CLOISTER AND CONVENT OF SAN FRANCESCO DI PIAZZA ARMERINA ENNA SICILIA

The cloister and the monastery of San Francesco in Piazza Armerina Enna Sicilia in the ancient quarter Monte.
Il convent of the Conventual Franciscans of Piazza Armerina seems to have been founded after 1392, when the friars were forced to leave their previous monastery to allow the building of the new Royal Castle in its place (lâ current Castello Aragonese).

Conventuals were compensated with assigning some income as well as lâ dellâ area and factories of the old â Castrum Regine, placed at the northern end of the Hill Aims to guard the valley below Rocca and Castellina.

In 1580 the Franciscan family consisted of four priests, two deacons and three novices.
Writes local historian Alceste Roccella:
Dal 1605 in 1644 for the guardian's zeal Novice Master Ludovico Bonaccolti noble panicker was the side of the monastery built the southern majestic temple with the sumptuous campanile that still can be seen and lâ old church [lâ author refers to the Church of the Castrum left â  the convent] was converted into the sacristy and in the dormitory above.
In the West enlarged the convent was decorated by large peristyle with fine siliceous stone columns and vast water reservoir in centro.
They may therefore deduce that, during the second half of 600, lâ floor plan of the convent.

A important activity of enlargement of the convent is represented by the long Northern channel that promises on Via Cavour, probably built at the end of the 17th century.
In the following century, however, was built the façade of the Church that the Bishop panicker Matthew Trigona inaugurates in 1742 (as is apparent from an inscription by the door).

In 1866, due to suppression of religious corporations, the convent is assigned to the municipality that turns the seat of Civic Hospital Cattell and Vespasiano Trigona(1870).
With the modification work in hospital entire building undergoes radical and extensive modifications and adaptations:
the ancient environments are disrupted by different and heavy restructuring and elevations.

Michele Chiello hospital, however, is not able to guarantee  appropriate provision.
Already in the late 1970s, locals are insufficient and unsuitable to house new and more modern  health services and, in 1998-2000, is transferred into the new structure built to the North of the city hospital.
The building fell into disuse and is subjected, especially former convent, a slow and gradual degradation that becomes worse in July 2005 when a vandalism subtracts four capitals, damaging monolithic columns and vaults of recovery of Arcade of the cloister.
At the end of February 2014 the company Undertaking thereof the s.r.l. di Regalbuto gave  ™ building.
At the end of January 2015 is the transfer of Episcopio and local historians of the Episcopal Curia of via the beautiful in the new bishopric of Faithful Calarco 1 floor, adjacent to the Cathedral and the Diocesan Museum.

CLOISTER AND CONVENT OF SAN FRANCESCO DI PIAZZA ARMERINA ENNA SICILIA

GAETANO MASUZZO, Piazza Armerina