Church of San Francesco Saverio, Palermo

The Church of San Francesco Saverio is a baroque gem in the historical quarter of Albergheria. The building was started in 1684 for the Jesuit Order, by architect Angelo Italia, and went on for a long time, the bell tower on the left never to be completed. The disciplined fantasy of the design was influenced by Borromini’s Roman baroque. On the outside the church is livened by protruding white pillars on sandstone and by the beautiful 18th-century baroque portal with spiral columns and a medallion enclosing the bust of San Saverio. The Greek cross is enriched by four chapels with their little domes surrounding the impressive green central dome. The inner space is brightened by several windows and by the use of several kinds of colored marbles. The chapels preserve some remarkable pieces of art, such as a 16th-century wooden crucifix, a fine 18th-century crucifix and a beautiful reliquary. The fine main altar was executed using a design by M. Garsia.

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