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Built between 1592 and 1646, the
Abbey was in its time one of the most powerful and rich place of Sicily. Its structure is made by a main
building with a rectangular shape and it is crossed by a wing and divided
inside in two parts by two cloisters in Classical style. The first cloister has a square
plan and 36 columns with Doric capitals and spaced by small arches and
niches. In the middle there is a fountain
of the XVII century with an octagonal base. Second cloister has a rectangular
base and round arches on simple columns supported by high plinths and Doric
capitals. Also in this case in the middle it is placed a fountain which is
dated back to 1713. The Abbey raises on four levels:
two basements with service places, a ground floor with cloisters, refectory,
novitiate and further service places and in the end a first floor with
friars' rooms. To enter into large refectory it
passed through second cloister: the hall dates back to 1644 and it is
decorated with a precious fresco made in the XVIII century and representing
the Moltiplicazione dei Pani (the Miracle of the Loaves). To the upper floors it enters
through two valuable flight of steps in steatite. In these floors it possible
to see friars' rooms, the ancient library, guest-rooms, other rooms and the
private chapel of abbot adjacent to his room. The adjoining church, built between
1643 and 1757, is placed between the monastery and the imposing bell-tower
with pyramidal cusp. Structure of the building is in Latin cross with only a
nave and it is made in grey stone. The front has decorations made with
squared ashlars with pilasters and Corinthian capitals and in the middle an
elegant rose window of best workmanship. Heavily damaged by the earthquake of 1968,
the church has been emptied of its fixtures which are however visible in
various museums in this area. |