TAORMINA
CHURCHES
Discover the beauty of spending time in the spectacular churches of Taormina. In addition to discovering real pieces of culture, you can also find places to give yourself a healthy spiritual reflection even following one of the many religious functions.
These are the most visited churches in Taormina:
- JOSEPH’S CHURCH
- THE CATHEDRAL
- PANCRA’S CHURCH
- CATHERINE’S CHURCH
- GEORGE’S CHURCH
- AUGUSTINE’S CHURCH
- LA MADONNA DELLA ROCCA
CHURCHES IN TAORMINA
JOSEPH’S CHURCH
The church of St. Joseph stands majestically in Piazza IX Aprile, next to the clock tower, in which the door to the still existing third wall was opened. The church, built in the second half of the 1600s, has a clear Baroque style and the most beautiful thing of it is represented by its facade, which dominates the square in front.
A majestic double-flight staircase leads to the churchyard of the church, and both the stairs and the landing in front of the church are fenced with a magnificent carved stone Syracuse balustrade. This is the only monumental double ramp staircase that can be admired in Taormina, and it, together with the façade of the church creates a scene of full Baroque era that brings to life the past.
Next to the church, on the right side, stands the large bell tower, whose top consists of a balustrade enclosing a walkable walkway, from whose center rises an octagonal spire dome, in the terminal cone of the dome there is a large Taormina stone carved in the shape of a globe that once supported a cross of iron.
Since during a windstorm many years ago the stone ball fell to the ground, because the cross had served as a sail, when it was put back in place the cross was eliminated in order to avoid the repetition of the collapse.
CHURCHES IN TAORMINA
THE CATHEDRAL OF TAORMINA
The fortress Duomo, which is what Taormina’s main cathedral is considered, was built around the year 1400 on the ruins of a small mediaeval church. The Cathedral of Taormina has a Latin-cross plan with three aisles; there are six minor altars in the two side aisles. The nave is held up by six monolithic columns, three on each side, in pink Taormina marble and their capitals have a foil and fish-scale decoration.
The ceiling of the nave has wooden beams supported by carved corbels reproducing Arabian scenes with a Gothic air. The very interesting main portal was rebuilt in 1636 and has a large Renaissance-inspired rosette sculpted on it.
The Cathedral of Taormina has undergone several renovations, as evidenced by the main portal of 1636 and the two side portals, the one on the left side, dating back to the fifteenth century and the one on the right side to 1500.
The interior has a Latin cross with three naves and three apses. Six monolithic columns (three on each side) in pink marble surmounted by decorated capitals support the central nave with a wooden ceiling. The sixteenth-century polyptych by Antonello de Saliba is remarkable.
CHURCHES IN TAORMINA
PANCRA’S CHURCH
The church consecrated to the Patron of Taormina, St. Pancras, Bishop and martyr, was built on the ruins of a Greek temple dedicated to Jupiter Serapis. Parts of the temple’s cell can still be seen in the southern wall of the church.
This church is in Barocco style and dates back to the second part of the 16th century. Its main portal is very interesting with jambs and architraves in Taormina stone; two Ionian columns decorate each side of the portal. Inside the church the intermediate floor with the organ can be seen above this portal.
Two interesting oil paintings on canvas hang above the two minor altars on the right of the church, one picturing the torture of St. Nicone and the other the consecration of St. Maximus who was St. Pancras’ successor. Between the other two minor altars on the left of the church there is a fresco picturing Teofano Cerameo, Taormina’s last Bishop during the 11th century.
A low railing in wrought iron separates the rest of the church from the main altar which is lavishly decorated with polychrome marble slabs and an Ionian column on each side, like those on the external portal. There are eight angels on the altar, four on each side, and a bust of God giving his blessing. A fresco picturing the torture of St. Pancras can be seen on the right of the main altar.
CHURCHES IN TAORMINA
CATHERINE’S CHURCH
The exact construction date of this church, consecrated to St. Catherine of Alexandria in Egypt and located in the centre of the town opposite Palazzo Corvaja, is not known.
It is thought to date back to 1663, the year engraved on the tablet of the ossuary found outside the church and now located in the wall beside the staircase which leads to the crypt.
The entrance door to the sacresty is on the left of the portal; the sacresty is thought to have been built before the Church, i.e. during the 16th century. The facade of the sacresty is decorated with two small windows ornated with sea shells, the same decoration used on the architrave of its door.
As it was built on the ruins of the Odeon, the remains of which can be seen behind the church, part of the orchestra and scene were destroyed. The scene of the Odeon is believed to have been created using the colonnade of a pre-existent Greek temple dedicated to Aphrodite.
TAORMINA
GEORGE’S CHURCH
St. George’s Anglican Church was built in the early 1920s on the iniziative of a small group of English people who used to spend most of the year in Taormina.
The church was designed by Sir Harry Triggs, an English architect and the son-in-law of Sir Edward Hill, who owned the land and was a real promoter of Taormina’s wonders.
There are two aisles inside the church, which is divided by three round arches in Siracusa stone with two central columns as their base.
The most beautiful part of the church is its large polichrome window behind the main altar picturing Jesus on the cross with St. Catherine on the left and St. George in his mediaeval armour on the right.
CHURCHES IN TAORMINA
AUGUSTINE’S CHURCH
The Church of St. Augustine, nowadays known as the town library, was built towards the end of the 15th century by the people of Taormina and is said to have been originally devoted to St. Sebastian who had worked a miracle and saved the town by keeping the plague away.
The Augustinian fathers later arrived in Taormina, took over and enlarged the church, turning it into a monastery; it then lost its St. Sebastian title and was named after St. Augustine.
The church, with its tie-beam cieling, has four niches on each side decorated with false Corinthian arches and columns. Originally decorated in late Sicilian Gothic style, the church was radically transformed around the year 1700 when the large ogival arch of the main portal was replaced by an architrave in Taormina stone.
All that remains of the originai facade is a small rosette and the top of the ogival arch of the old portal.
CHURCHES IN TAORMINA
MADONNA DELLA ROCCA
Situated on the top of Mount Tauro, the Sanctuaries Madonna della Rocca has perhaps one of the most beautiful and suggestive panoramas in Taormina.
The shrine was built in 1640, taking advantage of the rock structure which forms a grotto there, and is still today one of the tourists’ favorite sight-seeing attractions.
How to get to the sanctuary? Parallel to Corso Umberto I runs the Circumvallation, the road connecting with Taormina. Near the Naumachia road begins a beautiful staircase that from here will lead you to Mount Tauro overlooking Taormina, where the mighty Saracen Castle is perched. Along the road to the castle you will encounter the Sanctuary of the Madonna della Rocca, which is visited by numerous pilgrims.
The Saracen Castle is a bit abandoned, but the magnificent view over Taormina, the Etna volcano and the coast will be absolutely worth it. Especially in the summer months the walk, lasting an hour up to the castle.
.
