Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: 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. - 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. - 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

Bari was an early settlement and passed under Roman rule in the 3rd century BC. It developed strategic significance as the point of junction between the coast road and the Via Traiana and as a port for eastward trade. The first bishop of Bari was Gervasius who is known from the Council of Sardica in 347. After the decline of the Roman Empire, the town was devasted and taken by Alaric´s Visigothic troops, then was under Lombardian rule, before the Byzantines took over. In 755 it was conquered by Pepin the Short (Charlemagne´s father) and from 847 on it was an Islamic Emirate. The Byzantine fleet returned in 871 and since 885 Bari was the residence of the local Byzantine governor. Following a three-year siege, Bari was captured by Robert Guiscard in 1071. After the relics of Saint Nicholas, which were brought from Myra in Lycia, arrived in Bari, the Basilica di San Nicola was founded in 1087. This attracted pilgrims, whose encouragement and care became central to the economy of Bari. After the murder of archbishop Griso in 1117 a civil war broke our and the control was seized by Grimoald Alferanites, a native Lombard, in opposition to the Normans. He later did homage to Roger II of Sicily, but rebelled and was defeated in 1132. The Castello Normanno-Svevo (aka "Castello di Bari") was probably built around 1132 by Norman King Roger II. When in 1155 the Baresi rebelled against the Normans, the castle got destroyed, so as a retaliatory action, William I of Sicily (aka "William the Wicked") had the city destroyed except for the cathedral and the Basilica of St. Nicola. Bari recovered and had its heydays under Frederick II. When he returned from his crusade after 1229, the city gates were locked so he had to use force to gain entry. Therefore, he probably had the fort built in 1233 to keep the city in check. On the other hand, he granted the city generous trade privileges and left it the leading role in the region. The macabre skeletal symbols on the door are meant to reinforce the concept of purgatory. Santa Maria del Suffragio (aka "Chiesa del Purgatorio") church dates from the 17th century, when the "Memento Mori" cult was very widespread. I have already uploaded many photos I took in Bari during previous visits, so I will only upload a few. If you want to see more, click here: www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/album/1333318

Trani may have been founded by Greek settlers, but the known history starts late. After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, it was dominated by Lombards, Byzantines, Saracens and again Byzantines. With the conquest of southern Italy by the Normans and after 50 days of siege by Robert Guiscard´s troops, Trani became part of the Norman Empire in 1073. Already under the Byzantines, Trani had become an important port for trade with the Orient. The heyday was in the time of the crusades in the 12th and 13th centuries, when crusaders and merchants mainly went to the Holy Land from Bari and Trani. It became an episcopal see in place of Canosa, destroyed by the Saracens. Frederick II promoted the Teutonic Knights and the Jewish community and built a massive castle. Under his rule, the city reached its highest point of wealth and prosperity. The "Chiesa di Ognissanti" (= All Saints) was probably founded in the 12th and completed in the 13th century. It is located next to the harbour, from where many crusaders sailed off to the Holy Land. The tradition links the church to the Templar Order, but following the documents, it is more likely that it was the church of the merchant colony of Ravello. It may well have been a place of blessing for the crusaders. The church became the property of the bishop of Conversano and in 1479 was donated to the Lambertini family, that originated from, Ravello. Since the 19th century, the church is as well known as "Chiesa del Purgatorio". It became the seat of several Confraternities. It served the parish up to 1975 and became the seat of the Secular Franciscan Order in the 1980s. In 2019 there was a sign that it is now "Sito ufficiale dei Templari Cattolici d´Italia". . The church is only open for two days in the evening, but I was lucky and the custodian, dressed like a Knight Templar, unlocked the doors. As the small church had, like so many Romanesque churches in Apulia, a Baroque interior for a while, some of the capitals are chiselled off, as then the Baroque stucco had a better hold then.

