Santa Maria dello Spasimo, Italy

From series “Famous unfinished buildings ”

8 out of 15 - Palatul Parlamentului, Romania

11 out of 15 - Santa Maria dello Spasimo, Italy

12 out of 15 - Centro Financiero Confinanzas, Venezuela

14 out of 15 - New Zealand Parliament Building, New Zealand

Year: 1509.

The old monastic church of Santa Maria dello Spasimo is one of the main historical attractions of Palermo today. It was never fully completed after construction began. The church was deserted many years ago. It is in a dilapidated state today. The history of the construction of the shrine is associated with the name of a wealthy lawyer Giacomo Basilico. He was a great admirer of the image of the Suffering Virgin. He donated land from personal holdings to the monks in 1506. Giacomo Basilico decided to establish a church and monastery in honor of the Virgin Mary's image on this land.

Construction of the shrine began in 1509. But the monastery was never fully completed. Numerous military conflicts and threats stood in the way of the monks. All of Palermo's forces were focused on defending and fortifying the city during this period. The city government bought the land from the monks in 1569. This site was used for military purposes later. The historical buildings located here managed to be completely preserved only by a miracle. The monks still managed to build a church. A military camp was formed in it. But it lost its military significance at the end of the 16th century.

The building began to be used for various public events from 1582. It was converted into an infirmary during another plague epidemic in the late 17th century. The building was used as a warehouse for some time. The church building began to gradually collapse in the middle of the 18th century. A shelter for the poor was opened here in 1855. The building remained in this status until 1985. It was declared a historical monument of national significance about 30 years ago. It is used for theatrical and musical performances today.

Next - Centro Financiero Confinanzas

Hassan Tower, Morocco

Centro Financiero Confinanzas, Venezuela

Back to the start “Famous unfinished buildings ”

Santa Maria dello Spasimo - interactive map

Useful staff nearby

ATM bankomat: 'Intesa Sanpaolo Bank' located in 0.35 km (

check the route on the map).

Car rental office: 'Rent Gnoffo Gnoffo Maria Concetta' is located in 0.16 km (

on the map).

Fuel station: 'Benzinaio' in 0.39 km

Supermarket: 'Alimentari Bertè Pasquale' in 0.2 km

Parking: 'Parking' in 0.11 km

Apotheek: 'Farmacia Crimaudo Di Gianluca Crimaudo' in 0.24 km

Police station: 'Carabinieri Comando Stazione Palerrmo Piazza Marina' in 0.34 km

Cafe/restaurant: 'Palermo Km Zero Srl' in 0.05 km

Railway station: 'Palermo Centrale Railway Station' in 0.54 km

Nearest airports:
» Falcone-Borsellino Airport PMO - in 24 km

» Vincenzo Florio Airport TPS - in 80 km

» Sigonella NAF Airport NSY - in 157 km

» Fontanarossa Airport CTA - in 165 km

» Pantelleria Airport PNL - in 190 km

Remnants of empire. Monuments of Byzantium: the most famous buildings

Air pollutants. Volcanoes that changed the face of the Earth

Cities nearby

» Guide to Palermo

» Cuisine & restaurants

» Traditions & mentality

» Culture & art

» Attractions & nightlife

» Apartments

» Hostels

» Car rent in Palermo

» Apartments

» Hostels

» Car rent in Cefalu

» Guide to Trapani

» Cuisine & restaurants

» Traditions & mentality

» Culture & art

» Attractions & nightlife

» Hotels in Trapani

» Guest houses

» Bed & Breakfast

» Apartments

» Hostels

» Car rent in Trapani

» Full-size cars

Best hotels near Santa Maria dello Spasimo

Seralcadio Bed&Breakfast

Located in 0 km from Santa Maria dello Spasimo
Route on the map:

Rooms: 4

The rooms are decorated with wooden furnishings, each coloured differently. With a shared bathroom, all room typologies have a satellite TV and views … More: photo, rates and booking

Torre Dei Federico

Located in 1 km from Santa Maria dello Spasimo
Route on the map:

