Church of San Pietro - Modica, Sicily - Apostles beneath the Baroque Facade

Statues of the Apostles rise along the monumental staircase before the richly decorated Baroque façade of the Church of San Pietro in Modica.

The richly decorated façade of the Church of San Pietro rises above its monumental staircase in Modica Bassa, framed by statues representing the Twelve Apostles. Seen from below, the sculpted figures, ornate stonework and sweeping upper façade create one of the most distinctive Baroque architectural scenes in the historic center of Modica. The church stands along Corso Umberto I, the principal historic street through the lower town, and is one of Modica's most important religious monuments. The devastating earthquake of 1693 transformed the architectural character of Modica and much of southeastern Sicily, leading to extensive rebuilding in the elaborate late-Baroque style. San Pietro became part of the remarkable architectural landscape that developed during this period, characterized by theatrical façades, sculptural decoration and monumental stairways. Modica is one of eight southeastern Sicilian towns included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Late Baroque Towns of the Val di Noto, inscribed in 2002 in recognition of their exceptional urban and architectural reconstruction following the earthquake.