Chiesa dell'Immacolata Concezione (Church of the Immaculate Conception)
The remarkable Church of the Immaculate Conception (Immaculata al Capo or Concezione al Capo), located at 38 Via Porta Carini, offers the finest display of exquisite marbling in Palermo, rivaled only by the more famous Casa Professa (Chiesa del Gesù). Unlike Casa Professa, however, the Church of the Immaculate Conception was spared the heavy bombing by British and American forces during World War II, preserving its stunning artistry.
Pietra dura (Italian) or intarsia lapidary (called parchin kari or parchinkari in the Indian Subcontinent) is a term for the inlay technique of using cut and fitted, highly polished colored stones to create images.
Altarpiece: The Fountain of Life, ca. 1691 Attributed to Domenico Magrì and Filippo De Dia Design on cardboard by Angelo Italia, Gerolamo Monti, and Lorenzo Ciprì.
“Sicily has always been rich in coloured marble,” Maria Giuffrè writes in The Baroque Architecture in Sicily, “especially reds, yellows and grey, and in polychrome marble breccia [a type of rock composed of broken fragments of minerals or rocks that are cemented together by a fine-grained matrix], as well as in hardstones, all of which were also exported.”
The door of St. Ignatius of Loyola, known as the founder of the Jesuit Order.
S. Lotarius.
Construction of the church began in 1604, designed by architect Antonio Muttone under the supervision of royal architect Orazio Lo Nobile. Although completed in 1612, additional work continued for over 100 years, costing 80,000 gold scudi. The fresco decoration of the ceiling by Olivio Sozzi was finalized in 1740. In 1866, following Italy’s unification, the monastery was confiscated and converted into a sanatorium. It was demolished in 1932 to make way for the modern Palace of Justice, with only the church spared. The last remains of the monastery were destroyed during Allied bombings in 1943. Today, the church venerates the Madonna delle Grazie, celebrated annually in May with a procession organized by a confraternity founded in 1887.
Altarpiece: The Flight into Egypt (Paliotto Fuga in Egitto) A paliotto refers to an altarpiece or decorative frontal panel, often richly adorned, placed on the front of an altar. In this context, the title "Fuga in Egitto" denotes the depiction of the biblical scene of the Holy Family's flight into Egypt, as narrated in the Gospel of Matthew (2:13-15). This subject has been a recurring theme in Christian art, symbolizing obedience, divine protection, and the journey of faith.
Altarpiece with inlaid marble.
The walls are adorned with intricate marble inlays, and the side chapels feature twisted columns, precious materials, and richly detailed altars.
