Page 63 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Sicily

EAST P ALERMO  61

is adorned with lateral volutes
and bronze friezes, while the
18th-century high altar is made
of marble and decorated with
semi-precious stones.

o Oratorio del
Rosario di San
Domenico
Via dei Bambinai. Map 1 C2. Tel 091-
332 779. Open Apr–Oct: 9am–6pm
Mon–Fri, 9am–3pm Sat; Nov–Mar:
9am–3pm Mon–Sat. &
Behind San Lorenzo, in the
Vucciria market area, is the
Oratory of San Domenico,
founded at the end of the
16th century by the Society
of the Holy Rosary. Two Society
members were painter Pietro
Novelli and sculptor Giacomo
Serpotta, who left the marks
of their genius on this
elegant monument.
The black and white majolica
floors fit in well with the
tumult of figures of great ladies,
The Baroque façade of San Domenico knights and playful putti. These
form a kind of frame for the
(see p39), a lavish display of down part of the cloister to statues of Christian virtues by
Baroque decoration, its fusion enlarge the church. In 1724, Giacomo Serpotta and the
of putti volutes, statues, floral when Piazza San Domenico was paintings representing the
elements and festoons creating remodelled, the façade was mysteries of the Rosary. The
an amazing theatrical rebuilt and is now animated latter were executed by Pietro
atmosphere. The Battle by the fusion of curves on Novelli and Flemish artists,
of Lepanto sculpture the one hand, and jutting while the altarpiece, Madonna
group (see p39) is columns and statues, of the Rosary with St Dominic
spectacular. On the niches and twin and the Patronesses of Palermo,
sides of the tribune are bell towers on was painted by Van Dyck in
statues of Esther and the other. The 1628. In the middle of the
Judith, while the interior has a vault is Novelli’s Coronation
altarpiece is Carlo typical Latin of the Virgin.
Maratta’s Madonna of cross plan with
the Rosary (1695). two aisles and a
Along the walls are deep semicircular
seats with mother-of- dome. The total lack
pearl inlay; the floor is of decoration serves
made of red, white and Detail of stucco-work, to heighten the
black marble. Santa Cita elegance of the archi-
tecture. In contrast,
the chapels, used since the
i San Domenico 19th century as the burial place
for the city’s most illustrious
Piazza San Domenico. Map 1 C3.
Tel 338-722 87 75/451 20 11. personages, are quite richly
Open 9:30am–12:30pm Tue–Sat. 8 decorated. The third chapel
is the tomb of the Oneto di
This basilica, which belongs to Sperlinga family and has
the Dominican monastery, has multicoloured marble funerary
been rebuilt many times over monuments, a statue of
the past six centuries. The most St Joseph by Antonello Gagini,
drastic alteration was in 1640, and stucco- and putti-decorated Van Dyck’s fine canvas stands behind the
when Andrea Cirincione tore walls. The altar in the transept Oratorio del Rosario di San Domenico's altar

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