Saint Placido’s Church

The St. Placido’s Church is placed in the homonymus square near the Cathedral, along via Vittorio Emanuele.

The original structure of this building, that is dated back to 1409 and was built on the ruins of an ancient pagan temple, was completely destroyed by the earthquake in 1693. It’s said that the reconstruction, that was designed by architect Stephen Ittar, was begun at the initiative of the only two survived nuns of the disaster in 1693 that lived in the monastery adjoining the Church.

It was consecrated in 1723 and finally was completed in 1769, the church is considered a last Sicilian Baroque masterpiece, unlike other eighteenth century buildings of the city it has the Taormina white stone facade and a unique concave shape where dominate the large windows with grilles and the bell tower. Its featured is the wrought iron railing on whose sides are the Saints Benedict and Placido’s statues. Inside the Church has a single nave and the walls are decorated with marble, stucco and paintings.

Among the kept items we suggest you to see the frescoes by G. B. Piparo, the high altar and the choir, that they were drawn by Stefano Ittar, and the painting that is called “The Immaculate” by Michele Rapisarda dating from the nineteenth century and that is located on the third altar.