chiesa S. Agata alla Guilla - Palermo

According to tradition, the church stands on the remains of the Roman villa where Saint Agatha lived.

The church was built between the 12th and 13th centuries. The current appearance of the building is mainly due to the restoration carried out in the 16th century . In 1685 , a conservatory was built next to the church , dedicated to the "repentant maddalene" , or women forced into prostitution.

The church later fell into a state of abandonment. The altarpieces, the altars themselves and part of the decorations were completely stolen, with the exception of a fresco depicting Mary, linked to a legend according to which a mad man, armed with a dagger, pierced the image in several places, from which then blood began to flow.

In 1995 a static restoration of the building was carried out. However, the state of neglect continued, so much so that in March 2014 a marijuana plantation was even discovered in the monastery attached to the church.

Among the furnishings is a documented "Stoup", a work by Vincenzo Gagini created in 1591.

The exterior of the building is in Catalan Gothic style and has flat pilasters that accentuate the volumes. The sober facade is enriched by the Gaginesque portal . The two bell towers date from the 17th century.

The interior once consisted of three naves, but was reduced to one nave in the 19th century. The internal decoration is made of stucco and imitation gold, according to the stylistic precepts of the late Baroque. The furniture and works of art were transferred to the Diocesan Museum of Palermo and the Church of Santa Rosalia and the Quattro Santi Coronati al Capo.

Willem Vandenameele