Trani may have been founded by Greek settlers, but the known history starts late. After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, it was dominated by Lombards, Byzantines, Saracens and again Byzantines. With the conquest of southern Italy by the Normans and after 50 days of siege by Robert Guiscard´s troops, Trani became part of the Norman Empire in 1073. Already under the Byzantines, Trani had become an important port for trade with the Orient. The heyday was in the time of the crusades in the 12th and 13th centuries, when crusaders and merchants mainly went to the Holy Land from Bari and Trani. It became an episcopal see in place of Canosa, destroyed by the Saracens. Frederick II promoted the Teutonic Knights and the Jewish community and built a massive castle. Under his rule, the city reached its highest point of wealth and prosperity. The "Chiesa di Ognissanti" (= All Saints) was probably founded in the 12th and completed in the 13th century. It is located next to the harbour, from where many crusaders sailed off to the Holy Land. The tradition links the church to the Templar Order, but following the documents, it is more likely that it was the church of the merchant colony of Ravello. It may well have been a place of blessing for the crusaders. The church became the property of the bishop of Conversano and in 1479 was donated to the Lambertini family, that originated from, Ravello. Since the 19th century, the church is as well known as "Chiesa del Purgatorio". It became the seat of several Confraternities. It served the parish up to 1975 and became the seat of the Secular Franciscan Order in the 1980s. In 2019 there was a sign that it is now "Sito ufficiale dei Templari Cattolici d´Italia". . The church is only open for two days in the evening, but I was lucky. One of the two capitals, that flank the entrance. Guardian Angels with large wings. The evil is being killed.

Trani may have been founded by Greek settlers, but the known history starts late. After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, it was dominated by Lombards, Byzantines, Saracens and again Byzantines. With the conquest of southern Italy by the Normans and after 50 days of siege by Robert Guiscard´s troops, Trani became part of the Norman Empire in 1073. Already under the Byzantines, Trani had become an important port for trade with the Orient. The heyday was in the time of the crusades in the 12th and 13th centuries, when crusaders and merchants mainly went to the Holy Land from Bari and Trani. It became an episcopal see in place of Canosa, destroyed by the Saracens. Frederick II promoted the Teutonic Knights and the Jewish community and built a massive castle. Under his rule, the city reached its highest point of wealth and prosperity. The "Chiesa di Ognissanti" (= All Saints) was probably founded in the 12th and completed in the 13th century. It is located next to the harbour, from where many crusaders sailed off to the Holy Land. The tradition links the church to the Templar Order, but following the documents, it is more likely that it was the church of the merchant colony of Ravello. It may well have been a place of blessing for the crusaders. The church became the property of the bishop of Conversano and in 1479 was donated to the Lambertini family, that originated from, Ravello. Since the 19th century, the church is as well known as "Chiesa del Purgatorio". It became the seat of several Confraternities. It served the parish up to 1975 and became the seat of the Secular Franciscan Order in the 1980s. In 2019 there was a sign that it is now "Sito ufficiale dei Templari Cattolici d´Italia". . The church is only open for two days in the evening, but I was lucky. The central portal. The annunciation is seen in the tympanum.

Trani may have been founded by Greek settlers, but the known history starts late. After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, it was dominated by Lombards, Byzantines, Saracens and again Byzantines. With the conquest of southern Italy by the Normans and after 50 days of siege by Robert Guiscard´s troops, Trani became part of the Norman Empire in 1073. Already under the Byzantines, Trani had become an important port for trade with the Orient. The heyday was in the time of the crusades in the 12th and 13th centuries, when crusaders and merchants mainly went to the Holy Land from Bari and Trani. It became an episcopal see in place of Canosa, destroyed by the Saracens. Frederick II promoted the Teutonic Knights and the Jewish community and built a massive castle. Under his rule, the city reached its highest point of wealth and prosperity. The "Chiesa di Ognissanti" (= All Saints) was probably founded in the 12th and completed in the 13th century. It is located next to the harbour, from where many crusaders sailed off to the Holy Land. The tradition links the church to the Templar Order, but following the documents, it is more likely that it was the church of the merchant colony of Ravello. It may well have been a place of blessing for the crusaders. The church became the property of the bishop of Conversano and in 1479 was donated to the Lambertini family, that originated from, Ravello. Since the 19th century, the church is as well known as "Chiesa del Purgatorio". It became the seat of several Confraternities. It served the parish up to 1975 and became the seat of the Secular Franciscan Order in the 1980s. In 2019 there was a sign that it is now "Sito ufficiale dei Templari Cattolici d´Italia". . The front opens to a small narthex.

