Caltanissetta
We can't say too much about the origins of Caltanissetta, but surely it is not a town of recent origins because of the several installations of great archaeological interest that have been found all around the territory of Caltanissetta (Capodarso, Gibil Gabib, Sabucina, S.Anna, S. Giuliano). The first permanent installation ,a village of huts , was created around the fortress of Pietrarossa. The history of the town seems to have a beginning in 1087 because we have documents and chronicles issued at the above mentioned date. Later we have the foundation of Holy Spirit Abbey that became the Mother church of the town whose area was extended from Xiboli area to Pietrarossa castle. In 1100 landslides and floods oblige the inhabitants to built new houses in safer places, along the slopes of ST. Giuliano mountain. In 1392 tumults happened in town against the Jewish that had been allowed to build out of the walls (this area correspond to the area which is now called Provvidenza). Read more on comments..........
1 comment:
In this period St. Domenico church became the Mother church of the town (1400). The city grew more and more, other churches and convents raised out of the walls that later will be reached by the urban expansion . In that period we can register two events of a particular importance; the construction of the Capodarso bridge in 1556 which opened the use of the road towards the western zones of the island and in 1576 the ruin of the Castle of Pietrarossa which fell down in consequence of an carthquake. From 1400 to 1812 the town was ruled economically and politically by the Moncada barons of Paternò. They contributed to change the order of the town, promoting the construction of churches and monasteries that, thanks to the opening of the two axis of Umberto Street and V. Emanuele II Street, define the actual image of the historical center and the formation of the square in which the cathedral is situated. Other important monuments are:
St. Sebastian church, St. Agata church, Neptune fountain, Redentore statue and Zolfare and Civic museum.
ST. AGATA CHURCH
According to the tradition, in the XVI century there was a small church dedicated to St. Agata, at the same place where the present church rises. Near that, in 1588 Donna Luisa De Luna Vega and her son Francesco Moncada, founded Jesus' College, finished in 1604. The construction of the church started on the 5th February 1605, planned by Natale Masucci. In 1767, Pope Clement XIV abolished Jesus' Company and the friars left 'The College' and in 1808 they came back again. In 1860, after Garibaldi's dictatorial ordinance, Jesuits were forced to leave the town and 'The College' was divided into five parts, giving hospitality to the 'Ruggero Settimo' gymnasium and technical schools , elementary schools, communal library, provincial boarding schools and judicial prison. In 1889 in the church was inagurated a chapel to 'Madonna del Carmine', realized by Luigi Greco , while in 1890 some majestic works of decoration and ornament, were realized such as: the external flight of steps on Pasquale Saetta's plan.
CIVIC MUSEUM
The archaeologic museum displays in rational windows what the geologic have found in the archeological zones of the greek-sicilian town of 'Gibil Habib' of 'San Giuliano' hill, of 'Pietrarossa' castle, of 'Sabucina' hill and 'Capodarso' , let alone some discoveries which took place along 'Salso' river. The most precious piece is a model of a greek little temple made of terracotta
ST. DOMENICO CHURCH
Saint Domenico church was founded about 1475 in Angeli quarter and it was rebuilt in Baroque period with three aisles. From 1518 to 1570 it was a cathedral for a Papal throne conceded by Leone X. In 1866 it was used as a military store and from 1924 it was again a catholic church. The most important parts of this monastery are: the front door and the court. Nowadays we can admire some columns incorporated in the wall. The church was recently restored
MONCADA
It was built between 1635 and 1638 on behalf of Luigi Guglielmo Moncada, General President of the reign, viceroy of Sardinia and Sicily in 1647, Prince of Paternò, duke of Montalto and earl of Caltanissetta. It was not finished and is the synthesis of the Sicilian Baroque. It has monumental external architectonic shapes and magnificent internal spaces. The Beauffremont Palace is one of the most important sites to understand the multiplicity of the aspects in which it was originally elaborated and assimilated in the isle. Its majesty and unfinished state are still the expression of the splendour and contradictions of the feudal class, during the century of its apogee. The Palace was beginning using architectonic reliefs and stones from the ruins of the Pietrarossa Castle, and limestone of the Gibil-Gabib mountain. An underground gallery, passing under Garibaldi square and the Zingari district, led near the Capuchin Convent, in Regina Margherita Avenue. The external walls are more than two metres thick and the corbels of the balconies, with the corved monsters, turn around the front from north to south. The internal part of the castle did not suffer heavy invasions. The palace built on a declivity, dominated by its massive structure the surrounding built-up areas, and it was perhaps connected, through a gallery of which there are some traces on one of the two fronts, with the little church of Carmine, where nowadays there is the town hall. The carved corbels had an important function - planning and cultural function, in the circle of the space of the city: protection from atmospheric agents for the wayfarer, and to protect the internal spaces from the extraneous sight.
NEPTUNE FOUNTAIN
The lively Garibaldi Square, the Heart of Caltanissetta, is the point of intersection of the two main historic centre's streets: "Corso Umberto I" and " Corso Vittorio Emanuele II". The square is dominated by the wide and sonorous fountain of the sea-horse, mythological bronze group (1890) by the sculptor Michele Tripisciano, born in Caltanissetta. It represents a mythical sea-horse with a man fighting against two monsters. Of this clever artist, who is also the sculptor of the monument to Gioacchino Belli placed in Rome, there are in our town other two works, Umberto I monument and Vittorio Emanuele II bust (1891) which is inside Villa Amedeo.
