Marsala - Chiesa del Purgatorio

Sicily, the largest Mediterranean island, has a long history, that starts around 8000 BC, but later there were Phoenician, Carthaginian, Greek, and Roman periods. After the Roman Empire had fallen apart the Vandals tried to take over the island but failed. Finally, the Ostrogoths took possession.
Mid of the 6th century Sicily was conquered by troops of the Byzantine Empire. After the advent of Islam, Sicily got attacked by Arab forces. Raids seeking loot continued until the mid-8th century.

A Muslim army was sent to the island in 827 but met with much resistance. So it took a century to conquer it and even later revolts constantly occurred

In 1038 the Byzantines invaded the island supported by Norman mercenaries, led by Roger. In 1072, after the siege of Palermo, most of Sicily was under Norman control. Roger´s son Roger II raised the status of the island to a kingdom in 1130. During this period, the Kingdom of Sicily was prosperous and powerful.

The court of Roger II became melting out of culture from Europe and the Middle East. This attracted scholars, scientists, artists, and artisans. Muslims, Jews, Greeks, Lombards, and Normans cooperated and created some extraordinary buildings.

In 1186 the last descendant of Roger, Constance of Sicily married Emperor Henry VI, the second son of Barbarossa. So the crown of Sicily was passed on to the Hohenstaufen Dynasty. Frederick II, the only son of Constance, was crowned King of Sicily at the age of four in 1198. He became "Stupor Mundi", one of the greatest and most cultured men of the Middle Ages.

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Marsala was founded in 397 BC. founded. Founded by the Carthaginians under the name of Lilybaion. It was considered impregnable and was besieged several times without success. It was the last Carthaginian base in Sicily at the end of the Punic Wars.

Since the end of the Western Roman Empire, the fortress lost importance and fell into the hands of the Arabs in 827, who rebuilt it. It was the first city in Italy to come under Islamic rule.

The town was also promoted under Norman rule. In the middle of the 16th century, after unsuccessful battles against barbarian corsairs from Algeria, the port was filled in and the city lost its supremacy to Trapani.

In 1773 the Englishman John Woodhouse founded a wine production in Marsala. By 1814 there were already four major British wineries and the city was thriving again. Today Marsala is the center of viticulture in western Sicily. This is where the Marsala wine comes from.

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The church faces Piazza del Purgatorio. The church stands on the same site as the former Church of Santi Fabiano and Sebastiano. Enlarged after a plague, the building houses the Congregazione delle Anime del Purgatorio (Congregation of Souls of Purgatory) in 1601, from which it takes its name.

Completely remodeled in 1669 and completed in 1710. The façade, composed of columns decorated with garlands of fruit, entablatures, and cornices is Baroque in inspiration. It does not have the grim "memento mori" decor, most of the other "Purgatorio churches" have.

I have already uploaded a lot of photos previously taken in Sicily. Now I will add only a few. If you want to see more, follow this link:

www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/album/1238300