Church of Purgatory in Marsala
The Church of the Purgatory of Marsala , overlooking the homonymous square, in the center of which is the monumental eighteenth-century fountain, was originally the Church of Saints Fabiano and Sebastian , whose statue stands out on the sumptuous main facade.
Starting from 1574, the sacred building began to undergo enlargement works thanks to the alms and subsidies of the city council after the latter was freed from the plague thanks to the intercession of the Saint. In 1601 1601 it welcomes the Congregation of the Souls of Purgatory, from which it takes its name.
The façade, in Baroque style, is decorated with mighty twisted columns. Two lateral bell towers stand out that frame the central body that contains the statue of San Sebastiano. The Church has the classic Latin cross basilica layout with a high ribbed dome covered with green majolica. Recent excavations along the foundations of the church have brought to light the wall structures of a sacred building dating back to the proto-Byzantine era. The interior has three naves with a barrel-shaped roof. There are numerous eighteenth-century frescoes inside, proposing scenes from the old and new testament, as well as the valuable stucco ornaments.
Today the church is home to the Auditorium di Santa Cecilia .
