The Church of Santa Maria della Catene in Palermo, 2005

No church is quite as evocative as Catena at sunset. The setting sun throws dramatic golds and ruby reds on its ancient facade. Situated in the old harbor district, called the cala, this Gothic-Catalan church with Renaissance elements dates back to the 15th century. The name catena, meaning "chain," comes from the long chain that was used to close the old port at night and that was attached to the church's outer wall.

The front of the church is elevated on a high flight of steps, with a spacious portico and a trio of arches. With its twin corner pilasters, this three-arched porch marries the Gothic with the Renaissance in its architectural style. Beneath the portico is a bas-relief trio of portals by Vincenzo Gagini, of the most famous artistic family in Sicily.

The interior of the church is a work of beauty. A Gagini portal on the left side is graced with columns and single mullioned windows. A nave cuts through the interior with two side aisles separated by skinny Renaissance pillars.

A 14th-century Madonna and Child was discovered here in the 1980s. This work of art lies in the chapel on the right inside a 16th-century baldacchino (stone canopy). Wander through the east end with its elaborate Gothic decorative elements and double columns, and even a Roman sarcophagus. At the altar, symbolic chains represent the ancient port.

Text from Frommers: www.frommers.com/destinations/palermo/A32334.html