Museo Ecclesiastico Diocesano di Biccari

The Museum is hosted on the premises of the Succorpo of the Mother Church of Biccari which is named after Maria SS. Assunta and Christ the Saviour. The building, an important example of Neoclassical architecture, is of particular historic and artistic interest as a "container" of works of art, in which are goods collected from ancient churches in the city which have disappeared over the centuries. The current church was built on the previous oldest church ministry of the seventeenth century, which was demolished due to structural failure. The reconstruction project was entrusted to architects A. Gasparri and F. De Nunzio, with the works beginning in 1850 and ending 25 years later. The majestic Maria SS. Assunta church stands at the centre of the region, a structure including a Latin cross plan with three naves. The right transept contains the altar of St. Donatus, the patron of Biccari and the Madonna of Constantinople Chapel. The left arm houses St. Joseph’s altar, the Chapel of the Crucifixion with the painting of the Pietà, painted in 1584 by G.O. De Luca and the baptismal font. A large painting accredited to the Neapolitan school from 1775 adorns the central vault; to the four corners under the dome, 4 Filippo Pirro canvasses, representing the 4 evangelists are placed.