REDENTOR STATUE
In its architectural part the holy Redentore monument is made up of a pedestal which contains in its interior an over elevated chapel with a staircase. The construction plan begins with a square shape which on the top becomes circular allowing to the bronze statue an adequate support. Its architectonic forms are simple and strong both for the over all effect and distant viewpoints and for the employed materials .The construction is in a very compact sand limestone and with splendid grey colouring and reddish spots. This material was found on the mountain, near the monument. The pedestal takes up a square area of 6,10 metres in one side, without the stairs, and it is 13,5 metres high. The total height of the monument is 18,85 metres including the statue and the cross . The statue built by Ditta Rosa Zona Zio , executed in Rome and fused by Mercatali brothers, has at the base four cylindrical pales which are linked under the cornice by a chain, which turns inside the factory, and by an iron structure which descends as far as the top of the "ogivo" arch.
Sabucina
Sabucina mount rises 412,5 miles from sea level. It was selected as a residence from the ancients for its strategic and defensive position. It's situated about 5 miles to East of Caltanissetta and controls with 'Capodarso' mountain, the 'Salso' valley. In a very rich zone of water there are some necropolis of the first bronze age that presuppose the existence of little villages of 'facies' 'Castelluccio' (1800-1440 B.C:.). This hypothesis is confirmed by the existence of many tombs that extend as for as 'Sabucina' from 'Terrapelata' village to 'Giordano' house. We have got only few archaeological reperts which come from these necropolis. The news about the life in these villages, 'Sabucina' and 'Capodarso' are poor, but they are similar in the structure with remarkable precipices that fall to North direction and a steep slope to South direction. These two centres were in a strategic position of control of remarkable importance both situated near a small and obliged passage in the 'Salso' valley. Probably, at that time the renouncing of the area placed in this valley on the bank of the river, for a most inaccessible but safer place, must connect to the radical economical-social transformation that run over. 'Sicily' and 'Aeolian Islands' in the XIII century B.C., between middle and late age of bronze
ST. SEBASTIAN CHURCH
According to Falduzza, the church (existing already in the XVI century), in the 1711 in occasion of the amplification of the place nearby, was demolished and rebuilt. We think that the façade was simply placed back. In the second half of the XIX century, the church was closed to the cult because the partial collapse of the vault. Then in the 1878 began the restoration of the sanctuary. In the last decade of the XIX century the new elevation was realized. The church was erected for popular devotion in thanks to the Saint for the liberation of the plague. The plan of the façade was made by the engineer Pasquale Saetta, with a planimetric plant, unique aisle with lateral altars. The elevation 'a torre', made up of three styles placed one upon the other, is in ecclesiastical style. Couple of columns are located near the entry portal surmounted by a triangular tympanum and by a mullioned window illuminating the aisle and by a niche that contains the statue of Saint Sebastiano by Biancardi. The last order finishes with a courved tympanum. The façade is wealthy of other statues arranged inside niches in the second order and they are free on the cornice of culmination. They were also made by Biancardi. Near the façade there is a bell tower with poligonal loggia. The aisle is wealthy of neoclassic plasters and of ionic style. A statue of the Saint is attributed to Stefano Livolsi. On the better altar there is a painting of the XVII century called 'The Purgatory' and a painting by Pollaci. In the elevation there was the following inscriptions: "HUIUS ADINITENTE D.D. 10 ANNE GUTTADAURO CALATANISIADENTIUM ANTISTITE ELEGANTIARI FORMA EX INTEGRO REFICIENDUM CURAVIT SACERDODS ALPHOUSUS PALERMO". Year MDCCCXCI: "NEC DEFUIT PUBLICA MUNICIPI LARGITAS NEC PRIVATA PIETAS PASCHALIS SAETTA ARCHITECTUS MENTEM OPERAMQUE ASSIDUEM GRATUITO ADNIBUIT". The arquebus shot came from this church-steeple, it killed the Piedmontese colonel Faverger on the 9th July in 1718 during the battle that nisseni engaged to prevent the passage of the troops of the king Vittorio Amedeo. The killed officiers were buried in the church.
SANTA MARIA LA NOVA
The structure of this church started in 1536. The situation of church and its dimension ,characterize Caltanissetta in 1500. The city became one of the important centre of Sicily.
The church called Santa Maria la Nova to distinguish it from the ancient church Santa Maria degli Angeli which was baptised again Santa Maria la Vetere.
The splendid frescoes were realized by Guglielmo Borremans in 1700.
The style of cathedral remembers a lot the Romanesque style.
The cathedral is the only church in Caltanissetta which was build in white stone while the other church was built in Sabucina stone.
On the big wood main door, there are four escutcheons. In 1720, the Flemish painter Guglielmo Borremans was entrusted, to embellish the church. On the roof he painted five big windows.
ABBEY OF ST. SPIRIT
Some doubts subsist about its foundation date, maybe in 1086, while the consacration date in 1153 is sure, as a memorial tablet still existing attests. During the centuries the abbey has undergone tamperings and repairs, the latest of them as recently interested the bell-tower on Averna's plan. The church, with an only isle, keeps many works of great historical and artistic importance, for example: a baptismal fond of the first century of the Christian age, a chalice of tin of the same age, a roman cinerary urn going back in 76 A.D. and some paintings of the sixteenth century and seventeenth century recently repaired. The valuable apsides, adorned with arches on pilaster steeps, which are located at the exterior, are just splendid!
ZOLFARE MUSEUM
The mineral, palentologist and sulphur museum is the attraction place for studious and prosperous public admitted at the Industrial Technical Institute "Sebastiano Mottura" of Caltanissetta. We can admire a beautiful mineral collection which contains examples of different types and provenance ,prevailing naturally these of chalky form, sulphurs of the mines of Caltanissetta also if they are totally closed. The Sulphur Museum presents plastics and miniatures that represent the vertical section of a mine and the reproduction of kilns Gill (old method to take out the sulphur from subsoil), the only evidence for the new generation of culture that has already disappeared.
Post a Comment