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The Church of St. Joseph is located in Ragusa Ibla, in Piazza Pola (the ancient Piazza Maggiore), on the site where the Church of St. Thomas stood, which was completely destroyed during the 1693 earthquake.Attributed to Rosario Gagliardi, it represents together with the Church of San Giorgio one of the highest expressions of Sicilian Baroque.The history of the Church of St. Joseph is closely linked to that of the Benedictine Monastery, which faces rearward on Torrenuova Street, and to the old Town Hall, seat of the city administration until 1926, which was once part of the monastic complex.The first reconstruction work began in 1701 and lasted until 1705. Further interventions were recorded between 1723 and 1737, while in 1756 the occupation of the buildings of the Church of St. Thomas (which in the meantime had been moved elsewhere) took place, leading to its current configuration.Between 1756 and 1760, the Rococo design replaced the Baroque one, resulting in a new version of the Church of St. Joseph, which has similar features to those of St. George's and the nearby Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.The church's elevation features architectural elements that recall those of the Church of St. George. The convex facade, in composite style, is divided into three orders. The first order features four columns and two Corinthian half-pillars, a portal with a semicircular arch surmounted by elegant sculptures, and four statues depicting St. Gertrude, St. Augustine, St. Gregory, and St. Scholastica.In the second order is a central window with a semicircular arch surmounted by sculptures, four columns and two half-pillars with Ionic sculptures, two scrolls and two statues depicting St. Maurus and St. Benedict.Finally, the third order, derived from a broken tympanum of the previous order, features three bell cells with panciette railings enriched with volutes and decorations. Three bells find their place on the bell tower, the largest of which is embellished with a sculpture of St. Joseph from 1857, while the others are from 1844.The interior, with an oval floor plan similar to that of the nearby Church of Santa Maria Valverde, is punctuated by pilasters with Ionic capitals. Wooden galleries with gratings allowed the nuns to attend religious services. The altars, five in total, are made of stone and decorated with painted glass, which creates a color effect similar to marble.The interior houses valuable paintings such as the canvas depicting St. Gertrude by Tommaso Pollace, the one depicting the Trinity by Giuseppe Crestadoro and the Holy Family, located in the central altar, by Matteo Battaglia. On the large domed vault is a fresco by Sebastiano lo Monaco depicting the Glory of St. Joseph and St. Benedict. The altars are decorated with painted glass, while the floor consists of majolica tiles alternating with white limestone slabs with pitch stone inlays. Also noteworthy is the presence of a splendid 17th-century silver statue of St. Joseph.The Church of St. Joseph represents a masterpiece of Baroque architecture, with its imposing facade and richly decorated interior. It is a place of great historical and artistic importance in the city of Ragusa, which is definitely worth a visit to admire its beauty and to immerse oneself in the richness of the Sicilian artistic heritage.
