Church of San Nicolò in Randazzo
Church of San Nicola , also known as the church of San Nicolò, located in the Greek quarter of Randazzo, is the largest of the churches in the town.
It was built in the 13th century, but has undergone various alterations over the centuries, most recently the one that occurred following the extensive damage to the structure due to the Anglo-American bombings. For this reason, the building today shows characteristic elements of different architectural styles. Of the ancient Norman structure remain the polygonal apses with hanging arches and the battlements, which are influenced by an artistic trend coming from France, giving them the appearance of fortress towers.
The facade was designed by the great Messinese architect Andrea Calamech, it is an imposing facade with classical elements in the Baroque style. On the central door the coat of arms with the Easter Lamb and in this regard the municipal historians affirm that, in ancient times, the church was a bishopric. The dome, commissioned by the Archpriest Francesco Fisauli, was built in 1904 on a project by the architect Salvatore Priolo.
The original fourteenth-century bell tower was unfortunately destroyed following the earthquake of 1693, the one currently present is of eighteenth-century origin and has never been completed. The dome, on the other hand, was only built in 1904.
The interior of the church, completely redone, was seriously damaged following the bombings of 1943. It has three naves divided by columns. Among the valuable works that have been saved are: the marble statue of Nicola di Bari by Antonello Gagini from 1523, the 13th century baptismal font in hexagonal-shaped sandstone, in the Gothic-Byzantine style; the Trinity by Giuseppe Tomasi from 1651; and a triptych of the Antonelliana school of the century XV depicting the Madonna between the Saints Agata and Lucia.
