Church of San Giovanni Battista in Monterosso Almo
The Church of San Giovanni Battista in Monterosso Almo, dedicated to the patron saint of the city, is a splendid example of Sicilian Baroque.
The date of construction of the original structure of the church is not known, it is assumed that go back to the period of the Norman domination in Sicily as in that period the cult of San Giovanni Battista spread in the territory. On the basis of the few documents received today, the construction of the first church dedicated to San Giovanni Battista may have been completed in 1265. It is certain that the church already existed in the 16th century, and probably also in the 15th century.
This church was one of the few buildings to withstand the earthquake of 1693, which destroyed much of eastern Sicily and the Val di Noto, the church of Sant'Antonio and the mother church of Monterosso Almo. The structures of the old building of the church of San Giovanni Battista, which resisted the earthquake, were incorporated into the new ones. These works have led to the construction of what can be defined as the "second church of San Giovanni Battista".
A particularity of the church of San Giovanni Battista is that its facade has been oriented to the east with extreme precision so that on 24 June, day of the nativity of San Giovanni Battista, at dawn the sun enters through the window to illuminate the Simulacrum of the Patron Saint of Monterosso Almo.
The facade, in typical Sicilian Baroque style, is divided into three orders where three orders of columns stand out surmounted by Ionic capitals and statues that greatly embellish the building. On the first order there are three entrance portals, the central one has valuable engravings and high reliefs.
The interior is divided into three naves, separated by several columns that make up arches.
Various works of art are kept. inside the church. The Maltese Cross, which is a sign of the belonging of the Church of San Giovanni Battista to the Commenda of the Order of the Knights of Malta, and the statue of Santa Maria dei Pericoli, dating back to 1741, by the master Carmelo Cultraro of Ragusa, stand out.
