Rahul Sharma (Editor)

San Domenico, Palermo

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Location
  
Palermo, Italy

Rite
  
Roman Rite

Groundbreaking
  
1640

Opened
  
1770

Phone
  
+39 091 589172

Affiliation
  
Roman Catholic

Website
  
Official site

Completed
  
1770

Province
  
Province of Palermo

Architectural style
  
Sicilian Baroque

San Domenico, Palermo

Address
  
Piazza S. Domenico, 1, 90133 Palermo, Italy

Similar
  
San Giuseppe dei Teatini, San Cataldo - Palermo, Quattro Canti, Oratorio del Rosario di San Do, Church of the Gesù - Palermo

Profiles

The Church of Saint Dominic (Italian: Chiesa di San Domenico or simply San Domenico) is the second most important church of Palermo after the ancient cathedral. It is located in Piazza San Domenico, in the quarter of the Loggia, within the historic centre of Palermo. The church hosts the burials of many eminent figures of Sicilian history and culture. For this reason it is known as the "Pantheon of illustrious Sicilians".

Contents

History

The origin of the building dates back to the Middle Ages. A first Dominican church was built on this site between 1280 and 1285. The church was in Norman–Gothic style and it was also fitted with a convent and a cloister that represented a small and simple reproduction of the more famous Benedectine cloister of Monreale. Inside this primitive church the son of James I of Cyprus, Odo, was buried in 1420 (or 1421).

At the beginning of the 15th century the medieval church became too small for the needs of a growing community of believers. For this reason the friars sought the financial aid of Pope Martin V and of the wealthiest families of Palermo. The new church was built in Renaissance style. However, through the natural course of time, also this building became too small for the liturgical needs of friars and believers. Therefore, in 1630, the Dominicans of Palermo commissioned architect Andrea Cirrincione to build a new church. Ten years after, on 2 February 1640, there was the groundbreaking ceremony. The work required many decades. The Baroque façade was completed in 1726, while the left bell tower dates from 1770.

During the Sicilian revolution of 1848, in this church the Sicilian Parliament was called under the leadership of Ruggero Settimo. In 1853 the church became the pantheon of illustrious Sicilians.

List of notable burials

  • Emerico Amari
  • Michele Amari
  • Stanislao Cannizzaro
  • Francesco Crispi
  • Giovanni Falcone (since 2015)
  • Francesco Ferrara
  • Francesco Maria Emanuele Gaetani
  • Giovanni Meli
  • Pietro Novelli
  • Giuseppe Patania
  • Errico Petrella
  • Giuseppe Pitrè
  • Vincenzo Riolo
  • Ruggero Settimo
  • References

    San Domenico, Palermo Wikipedia


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