San Giovanni dei Lebbrosi

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San Giovanni dei Lebbrosi
Rear view with apses

San Giovanni dei Lebbrosi is the oldest church building in Palermo in the Arab-Norman style . It is located approx. 2 km south of the city center ( Quattro Canti ).

history

It is believed that in 1071, before the conquest of Palermo , Roger I had the church built outside the walls of that time; However, there are no contemporary sources on this. The church was annexed to an Arab fort, the Castello Giovanni, of which only a few remains have survived. In the 12th century, Roger II founded a hospital for lepers next to the church , which gave the church its nickname, and provided the first real estate in the near and far area. Wilhelm I added further property. In 1219 the church and hospital were subordinated to the Teutonic Order of the Magione .

In 1934 the church was thoroughly restored, on that occasion a bell tower was also rebuilt on its original base.

Location and facilities

The church stands in a small park in a new building area not far from the Ponte dell'Ammiraglio . Characteristic of the exterior are the three apses and the hemispherical domes on a high drum , as they are typical of the Norman churches of Palermo.

The interior of the church has three aisles. The ships are separated from each other by pillars and have wooden ceilings. The apses of the three naves are very flat, as was customary in the early Norman churches in Sicily, based on the prayer niches ( mihrāb ) of Arab mosques . The crossing is raised and has a dome .

The windows are slightly pointed arches, which are among the first pointed arches of the Christian West.

literature

  • Brigit Carnabuci: Sicily. Greek temples, Roman villas, Norman cathedrals and baroque cities in the center of the Mediterranean (=  DuMont art travel guide ). 6th, updated edition. DuMont Reiseverlag, Ostfildern 2011, ISBN 978-3-7701-4385-6 .

Web links

Commons : San Giovanni dei Lebbrosi (Palermo)  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Carlrichard Brühl (ed.): Rogerii II. Regis diplomata latina. Böhlau, Cologne et al. 1987, ISBN 3-412-02584-4 , p. 312 Dep. 68 ( Codex diplomaticus Regni Siciliae 1: Diplomata regnum et principum e gente Normannorum 2, 1).
  2. ↑ Horst Enzensberger (Ed.): Guillelmi I. regis diplomata Latina. Böhlau. Cologne et al. 1996, ISBN 3-412-00689-0 , pp. 11 - 14 D. 4, pp. 23 - 26 D. 8 ( Codex diplomaticus Regni Siciliae 1: Diplomata regnum et principum e gente Normannorum 3).
  3. ↑ BF. 974.

Coordinates: 38 ° 6 ′ 14 ″  N , 13 ° 22 ′ 49 ″  E