Chiesa di Santa Maria di Monte Oliveto - Palermo

The Church of the Madonna di Monte Oliveto, also known as Badia Nuova , is located a few steps from Palermo Cathedral.

The church was built in the seventeenth century according to a design by the architect Mariano Smeriglio, who personally monitored the construction work and also adapted the remains of the adjacent old archiepiscopal residence .

On the outer facade you can admire the large portal composed of two gray marble columns with Ionic capitals, surmounted by a curved and broken tympanum housing a crowned coat of arms. The Franciscan coat of arms shows two arms crossed around the cross: that of Christ naked and the other of Saint Francis covered in the habit intended to represent conformity with the teachings of Christ.
Above this is a niche containing the statue of the Madonna di Monte Oliveto.

However, the single-nave interior is home to valuable works of art by Pietro Novelli, Gioacchino Martorana, Giuseppe Patania and Filippo Tancredi, as well as some beautiful stucco works by Giacomo Serpotta and the lesser-known brother Giuseppe.

The sacristy , also known as the chapel of the Spatafora sisters, a room with frescoes by Filippo Tancredi (coronation of Mary and eight other scenes in the sails) presents an altar in mixed marble with twisted columns, a true triumph of putti, curls , volutes on a background of floral and animal inlays.

willem vandenameele