Chiesa di San Paolo, Baroque church in Sorrento, Italy.
Chiesa di San Paolo is a baroque church in Sorrento with a Latin cross plan, a single nave and barrel vault, decorated with lunettes and stucco work. Its 1725 facade is unfinished above: the lower part is tuff in Doric order with the portal set between two columns, the upper part simply painted with a circular window. Wooden balconies and choir lofts line the nave, where the nuns once followed services.
The church existed before 872 but underwent major reconstruction following Turkish raids in 1558 and an earthquake in 1731. These events shaped the building's current appearance.
The main altar displays a painting of Saint Paul's conversion, with statues of Saint Scholastica and Saint Benedict positioned on either side. This artistic arrangement reflects the devotional practices that have shaped worship in this space.
The church stands in Sorrento's historic centre, a short walk from Piazza Tasso. The entrance portal sits recessed between two columns of the tuff lower facade, while the upper section remains unfinished and simply painted. A door in a right-hand chapel connects to the former Benedictine convent, now a school.
The church floor is laid in majolica on terracotta, decorated with animals, flowers and leaves, and is described as fairly well preserved. The same majolica tiles also clad the exterior of the dome. The church has a small bell tower.
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