Located in the Baroque heart of Palazzolo Acreide, Sicily, the Basilica of St. Paolo is one of the most fascinating examples of late Sicilian Baroque. Built between 1720 and 1730 on the site of an older small church dedicated to Santa Sofia, the basilica came into being following the reconstruction of the entire town after the devastating earthquake of 1693, which affected much of the Val di Noto.
Its splendid facade, designed by the celebrated Netino architect Vincenzo Sinatra, represents one of the pinnacles of local Baroque architecture. Divided into three superimposed orders, it is decorated with Corinthian columns, elegant arches and statues of apostles. In the center, a scenic staircase with two flights of different widths stands out, leading to the pronaos adorned with rich symbolism: on the key of the arch of the right side door is the symbol of St. Peter, while on the left one appears the emblem of St. Paul.
The central bronze door is embellished with eight bas-reliefs depicting episodes from the saint’s life. The second order of the facade houses a statue of the blessing Christ in the center, flanked by two seraphim, while the statues of the apostles are also repeated in the third order, culminating in the bell tower. At the top, the symbolic spire features a statue twisted by a serpent, surrounded by three royal crowns: a powerful symbol associated with the apostle Paul.
The interior of the basilica has three naves, with a richly decorated vault. In the central apse are four polychrome twisted columns framing the pictorial masterpiece of the Conversion of St. Paul, attributed to Giuseppe Crestadoro. Behind the painting, in a niche, is a statue of St. Paul, made in 1507 by Vincenzo Lorefice of Ragusa and later restored.
In the right apse, called the Chapel of the Sacrament, a 17th-century wooden altar and two oval paintings, also by Crestadoro, can be seen. To the left, the Chapel of Our Lady of the Rosary and St. Domenica holds statues of the two eponymous saints, along with two copies of Caravaggio’s Conversion of St. Paul, made by the Palazzolo Acreide High School of Art. The aisles house numerous other canvases by Crestadoro, except for a painting of St. Gaetano da Thiene, by an unknown author.
Completing the rich artistic patrimony is the sacristy, which houses four imposing sculpted cassarizzi from 1778, works by Giovanni Torrisi of Catania and Gaetano Rametta of Syracuse, as well as two chests and four doors surmounted by elegant canvases.
Dedicated to the patron saint of Palazzolo Acreide since 1688 (official confirmation in 1690), the Basilica of St. Paul is not only a place of worship but also an artistic and identity treasure of southeastern Sicily, included in the Val di Noto UNESCO Heritage circuit.