In this "city of 100 churches" , the Carmine is definitely one of my favourites. It was begun around 1250, the period of the arrival in Sicily of the Carmelite friars from Palestine. Much of the church was destroyed in the great earthquake of 1693 but the portal and rose window survived. For me, there is something so simple and pleasing about the proportions of this church and I often go to have a look at it when my spirits need uplifting but I am not, perhaps, in the mood for the baroque majesty of San Giorgio. I call the Carmine my "quiet church".
11 comments:
Ah well, they're chalk and cheese. The otehr is a Duomo. I still think SMDC is quite stately.
Norfolk has lots of beautiful churches too.
love to see them all when out walking in the countryside, infact in winter we often have our packed lunch sat inside a church porch.
It's certainly different from the others. Thanks for the link to the other site, now I know what Modica is like. I never visited it when I was there. A lot of history was knocked out by that earthquake and others. Catania is so homogeneous because so much was destroyed in the earthquake and rebuilt in a similar style.
So Modica, birthplace of Quasimodo. The one I remember is Sirmione, birthplace of Catullus.
regards
jmb
I always love seeing your pics, Welsh. Thanks very much for sharing pieces of your paradise with me. :)
Great shots. Churches are super subjects. They just stand there in their glory.
I'll read your accounts about your mum soon WL. Just to say, do you ever stand in, or outside, a really old church and marvel at how it came to be built? No cranes, no modern materials, inaccessible sites etc. Incredible.
Hi, James. Yes, stately is the word I was looking for with regard to the Carmine. Sally, I love English churches too. What a lovely setting for a packed lunch. Jmb, one day, I am sure, you will come to Modica. Glad you liked the link. I've been to Sirmione and loved it. Happy to share, Lee! Steve, yes, at least churches don't go and move! shirl, marvellous to hear from you. Yes, I do. It is wonderful , is it not? Auguri from Sicily.
I love visiting churches too, is there an Italian equivalent to Simon Jenkins' Best Book of England's 1000 churches.
Hi, Ellee. I don't know of an equivalent but will have a look.
That is so beautiful. It almost evokes an old Spanish mission.
Hi, Ruthie. I'd never thought of that and will look up some Spanish mission images in a minute. Auguri.
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