Caccamo Cathedral (Italian - ''duomo di San Giorgio Martire'', ''matrice di Caccamo'' or ''Cattedrale di Caccamo'') is the main church in the Italian city of Caccamo in Sicily. The largest church in the city, it belongs to the

Archdiocese of Palermo The Roman Catholic Metropolitan Archdiocese of Palermo ( la, Archidioecesis Panormitana) was founded as the Diocese of Palermo in the first century and raised to the status of archdiocese in the 11th century.George the Martyr Saint George (Greek: Γεώργιος (Geórgios), Latin: Georgius, Arabic: القديس جرجس; died 23 April 303), also George of Lydda, was a Christian who is venerated as a saint in Christianity. According to tradition he was a soldie ...

originated with the Normans and was in memory of their victory over the Saracens near Cerami in 1090..

History

According to popular tradition the city's first duomo was the church of Sant'Anna e Santa Venera, now destroyed, on the margins of the ancient 'Terravecchia' quarter just outside Caccamo Castle. Around 1094 the first mother church was built, which seems to have been a small chapel for the Norman royal court - it is recorded on a stone inscription now inside the present building. The first church dedicated to Saint George was on the same site, funded by the Chiaramonte family. Between 1477 and 1480 it was extended and enriched with several artworks, expressions of the Sicilian Renaissance, thanks to the generosity of the

Enríquez Enriquez is a Spanish patronymic surname meaning "son of Enrique" and a common surname in Spain and Latin America.Agostino Inveges, the most authoritative historical source, the church remained small even after this expansion. In 1606 the jurors, the Enríquez and Amato families and canon Paolo Muscia decided to build a new larger mother church to meet the city's now-expanded population. A design from commissioned from the Termitan architect

Vincenzo La Barbera Vincenzo La Barbera (c. 1577 – 1642) was an Italian Mannerism, Mannerist architect and painter. Biography The son of Pietro and Domenica de Michele, his family were of Ligurian descent. The artist was born in Termini Imerese, to which his g ...

. In

1614 Events January–June * February – King James I of England condemns duels, in his proclamation ''Against Private Challenges and Combats''. * April 5 – Pocahontas is forced into child marriage with English colonist John Rolfe in Ja ...

the church was rebuilt in the Sicilian Baroque style, funded by donations from the city's merchants. All the artworks from the previous building were placed in the new one, which now also houses subsequent commissions and artworks from other abandoned or destroyed churches.

Exterior

Interior

South aisle

North aisle

Transepts

South

North

Apse and chancel

Sacristy

Gallery

File:Caccamo - San Giorgio Martire 0180.JPG, High relief by Gaspare Guercio from the facade, showing Saint George File:90012 Caccamo PA, Italy - panoramio (9).jpg, The complex File:Caccamo - San Giorgio Martire 0177.JPG, The 'colonna della gogna' File:Caccamo - San Giorgio Martire 0205.JPG, Bell-tower and exterior of the dome File:Caccamo - San Giorgio Martire 0296.JPG, Interior of the dome File:Caccamo - San Giorgio Martire 0293.JPG, North aisle File:Caccamo - San Giorgio Martire 0295.JPG, Ceiling frescoes File:Caccamo - San Giorgio Martire 0294.JPG, Central aisle File:Miracolo di Sant'Isidoro Agricola - Stomer.jpg, Matthias Stomer, ''Miracle of Saint Isidore Agricola'', 1641, in the sacristy

References

Bibliography

{{coord, 37.93093, 13.66048, format=dms, type:landmark_region:IT, display=title Roman Catholic churches completed in 1616 Churches in the metropolitan city of Palermo 17th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in Italy 1616 establishments in Italy Caccamo