Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Baroque Beauties
The Sicilian baroque period was a result of the 1693 earthquake that flattened cities like
Catania and left the space for the flourishing of this unique architectural style. Sicily's
brand of baroque combined the Spanish baroque with Sicily's own decorative and structur-
al elements. Two architects that dominated during this period were Rosario Gagliardi
(1700-70), the designer of the magnificent Cattedrale di San Giorgio (
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)
at
Ragusa, and Giovanni Battista Vaccarini (1702-69), who spent 30 years re-creating
Catania's historical core. Noto's baroque centre is one of Sicily's most powerful examples
of this architectural style.
The most important artist from this period was Giacomo Serpotta, born in Palermo in
1656. He specialised in plasterwork decorations on church oratories and you can see one of
his masterpieces, Oratorio del Rosario di Santa Cita (
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), in Palermo's church of
Santa Cita.
Were it not for the 1693 earthquake flattening cities like Catania, Sicilian baroque would not have been
born.
