The cathedral or madrice of Santa Maria della Neve is the mother church of Mazzarino, in the province of Caltanissetta, belonging to the diocese of Piazza Armerina, and is located in the historic center, along Corso Vittorio Emanuele, at the widening overlooking the square Angelo Monterosso. The building, designed by the architect Angelo Italia, is a typical example of Sicilian late Baroque from the period following the reconstruction following the 1693 Val di Noto earthquake.
Wanted by Prince Carlo Maria Carafa, for whom, in his will, he left the conspicuous sum of 1000 scudi for the construction. The cathedral was built in the same place where the ancient church dedicated to the Madonna della Neve stood, which collapsed due to the earthquake of 11 January 1693. The construction works began in 1694 and were interrupted in 1736, to be resumed for about a century. later, as reported by the historian Pietro di Giorgio Ingala in his research and historical considerations on the ancient city of Mazarin.
The original design of the cathedral was commissioned to the Jesuit architect Angelo Italia da Licata, who at that time moved to Mazzarino to direct the construction of the palace of Count Adonnino. The original designs, however, have been lost.
The original project, according to Ingala, included a structure with a single nave with a "barrel" vault and large side altars. A dome should have been erected in the center of the cross and two bell towers on both sides.
The constructive and financial difficulties, due to the premature death of the financier of the works, Prince Carlo Maria Carafa, led to a remodeling of the initial project and, after a stoppage of about a century, thanks to the commitment of the sac. Andrea Bartolotta, and the contribution of the people, the construction was completed, with the modification of the plant from one to three naves and lowering of the vault.
The architects and master builders who followed the completion of the works were the Mazzarinesi Giuseppe Ferrara and Matteo Buccola.
The last masonry works were carried out in 1844 by the will of the sac. Salvatore Faraci, and looked at the marble floor and the stuccoes of the vaults.
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