It was built in 1560 by the canons of the Cathedral, under Cardinal Archbishop Alessandro Farnese, and was handed over to the Carmelites in 1561. At the same time, a convent was built in the garden of the Court, which was enlarged under Archbishop Torres. A rectangular cloister was built in 1613 under Archbishop Arcangelo Gualtieri. It was later destroyed in the early 1900s. After the suppression (1866), the convent and church became state property and the municipality sold part of the convent, garden and other private premises. After a few years, the church was opened for worship under the name Madonna del Carmine. Some work was carried out to secure the church in the 1960s, thanks to funding from the Region of Sicily. A system of deep poles was built around the structure.
The layout is square, with three naves and seven altars. The main nave is higher than the side aisles. Eight arches, four on each side, give access to the side aisles and the chapels within them. In the presbytery, the large canvas on the altar depicting Our Lady of Mount Carmel with Child stands out. The entrance door is surmounted by a chancel with a parapet. The church has a rectangular floor plan with three naves and a rectangular presbytery. The nave is separated from the raised presbytery by a large arch.
The main façade, finished in plaster, is framed by pilasters that highlight the structural parts of the building. In the centre, the entrance gate, with pilasters surmounted by a tympanum, is in axis with the bell tower. The bell tower consists of three large bells and a small one.
The large canvas on the altar of the Carmelite church presents a very original depiction of Our Lady of Mount Carmel with Child. It is a work created in 1600 by Pietro Antonio Novelli.
Source: Pro Loco
