Acireale Cathedral
Encyclopedia
Acireale Cathedral is a Roman Catholic cathedral
in the city of Acireale
in Sicily
, province of Catania
, Italy
. It was declared the seat of the Bishop of Acireale in 1870.
The present cathedral building, which is located in the Piazza Duomo, was constructed as a simple parish church between 1597 and 1618 that was greatly enlarged a few years later when it received the relics of Saint Venera
, one of the two patron saints of the city, which are still located here. It survived the earthquake of 1693
, and the present cathedral is a 17th century building with significant additions from each succeeding century.
Of particular note are the Baroque
portal representing the Annunciation
by Placido Blandamonte of Messina, dating from 1668, combined with a Neo-Gothic west front by Giovan Battista Filippo Basile, completed after his death in 1891 to his plans, of c.1900. The two campanile
s, in Mannerist style with octagonal bases, although identical in appearance, are centuries apart in construction: the one to the south is from 1655, as is the cupola
, while the one to the north, as well as the rose window
, are from 1890. The interior is 17th century Baroque.
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
in the city of Acireale
Acireale
Acireale is a coastal city and commune in the north-east of the province of Catania, Sicily, Italy, at the foot of Mount Etna, on the coast facing the Ionian Sea. It is a diocese, famous for its churches, including the Neo-Gothic St. Peter's Basilica, St...
in Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
, province of Catania
Catania
Catania is an Italian city on the east coast of Sicily facing the Ionian Sea, between Messina and Syracuse. It is the capital of the homonymous province, and with 298,957 inhabitants it is the second-largest city in Sicily and the tenth in Italy.Catania is known to have a seismic history and...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. It was declared the seat of the Bishop of Acireale in 1870.
Saint Venera
Saint Venera is venerated as a Christian martyr of the 2nd century. Little is known of this saint. The date of her death is traditionally given as July 26, 143 AD....
, one of the two patron saints of the city, which are still located here. It survived the earthquake of 1693
1693 Sicily earthquake
The 1693 Sicily earthquake refers to a powerful earthquake that struck parts of southern Italy, notably Sicily, Calabria and Malta on January 11, 1693 around 9 pm local time. This earthquake was preceded by a damaging foreshock on January 9th...
, and the present cathedral is a 17th century building with significant additions from each succeeding century.
Of particular note are the Baroque
Baroque architecture
Baroque architecture is a term used to describe the building style of the Baroque era, begun in late sixteenth century Italy, that took the Roman vocabulary of Renaissance architecture and used it in a new rhetorical and theatrical fashion, often to express the triumph of the Catholic Church and...
portal representing the Annunciation
Annunciation
The Annunciation, also referred to as the Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary or Annunciation of the Lord, is the Christian celebration of the announcement by the angel Gabriel to Virgin Mary, that she would conceive and become the mother of Jesus the Son of God. Gabriel told Mary to name her...
by Placido Blandamonte of Messina, dating from 1668, combined with a Neo-Gothic west front by Giovan Battista Filippo Basile, completed after his death in 1891 to his plans, of c.1900. The two campanile
Campanile
Campanile is an Italian word meaning "bell tower" . The term applies to bell towers which are either part of a larger building or free-standing, although in American English, the latter meaning has become prevalent.The most famous campanile is probably the Leaning Tower of Pisa...
s, in Mannerist style with octagonal bases, although identical in appearance, are centuries apart in construction: the one to the south is from 1655, as is the cupola
Cupola
In architecture, a cupola is a small, most-often dome-like, structure on top of a building. Often used to provide a lookout or to admit light and air, it usually crowns a larger roof or dome....
, while the one to the north, as well as the rose window
Rose window
A Rose window is often used as a generic term applied to a circular window, but is especially used for those found in churches of the Gothic architectural style and being divided into segments by stone mullions and tracery...
, are from 1890. The interior is 17th century Baroque.