Oratorio di Santa Caterina d'Alessandria

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Oratorio di Santa Caterina d'Alessandria (Palermo)

The Oratorio di Santa Caterina d'Alessandria is a Baroque church building in Palermo .

In 1402 the brotherhood "Santa Caterina d'Alessandria" is documented, from which an association of the same name split off in 1594. In 1589 the Palermitan Senate granted permission to build an oratory in Via Monteleone in the Olivella district. According to legend, this was the home of Saint Rosalia's parents . In the first half of the 18th century the oratorio was changed to Baroque style. It was abandoned in 1867, and after a period of decline it is now used as a concert hall.

The simple outer facade is structured by pilaster strips and decorated with volutes at the sides and stone vases at the corners. The coat of arms of the “Compagnia dell'Oratorio di Santa Caterina d'Alessandria” is placed above the door.

In the anteroom to the oratory is the painting “Madonna, Child and Saint Catherine of Alexandria ”, which is attributed to Zoppo di Gangi . The barrel vault of the interior is provided with a fresco with the "Glory of Saint Catherine" by Antonio Grano .

The ceilings and walls are richly decorated with stucco by Procopio Serpotta and his collaborator Domenico Castelli. Serpotta's stucco sculptures of Saints Ninfa and Oliva of Palermo as well as the ten allegorical statues in front of the inner facade and on the side walls are remarkable . The altarpiece "Martyrdom of Saint Catherine" from 1609 was created by Zoppo di Gangi , another painting ("Madonna and Child") is by Vincenzo degli Azani and the marble floor by Gioacchino Vitagliano with his son Niccolo.

literature

  • Adriana Chirco: Palermo la città ritrovata. Flaccovio, Palermo 2002, ISBN 88-7758-469-6 .
  • Pierfrancesco Palazzotto: Palermo. Guida agli oratori. Confraternite, compagnie e congregazioni dal XVI al XIX secolo . Kalós, Palermo 2004, ISBN 88-89224-07-X .

Web links

Coordinates: 38 ° 7 '12.9 "  N , 13 ° 21' 38.7"  E