Trani may have been founded by Greek settlers, but the known history starts late. After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, it was dominated by Lombards, Byzantines, Saracens and again Byzantines. With the conquest of southern Italy by the Normans and after 50 days of siege by Robert Guiscard´s troops, Trani became part of the Norman Empire in 1073. Already under the Byzantines, Trani had become an important port for trade with the Orient. The heyday was in the time of the crusades in the 12th and 13th centuries, when crusaders and merchants mainly went to the Holy Land from Bari and Trani. It became an episcopal see in place of Canosa, destroyed by the Saracens. Frederick II promoted the Teutonic Knights and the Jewish community and built a massive castle. Under his rule, the city reached its highest point of wealth and prosperity. The "Chiesa di Ognissanti" (= All Saints) was probably founded in the 12th and completed in the 13th century. It is located next to the harbour, from where many crusaders sailed off to the Holy Land. The tradition links the church to the Templar Order, but following the documents, it is more likely that it was the church of the merchant colony of Ravello. It may well have been a place of blessing for the crusaders. The church became the property of the bishop of Conversano and in 1479 was donated to the Lambertini family, that originated from, Ravello. Since the 19th century, the church is as well known as "Chiesa del Purgatorio". It became the seat of several Confraternities. It served the parish up to 1975 and became the seat of the Secular Franciscan Order in the 1980s. In 2019 there was a sign that it is now "Sito ufficiale dei Templari Cattolici d´Italia". . The rear of the church facing the sea with three small protruding semicircular apses is very extraordinary, while the front (seen here) is not spectacular.

Trani may have been founded by Greek settlers, but the known history starts late. After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, it was dominated by Lombards, Byzantines, Saracens and again Byzantines. With the conquest of southern Italy by the Normans and after 50 days of siege by Robert Guiscard´s troops, Trani became part of the Norman Empire in 1073. Already under the Byzantines, Trani had become an important port for trade with the Orient. The heyday was in the time of the crusades in the 12th and 13th centuries, when crusaders and merchants mainly went to the Holy Land from Bari and Trani. It became an episcopal see in place of Canosa, destroyed by the Saracens. Frederick II promoted the Teutonic Knights and the Jewish community and built a massive castle. Under his rule, the city reached its highest point of wealth and prosperity. The "Chiesa di Ognissanti" (= All Saints) was probably founded in the 12th and completed in the 13th century. It is located next to the harbour, from where many crusaders sailed off to the Holy Land. The tradition links the church to the Templar Order, but following the documents, it is more likely that it was the church of the merchant colony of Ravello. It may well have been a place of blessing for the crusaders. The church became the property of the bishop of Conversano and in 1479 was donated to the Lambertini family, that originated from, Ravello. Since the 19th century, the church is as well known as "Chiesa del Purgatorio". It became the seat of several Confraternities. It served the parish up to 1975 and became the seat of the Secular Franciscan Order in the 1980s. In 2019 there was a sign that it is now "Sito ufficiale dei Templari Cattolici d´Italia". . The rear of the church facing the sea with three small protruding semicircular apses is very extraordinary. Here is the window of the central apse. Here are different kinds of stones carved in different styles and techniques. Seen on top is Samson tearing the lion apart.

Trani may have been founded by Greek settlers, but the known history starts late. After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, it was dominated by Lombards, Byzantines, Saracens and again Byzantines. With the conquest of southern Italy by the Normans and after 50 days of siege by Robert Guiscard´s troops, Trani became part of the Norman Empire in 1073. Already under the Byzantines, Trani had become an important port for trade with the Orient. The heyday was in the time of the crusades in the 12th and 13th centuries, when crusaders and merchants mainly went to the Holy Land from Bari and Trani. It became an episcopal see in place of Canosa, destroyed by the Saracens. Frederick II promoted the Teutonic Knights and the Jewish community and built a massive castle. Under his rule, the city reached its highest point of wealth and prosperity. The "Chiesa di Ognissanti" (= All Saints) was probably founded in the 12th and completed in the 13th century. It is located next to the harbour, from where many crusaders sailed off to the Holy Land. The tradition links the church to the Templar Order, but following the documents, it is more likely that it was the church of the merchant colony of Ravello. It may well have been a place of blessing for the crusaders. The church became the property of the bishop of Conversano and in 1479 was donated to the Lambertini family, that originated from, Ravello. Since the 19th century, the church is as well known as "Chiesa del Purgatorio". It became the seat of several Confraternities. It served the parish up to 1975 and became the seat of the Secular Franciscan Order in the 1980s. In 2019 there was a sign that it is now "Sito ufficiale dei Templari Cattolici d´Italia". . The rear of the church facing the sea with three small protruding semicircular apses is very extraordinary.

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 the 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. - The Baroque "Chiesa del Purgatorio" (aka "San Lorenzo"), located at the "Piazza del Purgatorio" , is meanwhile used for cultural events.