It was Ruggeros’ wish that this cathedral was built during the Norman domination between 1086 anh 1093. In 1610 the SS. Sacrament chapel was built while the beh tower was later added in 1654. It has a basihical plan, with three aisies, a hong apse and a transept with a elliptic dome in the centre plu some other small domes in the wings.

The church was remodelled in 1690 by Pietro Lo Castro, who only preserved the apse and the transepi from the original structure. The rìaves are div ided by ten pointed arches supported by doric columns. The stucco decorated vault by Pietro Orlando, was accomplished by the end of the seventeenth century; the paintings are by Felice and Scannatella.

At the begining of the century the centre dome was repaired by Alfano; the paintings in the large chapel are Spanish.

The present facade, built between 1904 and 1906 was by valenti architect. On the portaI there isa highrelief in marbie made in 1584 which portrays king Ruggero injuring an unfaithful servant. The portai and the high-relief were part of an earlier facade before being remodelled in the seventeenth century.

The marmoreal group of the transfiguration by Antonello and Antonio Gagini is of particular artistic interest.

PALAZZO DEL SEMINARIO

Built in 1710, it was later completed with the fohlowing addition: a loggia in two orders and a new entrance, a cloister and northfacing chapel; a south facing refectory, a west wing on the Orologio path; and the decoration of the chapel. The main work of Giovanni Biagio Amico in clearly superimposed in two orders.

The entrance portai and the staircase are both in baroque style. The cloister has a porch with sixteen rounded arches on tuscan himestone columns. The octagonal oblong chapel on the first floor is of particular interest.

Work of the jesuit Giacomo Napoli, it was built in 1672; and isa splendid example of baroque art.. The carved tufacea stone has helped to provide an excehlent finished result.

The portaI in very impressive and elaborate: standing out telamons supported by capitals and the trabeation on which stands the balcony covered in beautiful corbels.

The quadrilateral courtyard is surrounded by a porch and rounded arches on tuscan limestone columns. The first floor windows and the groundfloor are finished off with pihlars giving a beautiful supple effect and straight curvihinear pediments; broken up with or without decoration.

Built in 131, Santa Caterina was then restored in baroque style in 1600. lt is in a rectangular shape with only one barrel vault nave and a pitched roof. lts appearance is enriched by a beautiful portaI, with pillars, decorative columns standing on very tali pedestals, dados capitals and trabeation with cornices. The rich decoratiorì in Iarge leaves is completed by a statue and shell in the centre.

The window above the doorway is also decorated in friezes which are beside the pillars on which two small cupids support the capitals.

The decoration is finished off whith a big tympanum shehl.

Built in 1424, it has only one nave with a half-spherical dome in engraved stone. It is interesting to sec the presence of gothic-arabic architectural elements.

Rebuilt in 1724, it has only one barrel vault nave with lunettes. The facade was restored in 1927.

There are traces of the original building, on the same site of a mosque, in the monofora window on the

lateral facade.

This is an example of Arab-Norman art which probabhy dates back to around 1160.

It has a square plan with three apses and recent restorers have managed to renovate theoriginal sixteenth

century styie, forged by tamperers.

The church was granted so the Basihians from King Iuspatronato and therefore, was said to be regah.

The peophe of Mazara cali the church "SANTA NICULICCHIA".

The church is of the XIII century, and has an interesting baroque style portai with a rounded arch face and mistihinea cornices. The facade is completed by a iarge mistihinea comice with an attic and pinnacles.

The church was built between 1650 and 1788, the year in which the beh cells were added.

Il has a greek cross shape on which the facade develops itseIf obbiiqueiy on the longitudinah axis. The facade is divided into two orders by a hong iron bahcony; iSiS divided into three parts by four pillars which emphasize the two sphendid beh towers.

Inside, the style of the church is simple and harmonious and dates back to the late sixteenth century.

The originah church was built in the XII century and was iater rebuiit between 1627 and 1678 in baroque styie, which is greathy admired even today.

li has only oste nave with a transept and hemispherical dome resting on a cylindricah drum with eight windows. Outside, the windows of the drum are placed within the spaces of the ròunded arches. The pain neo-sixteenth century styled building is from the year 1702 and is the work of Orlando: it is divided into two orders: the first is doric, the second ionic and is crowned off by a triangular pediment. lt is animated by partitions with pihlars and contains niches with jambs and comices which hold up statues oftheSaints.

lnside the church it is omatly decorated with paintings. The beh tower buiht next to the monastry is ahso very interesting: iSis built on a high square shaped base, above which, there is another superior body with an octagonah base and a smahl turret with a square based dome. It is designed in a typicahiy orientah fashion.

The church was enharged in 1216 conserving the three gothic-norman styled aisles. It was iater reconstructed in 1680 in baroque styie and with one nave enriched with stuccos and fescos.

A harmonious baroque portai animates its facade with curved corners is finished off with a triangular pediment.

Above the portai, there are two composite columns, twisted in the third inferior and a trabeation curving in towards the centre, there isa small niche with a statue of the Virgin Mary which is made and designed in the same way as the portai itseif. The bchi tower next to the churches apse ends with a pyramid shaped spire made from maiolica.

The jesuit church was built in baroque style in 1701 and was the work of Angelo Italia and Giacomo Napoli.

Oniy the facade of the church has remained in engraved stone, animated by four tuscan columns of the first order holding up a trabeation rich in movement. The two composite cohumns of the second order support the tympanum.

The church was founded in 1580, enlarged and decorated in 1660 and later altered again in the eighteenth century. It has onhy one nave, an apse with a hemisheric basin and a dome which stands Ori an octagonal piatform.

A very interesting feature of the church is the seventeenth century portai which displays two doric cohumns and a curvilinear pediment which bears the holy Orders coat of arms.

The church was founded in 1515 and eniarged in 1808. It has oniy one covered nave with a lunette barrei vauit, presenting a simple facade with a architrave portai above which, there is a round window. The beh tower has a square platform which is towards the back of the church, it is in baroque styie and cuiminates with rounded arches.

It was built in baroque styìe in 1648, on the same site of the one built in 1455 of which the perimeterial walls the spirai staircase, and the pointed arch stili remain.

The statue of the "Madonna con Bambino" is attributed to Domenico Gagini. The marbie high-reiief of the "Vergine coi Bambino" is from the XV century.

two ferruies.

The arch overlooks (an ancient witness of a fiourishing period) Mokarta square the centrai point in

Mazara.

This smaii church which is of particuiar interest to the peopie of Mazara was buiit on the rocks by the sea

in 1776, with oniy one barreì vauit nave.

The church which is to the north east of the city, on a smaii hill, was finished at the begining of the XII century.

It has oniy one nave which is piaced besides a construction which is thought to be a large saracen tower. The part of the nave which is nearest to the entrance is covered with a cross vauit placed on coiumns with capitals.

The barrei vaults which cover the other parts of the church are aiso visible from the outside. In spite of notable modifications, some intresting eìements from the originai norman structure bave managed to remain.