Chiesa Di Santa Maria Dell'itria - Palermo

The Church of Santa Maria dell'Itria, better known as La Pinta because of its decorative painting cycle

The first church was founded in the 6th century by the Byzantine general Belisario, named Santa Maria dell'Annunciata della Pinta. It was a place of worship from Byzantine times.

Reconstruction took place in 1390 and in 1583 the sacred performance The Creation of the World or the Incarnation of the Word , written by the monk Teofilo Folengo, was published, which was also called the Act of the Pinta .

In 1648, on the orders of Cardinal Teodoro Trivulzio, this old church, together with the church of Santa Barbara la Soprana and the church of San Giovanni la Calca , was demolished to make way for two large bastions ("Porta di Castro") for the defense of the Royal Palace.

Since then, the archconfraternity of the Pinta, which had its residence in that place, moved to the new church of Santa Maria dell'Itria, which was thus called della Pinta, and also transferred its title, mission and nickname to the square where it was located is.

Willem Vandenameele