San Bartolomeo, Scicli, Baroque church in Scicli, Italy

San Bartolomeo is a baroque church in Scicli, in southeastern Sicily, with a facade arranged in three levels featuring Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian columns crowned by a triangular pediment. Inside, the church holds altarpieces and religious artworks, as well as a sculptural ensemble in the north transept.

Founded in the early 15th century at the foot of the San Matteo hill, the church was damaged but not destroyed by the 1693 Val di Noto earthquake: part of its 15th-century walls survived and was incorporated into the 18th-century rebuilding. Reconstruction began in 1752, and the facade was later redesigned by Salvatore Alì, with the top completed in 1815 by Father Ventura.

The church is dedicated to Saint Bartholomew, whose image appears in several of the paintings and sculptures inside. This devotion has shaped the religious life of Scicli for centuries and remains visible in the artworks on display today.

The church sits on Via San Bartolomeo in the center of Scicli and is easy to reach on foot from the main piazza. Opening times can vary, so it is worth checking locally before you go.

The north transept holds a grand Presepe, or Nativity, carved by Pietro Padula between 1773 and 1776. Of the original 65 statues, 29 remain in the ensemble, and the painted backgrounds behind them may be more recent additions.