The inner center

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INNER CENTER  -  LITTLE STREETS -  TUTELAR NUMEN  -  THE AEDICULE


The inner center

The tutelary Nume

Architrave in via InterdonatoIn this page we wish to present to you another particular aspect that characterizes some houses of the Historic Centre of Bronte: the ancient portals in lava or sandstone, and, above all, the arches and the architraves, masterly sculptured by the ancient stone cutters of Bronte.

Usually these are architectural structures featuring a curved line (with lowered or elliptic arch) of several and different styles, resting on two lava stone supports with ornate capitals in relief and a curved stone in the arch centre (the key) sculptured with a coat of arms, a symbol, a face or a tutelary numen to protect and defend the house.

With the passing of time, because of plain indifference, many of these portals have been lost, damaged, broken to pieces or even stolen (a typical example the beautiful portal of the ancient church of Placa Baiana literally snatched during the night and taken off with it by the usual unknown).

But just look to the present day to see that the thefts and raids continue: without fear a few years ago, in front of the Carabinieri station in via Benedetto Radice, a drinking bottle was torn and stolen, which had been resisting there for some centuries.

We would wish a better protection for the few portals still in existence and, if is absolutely necessary to demolish some of these houses, we would like the portals to be preserved in the gardens in front of the Nelson Castle, in its open air Museum of sculptured lava stones or in the new “Museum of lava stone and artisan and agricultural traditions” of whose opening everybody is talking (a regional financing for the placing of exhibition handcrafts and the purchase of the technological instruments appears to have been already granted).
 

Portals and balconies of the streets Mons. Saitta, Scafiti, Imbriani, Santi, Umberto, Marsala and Manzoni. In the last photo on the right, what remains of the portal of the ancient church of Placa Baiana torn off and stolen by the usual "notorious".

Portale in via Grisley
Via GrisleyVia ImbrianiVia PiccinoVia GiunoneVia Marsala
C.da Bolo e Corso UmbertoVia PiccinoVia Imbriani 36-38 (as it was)Via ImbrianiCorso Umberto

Bronte still preserves an urban structure of clear Arab inspiration with ancient courtyards, narrow underpasses, lava stone portals on which Renaissance and Baroque-inspired architectures have been grafted with stuccos and carved stones of great beauty.

The ancient area is rich in architectures inspired by great simplicity typical of peasant civilization.

Many portals are embellished with religious or professional symbols or floral decorations, the buildings that still preserve the ancient and elegant members and the elements of particular interest in lava stone (the material used predominantly over the centuries by skilled local stonecutters) intact.

Stately buildings, homes of small artisans, farmers and poor people: all still bear the aesthetic signs of an ancient beauty and an almost forgotten architectural simplicity.

Among friezes and ornaments of various styles, the keystone of the arch or the architrave of many houses shows the faces of satyrs or graceful girls, work tools, various symbols indicating the type of activity carried out by the person who lived there, the image of the owner of the house or, even something unimaginable today in times of rigorous privacy, symbols indicating the religious faith of the owner (Star of David).

The photos show some portals and balconies the S. Pietro, Mons. Saitta, Scafiti, Luca, Imbriani, Santi, Marsala streets and of the Corso Umberto

Some images were taken in the De Luca, Grisley, Cavallotti, Imbriani, San Pietro, Marsala, streets and the Corso Umberto.

 

           Translated by Sam Bella ITALIAN VERSION

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