San Vito Martire Sanctuary

Full of different architectural elements; civil, military and religious elements all united in one beautiful sanctuary of rare beauty. You can admire all the beautiful balconies, old traditional elements, the magnificent rose-window and the sighting tower.

The Sanctuary-Fortress had been built in the 15th century, with the aim of protecting pilgrims from the pirates' assaults. Full of different architectural elements; civil, military and religious elements all united in one beautiful sanctuary of rare beauty. You can admire all the beautiful balconies, old traditional elements, the magnificent rose-window and the sighting tower. On the inside, in the chapel of San Vito, with the precious local marble and plaster statues made by Orazio Ferraro (1624-1628), there is the statue of the Saint on the altar, a beautiful artwork dated 1587, that represents the life of San Vito while he was in the city. The feet of the statue are smoothed because of the traditional ritual of the pilgrims of kissing as a sign of devotion. Inside the church you can also find a small hypogaeum used in the past as well. The tower (17th century) was built by order of architect Camilliani, with the aim of defending the coasts of the island against the corsairs.