8. Church and Convent of S. Francesco all’Immacolata

The construction of the church and adjoining convent dates back to around 1225, immediately after the Saint’s death. At that time, the first community of Franciscans arrived in Ragusa, who built the complex on the edge of the city, in order to be close to people experiencing poverty with whom they wished to share their lives (Fig. a).
We do not know much about the pre-earthquake structure as it was damaged and reduced to a few walls. It was rebuilt in the late Baroque style with Mannerist features in the interior.
Only the bell tower remains of the old building, of which only the cell collapsed during the earthquake and was later reconstructed. Because of its impressiveness, it was long believed to be the castle tower of the Chiaramonte family who settled in Ragusa in 1299 after Swabian rule.
The church is accessed through a side entrance with a modest façade, which leads into the right aisle (Fig. b).
The rear façade of the church faces the convent courtyard. This was the main façade of the destroyed church, whose portal still exists, in the typical Frederician style with hooked capitals (Fig. c).
The church consists of three naves without a transept, surrounded by massive pilasters topped with capitals (Fig. d).
The nave ends with the 16th-century presbytery. However, this is not visible, as it is covered by a wooden tribune built to support the statue of the Immaculate Conception, constructed around the early decades of the 20th century.
In the church floor, made of limestone and pitchstone, is an interesting tomb slab, bearing the date 1577 and embellished with a bas-relief depicting a Spanish knight with a hand under his cheek (Fig. e).
The convent, rebuilt on the ruins of the previous one that collapsed, consists of a ground floor and a first floor, where the monks’ cells are located. One of the most interesting features are the painted overdoors depicting Franciscan figures. This floor is accessed via a magnificent pitchstone staircase (Fig. f).