Church of Saint Michael 'del Ritiro'

Keeper of hidden treasures

The Church of S. Michele Arcangelo, commonly known as "del Ritiro" - one of the most interesting city buildings due to its original construction and profusion of art objects - stands on the bottom of a small square. Raised in the Norman era, together with the adjoining monastic complex called the Abbey of St. Michael the Archangel (which for many years had been sold to private owners), it was restored and remodeled several times, notably due to the ruinous movements determined by earthquakes, especially that of 1638 which it brought serious damage to the factory. Restored again in 1715 due to the passionate interest of the priest Saverio Puqliese, it had the denomination that it still maintains from the Augustinian Fathers who occupied it, and later still that of "Congregation of the Missionary Fathers". The Filipinos, who made an oratory of their own, used for a long time the annexed buildings as an institute of education and education for young people, in which they also provided for their maintenance and accommodation. The beautiful 18th century FACADE is nowadays at the end of a short stairway with a portal in light stone decorated in relief with motifs consisting of large and jagged plant forms and in the shape of a spiral and with profuse overlapping cornices, grafted onto a forepart supported by the masonry mass and finished at the top with the molded cymatium with three very elaborate lytic pine cones. In the fastigium, a sail wall, flanked by two pillars with small carved stone cones on top, acts as a bell tower. The intelligent arrangement of the materials, the careful execution of the carving works due to the expertise of the Belmonte, the play of lights and shadows, the movement of volumes and shapes create a vigorous plastic and chiaroscuro effect in the forehead, for the rest devoid of other decorative elements.