THE HISTORY
1310: The construction of the complex was commissioned by King Robert of Anjou and his second wife, Sancia of Majorca.
The construction of the complex was commissioned by King Robert of Anjou and his second wife, Sancia of Majorca. The works were carried out under the direction of Gagliardo Primario initially, and then under Lionardo di Vito. In 1340, the church was opened for worship. The Franciscan citadel was constructed by building two adjacent but separate convents: one for women, intended to accommodate the Clarisses, and the other for men, housing the Franciscan friars
1742: Vaccaro and the modernization
The project was entrusted to the Neapolitan architect Domenico Antonio Vaccaro. Lavish decorations gave it a Baroque appearance: the interior was covered with polychrome marbles, stuccoes, and gilded frames; the truss roof was concealed by a vault decorated by great painters of the time.
1943 – The War
During the Second World War, the church was almost completely destroyed by an air raid.
1953 – POST FATA RESURGO (THE RESURRECTION AFTER DEATH)
It was rebuilt and restored in the original Gothic style, and exactly ten years later, it was reopened for worship. Today, it features a facade with a broad pinnacle, on which the ancient pierced rose window is set.
