top of page
Writer's picture@ visitpiana.com

Discover Piana degli Albanesi. The Cathedral of St. Demetrio Megalomartire.


Cattedrale_san_demetrio
Cattedrale di San Demetrio - Esterni

It is accessed via a late Baroque style staircase. The façade shows two mosaics of the Monreale school of 1960 depicting Christ on the throne flanked by the figures of St. George and St. Demetrius. The building has three naves, separated by two rows of seven marble columns. An imposing wooden iconostasis covers the three apses. The main apse, initially facing east according to the Byzantine canon, was relocated towards the west in the 1500s reconstruction. Between 1641 and 1644 Pietro Novelli painted the frescoes in the apses. In the central one the Exaltation of the Trinity is represented, in the right one Christ ascending to heaven. In the left aisle there is a large oil painting on canvas (D'Antoni A., 1845) depicting St. Nicholas giving his goods to the poor. The oldest work of greatest artistic importance is the Icon of Christ with Mary from the Sienese school of 1500, the only one painted with egg tempera. On the right wall, with respect to the main entrance, is the tomb of Father G. Guzzetta, one of the most illustrious men of Piana. Following new restorations (1960) the choir was transformed and enlarged and the barrel vault of the central nave replaced with a coffered roof with gold decorations. The signs of two styles are evident in the church: a western one, represented by the frescoes by Novelli and by various paintings on canvas; the other oriental, attested by the iconostasis and the icons placed in the side aisles. Recently the cathedral has been embellished with new frescoes.



Cattedrale_san_demetrio
Cattedrale di San Demetrio - Interni Foto di Alessandro Ferrantelli

Cattedrale_san_demetrio
Cattedrale di San Demetrio - Interni ante 1960 ©️ diritti riservati

©️ visitpiana.com

all rigts reserved

댓글


LEGAL NOTICES

This site and its blog do not represent a newspaper as they are updated without any periodicity. It cannot therefore be considered an editorial product pursuant to law no. 62 of 7.03.2001. The visitpiana.com site aims to promote the cultural and territorial heritage of Piana degli Albanesi. Many published images, which are not among those of our property, come from the shared heritage of Sicily's fans online. This website is not for profit, anyone who sees a possible violation of copyright can report it here and we will promptly remove the specific content.