temples were built was extracted and the sudden abandonment of the plant due to the Carthaginian supremacy over the Greeks can still be felt by visiting the site archaeological.

Among the larger cities that can be easily reached from Campobello di Mazara, we highlight Marsala , from which it is also possible to embark towards the splendid Egadi Islands.

The Mother Parish of S. Maria al Presepe: How to get there

Reaching Campobello di Mazara, in the Free Municipal Consortium of Trapani, is easy: in driving feel , you arrive from the A29 Palermo-Mazara del Vallo, turning at the exit for Campobello di Mazara; by train, from Castelvetrano station you continue by bus or shuttle.

The Mother Parish in Campobello di Mazara is located in Via Giuseppe Garibaldi.