Church of Santa Maria degli Angeli - Palermo

The Church of Santa Maria degli Angeli, also called the Church of Gancia , is best known for its wooden ceiling . It was built next to the monastery of the same name.

The church dates from 1490, but was extensively renovated in 1672. Fully in keeping with the still Hispanizing Gothic taste are the entrance portal of the monastery and the two portals of the church building : the central portal with an arch in the middle, built in 1530, and the side portal with a polycentric arch, set in typical cornices , closed at the top with a decorated spire.

The current decorative appearance of the interior is the result of complex work starting from the 17th century, which completely changed the appearance of the church several times. The single-nave layout with sixteen side chapels was retained, as was the 16th-century coffered ceiling.

The decoration is striking, characterized by Serpotta stuccowork , paintings and remarkable frescoes. The monastery, accessible through the portal on the right side of the church, houses the state archives. A beautiful Oratory opens onto the courtyard, whose walls and vaulted ceiling were decorated in the 17th century with beautiful stuccowork with a rich repertoire of plant elements, high relief figures and paintings of good hand, framed by gilded stuccowork.

Willem Vandenameele