Church of San Bartolomeo in Ispica
The mother church of Ispica, consecrated to San Bartolomeo, rises on the Piazza dell'Unità d'Italia through a large and elegant double staircase. In refined Baroque style, it dominates the urban open space overlooked by various architectures ranging from Baroque to Art Nouveau to Rationalism.
It was rebuilt after the earthquake starting in 1750 and completed over the course of a century and a half.
The facade , divided into two orders, combines late Baroque elements with other neoclassical ones. The main bronze portal, the work of the Netino sculptor Pirrone, depicts episodes from the life of San Corrado Confalonieri. Above the portal is the symbol of the city of Ispica, i.e. the coat of arms of the noble Statella family who owned Spaccaforno, today's Ispica, until the 19th century.
The interior is divided into three naves by Tuscan-style pillars and is presented without decorations; this allows for a clear architectural legibility that highlights the elegant rhythm of the second-order windows, interspersed with lunettes.
The only work of some importance is a large-scale painting of Saint Bartholomew during his martyrdom.
