Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Ragusa
The Cathedral of San Giovanni Battista in Ragusa is one of the most important monuments of Sicilian Baroque and was included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site .
before the earthquake of 1693, it was born in the historic center of Ragusa, even lower than the medieval castle where the Church of Sant'Agnese currently stands.
It was built following the 1693 earthquake that destroyed the ancient cathedral. Compared to the original building, it was rebuilt in a more central position. Over the years, the building has undergone various alterations and extensions.
The facade is divided into five parts by large columns and characteristic ashlar pilasters that are also repeated on the sides of the building. In the central part there is the entrance portal, flanked by two pairs of richly sculpted columns, which support a broken tympanum; on the sides the statues of San Giovanni Battista and San Giovanni Evangelista and, in the center, in a shrine, the statue of the Immaculate Conception. In the second order two large sundials dated 1751 stand out, the one on the left measures time in "Italic hours": from sunset to sunset; the one on the right in "French hours": from midnight to midnight. On the left side of the façade stands the bell tower which rises for about fifty meters. On the right side the bell tower remained unfinished, only the base was built.
The interior of the Church is divided into three naves, on the sides of which various works of art are exhibited, including paintings and statues, and some small chapels.
Among the works kept in the church, of value are: a statue sculpted by Carmelo Licitra; the painting of the Immaculate Conception by Dario Guerci; The Three Marys and Christ at the Column by Francesco Manno.