Rooms: 3

With free Wi-Fi, all rooms have modern furnishings, air conditioning and a TV. The private bathroom includes a hairdryer. Guests can enjoy the roof … More: photo, rates and booking

Viaflorio B&B

Located in 2 km from Santa Maria dello Spasimo
Route on the map:

Rooms: 4

The bright air-conditioned rooms feature a private bathroom and wooden floors. Each room is decorated with modern furniture. An Italian breakfast is … More: photo, rates and booking

B&B Notarbartolo

Located in 3 km from Santa Maria dello Spasimo
Route on the map:

Rooms: 5

Rooms at Notarbartolo B&B are air-conditioned and feature a minibar and a private bathroom complete with a hairdryer and bathrobe. At breakfast, you … More: photo, rates and booking

Nearest unique sightseeing spots to visit

115 km - Filicudi Island

From the series '15 Sparsely Populated Places for Solitude with Wildlife'

Filicudi Island is a great example of an isolated vacation. There you can escape from the city noise and unwilling thoughts. This 9,5 square kilometers long Italian island has population for more than 230 people. There you can see several small villages but the main …

148 km - Etna Volcano

From the series 'Volcanoes and Traps That Changed the Face of the Planet'

In Italy, there is one more powerful volcano, Etna. It has directly influenced on the formation of the modern reliefs. That’s is one of the main attractions of Sicily and one of the most active volcanoes in the world. The first violent eruption of Etna occurred in …

170 km - Teatro Greco Antico di Taormina

From the series 'Ancient Amphitheaters and Arenas, That Are Still Operational'

The Italian town of Taormina has also its own unique antique symbol - a beautiful amphitheater that recalls the culture and traditions of the past. According to researchers, the construction of the theater took place in the 2nd century BC. For the erection of the arena …

205 km - Palazzo Beneventano del Bosco

From the series 'The Most Elegant Buildings of Baroque Architecture'

Palazzo Beneventano del Bosco is one of the most beautiful sightseeing in Cecilia. It was constructed for the Arezzo family in the medieval times. However, the today’s look the building took from the late 18th century. The palace is built in the Sicilian Baroque …

240 km - Azure Window

From the series 'Incredible Natural Arches Built by Water and Wind'

The picturesque Maltese island of Gozo has an amazing landmark - the natural arch named Azure Window. It was formed in a limestone rock, which extends far into the sea. This natural attraction has got its name due to a special azure colour of the coastal …

266 km - Megalithic Temples of Malta

From the series 'The Oldest Surviving Monuments on Earth'

In Malta, the archaeologists have discovered the astonishingly preserved ancient temples whose age is more than 5 500 years. Seven megalithic temples, which today belong to the historical objects of the world, have been used for a thousand years and are now regarded as …

Top destination around Santa Maria dello Spasimo - Palermo

While in the daytime city residents and guests of Palermo are entertained with different contests and sport competitions then in the evening the guests are amused with various music performances. The evening events are commonly open air. The stages and platforms are equipped right on the beaches. Guests of the World Festival on the Beach may attend different exhibitions of photography art and other entertaining events. The World Festival on the Beach is of great popularity among active leisure enthusiasts and open leisure recreation fans.

The brightest summer event of Palermo is considered to be the Verdura festival. Its program will be of great interest to genuine music fans. The festival engages world class musicians, rock stars and legendary jazz players as well as famous bands and dancing groups. For the period of the festival the city of Palermo turns into a huge concert stage which offers music of different trends fitting each taste and fancy. During the festival local night clubs offer exciting entertaining program as well. Tourists will find various amusement programs in bars and restaurants. Many concerts are absolutely free to visit. Some of the music concerts are held within charity events.
Read further...

OrangeSmile.com - online travel reservation expert providing reliable car rental and hotel booking services. We feature more than 25.000 destinations with 12.000 rental offices and 200.000 hotels worldwide.

Secure Server

OrangeSmile B.V. - Hotel Booking Worldwide

Head office: Weegschaalstraat 3 Eindhoven, 5632 CW Netherlands

+31 40 40 150 44