Chiesa Madre dello Spirito Santo - Nicolosi, Sicily - White Stone beside Black Lava

The Mother Church of the Holy Spirit rises above Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II in Nicolosi, its pale façade contrasting with the dark lava-stone bell tower.

The Chiesa Madre dello Spirito Santo stands on Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II in the center of Nicolosi, with its pale stone façade rising beside a distinctive dark lava-stone bell tower. The contrast between the two structures reflects different periods in the history of the church and the close architectural relationship between Nicolosi and nearby Mount Etna. The present Mother Church was constructed during the first half of the 18th century after the catastrophic eruption of 1669 and earthquake of 1693 had effectively destroyed its predecessor. Its design is attributed to the important Sicilian architect Giovanni Battista Vaccarini. The separate bell tower, probably dating from 1721, retains its characteristic lava-stone construction and contains the clock, bells and pointed spire visible in the photograph. The church façade was substantially altered toward the end of the 19th century, when the earlier darker appearance was replaced by the pale stone frontage seen today. Dedicated to the Holy Spirit, the church remains one of Nicolosi's principal historic monuments and a focal point of the town's central square.