Church of San Vincenzo Ferreri in Ragusa
The Church of San Vincenzo Ferreri in Ragusa Ibla , also known as the Church of the Madonna del Santissimo Rosario, is located at the entrance to the Iblei Gardens.
It was founded in 1509 by the Dominican friars. A convent was built at the same time as annexed to the church and no longer exists today. The church and the convent underwent serious transformations in the twentieth century. In the 1920s a large part of the oratory was demolished for the creation of the avenue inside the gardens, while between the 1950s and 1960s the convent was demolished to make room for a high school. These interventions led to the total abandonment of the church which also led to the collapse of the roof. In 2004 the restoration works of the church were approved during which the school built in the 1950s was demolished, giving light to the northern part of the church and allowing the implementation of some structural consolidations.
The facade in limestone blocks it has a very simple aspect: rectangular in shape, it is bordered on both sides by Corinthian pilasters. Above them there is a projecting frame mutilated on the left end in the 1950s to make room for the school; the frame is in turn surmounted by a balustrade. The portal is decorated with two Corinthian half-columns supporting a broken pediment with a lowered arch. Above the portal there is a window surmounted by a small cornice.
The two prominent elements of the facade are: the bell tower, supported by a sturdy base, formed by a bell cell with four lights and with a cusp characterized by colored tiles forming zigzag motifs; a large sundial usually lit in the afternoon due to its western exposure. The dial has Italic hours, shown in black, while the line of the equinoxes and the Gemini / Leo line are also shown in red.
The interior of the church has a single nave ending in a semicircular apse. The walls are embellished with twisted columns with leaf motifs and claw-bearing cherubs. On the wall above one of the side altars it is possible to admire a fresco depicting an urban landscape.
. The church is deconsecrated and is used as a public auditorium.
