
Church of Maria SS. of
Rosario
Of the existence of the SS.
Maria of the Rosary church, there is a mention already in 1574
during a pastoral visit in Bronte of Monsignor Torres, bishop of
Monreale, from which Bronte was depending.
At that time the church was held by the friars of the San Dominic
order.
The dates 1608-1621, sculpted on
lava stone under the frame of the gable of the major door, make think
of a first remaking and of the work completion.
A complete restoration, performed at the beginning of 1800,
changed an ancient SS. Maria dell'Assunzione chapel in sacristy and
the altar of the Assunzione was put in the current place.
With his simple and linear architecture, fronting the homonymous
Piazza Rosario, dominates Corso Umberto on which it overlooks for all
the right side and from which offers a pleasant gradual perspective
view.
In virtue of the big changes performed to the road
level alongside the church, in the years 1869 and 1870,
the Rosary is now in a banked position in respect of the original
building plan.
The lowering of the road level and
the straightening of his axis, with unavoidable urban demolitions,
involved big changes to the original entries of the church and to the
structural complex.
That justifies the presence of the long masonry platform on the Corso
Umberto and the flight steps to the principal front entrance.
The principal prospect The principal prospect, simple
and balanced composition, XVII century style, with Renaissance
recalls, is pronounced by two big horizontal frames supported by
superimposed couples of ornamental lines.
On the façade stands out
the balanced portal drawing again to bas-relief in lava stone,
the mannerist inspiration window and the central prismatic steps
in lava stone. Well proportionate the triangular tympanum (with ornamental
prisms and circular watch) which closes in high the order double
of ornamental lines. On the stands out the ribbed
cap of the dome with lanterns set up on a windowed high drum and
a little bell tower (the ringing sound of his little bells has
characterized for centuries the church).
The internal
The internal, restored at the beginning of the XIX century has drawing simplicity: it is to a rectangular only nave and stands out for
the luxuriant baroque decoration. Two deep chapels in correspondence of the transept increase the perspective view of the dome.
The geometrical preciousness of the drawings, the refinement of the gold, the chisel of the plasters
gives a singular liveliness
both to the walls and sometime make it appear damask.
On the left, extraneous to the context, stand out the gothic forms
of the
pulpito ligneo surmounted by the canopy with flowery
pinnacles.
The nave and transept decoration was completed early in 1950 by some
teachers decorators of Belpasso. The large
entry door to the church is work of the brontese Domenico
Girbino.
Attached to the left side of the church, in the Giovanni
Piccino street, stands the Maria College
built in 1780 by initiative of "donna" Maria Scafiti. |