San Matteo
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Looking up from Piazza Italia, you will immediately notice the imposing structure of the ancient Church of St. Matthew on the top of the hill, which dominates Scicli down in the valley below.
St. Matthew stands on the site of the old city and was the patron church of Scicli and the symbol of the town until 1874, when it was abandoned. In fact, by that time the village had now moved down to the valley, which made the church’s position less central and more difficult to reach. St. Matthew is the oldest church building in the town. Some historians date the founding of the church’s foundation to the early Christian era, whilst others believe it is from the Norman period. The old buildings have been modified several times and were concealed in the later period but ancient documents testify that the church existed as early as the year 313 AD. There is some evidence that on the same site in the Middle Ages there was a large three-aisled basilica, with a tall belltower located on its south side.
The 1693 earthquake caused the collapse of the entire building, which was then rebuilt on the same site, by virtue of the will and participation of the people. They showed so much strength in this perhaps because in this church the venerated relics of Blessed William, a hermit who died in 1404 in Scicli were to be found, and he was buried there. The prospect, never completed, is on two levels: the lower has three entrance gates with an area marked by pairs of pilasters and columns, whilst the upper one is only fully developed in the central part and is linked to the lower level by large spirals, with plumes and naturalistic motifs. The central window is framed by columns and pilasters. A cartouche above the central doorway is dated 1762, which could refer to the completion of the building.
The church faces out onto a long, narrow square where you can also find the clock tower.
St. Matthew stands on the site of the old city and was the patron church of Scicli and the symbol of the town until 1874, when it was abandoned. In fact, by that time the village had now moved down to the valley, which made the church’s position less central and more difficult to reach. St. Matthew is the oldest church building in the town. Some historians date the founding of the church’s foundation to the early Christian era, whilst others believe it is from the Norman period. The old buildings have been modified several times and were concealed in the later period but ancient documents testify that the church existed as early as the year 313 AD. There is some evidence that on the same site in the Middle Ages there was a large three-aisled basilica, with a tall belltower located on its south side.
The 1693 earthquake caused the collapse of the entire building, which was then rebuilt on the same site, by virtue of the will and participation of the people. They showed so much strength in this perhaps because in this church the venerated relics of Blessed William, a hermit who died in 1404 in Scicli were to be found, and he was buried there. The prospect, never completed, is on two levels: the lower has three entrance gates with an area marked by pairs of pilasters and columns, whilst the upper one is only fully developed in the central part and is linked to the lower level by large spirals, with plumes and naturalistic motifs. The central window is framed by columns and pilasters. A cartouche above the central doorway is dated 1762, which could refer to the completion of the building.
The church faces out onto a long, narrow square where you can also find the clock tower.
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