San Vincenzo Ferreri, Former Dominican church near Giardini Iblei, Ragusa, Italy.
San Vincenzo Ferreri is a former Dominican church on Piazza G.B. Hodierna at the entrance to the Giardini Iblei in Ragusa. Its rectangular limestone facade is framed by Corinthian pilasters and topped by a balustrade; the portal has two Corinthian semi-columns under a broken arched pediment. The single nave ends in a semicircular apse, and since December 2010 the building has served as a public auditorium with about 140 seats.
Domenican friars founded the church in 1509, with a convent built alongside it and enlarged in the 1600s. The 1693 earthquake did not bring the church down: a large walled-up portal on the north wall shows it was repaired rather than rebuilt, though facade and interior were redone in the 1700s. The convent was demolished between the 1950s and 1960s for a school, itself removed during the 2004 restoration.
The interior displays a single nave with a semicircular apse, where twisted columns decorated with leaf motifs and cherub ornaments reflect the religious craftsmanship that continued after the earthquake rebuilt the structure.
The church stands on Piazza G.B. Hodierna at the entrance to the Giardini Iblei, and the garden avenue inside the park links it directly to the church of San Giacomo. Since December 2010 it has served as a public auditorium with about 140 seats, used for concerts, conferences and science talks. The facade faces almost west, so the sundial is lit in the afternoon.
The sundial on the facade is marked "ORA SOLARE VERA" and uses Italian hours painted in black, with the equinox line and the Gemini/Leo line in red. Because the facade faces almost west, it is lit in the afternoon. Lower down reads "LINEA S. VINC. FERRERI".
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