Cappella di Maria Santissima della Soledad (Chapel of Soledad), Palermo

This little church, next to the police headquarters, on the east side of Vittoria square, is one of the hidden treasures of Palermo. St. Mary of Soledad was originally the chapel of the 16th-century Church of St. Demetrio, destroyed by the World War II bombings. Having suffered only partial damage, the chapel was reopened after a restoration in 1957. Its construction was started in 1590 during the Spanish Vice-regency of Count Alba de Liste. It was modified in 1610, and again in 1679 by the architect Giuseppe Marvuglia. The outside building is quite bare, apart from the elegant multicolored marble portal. On the contrary, the interiors are a fanciful collection of fine marble inlays, added in the 18th Century, the latest of them designed by Giuseppe Marvuglia. The opulent decoration also features busts, inscriptions and valuable paintings. On the main altar stands an ancient image of Holy Mary of Soledad, which inspires devotion even today. The chapel is Spanish territory and can by visited only by appointment.

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