ALCAMO
This town, known as the birthplace of the thirteenth century poet Ciullo (or Cielo) d'Alcamo, lies in a magnificent setting on the slopes of Mount Bonifato, with a scenic view of the Gulf of Castellammare. The town derives its name from the Arab 'Alqamah who founded it in the ninth ceritury. In the Swabian period (thirteenth century) a new centre was formed lower down, at the foot of Mount Bonifato. From the following century on it was an Aragonese dominion, and later a feud of various noble houses. The Chiesa Matrice is a seventeenth century church named after the Virgin of the Assumption. On the same site previously was a fourteenth century church, of which the portal and the elegant bell tower remain. The interior has an aisled nave and frescoes by Borremans in the apse and dome; it also contains works by Antonio Gagini, such as the Death of the Virgin (left aisle) and the Crucifix (right aisle), and others by his pupils. In the seventeenth century Church of San Francesco are a marble altarpiece, considered probably to be the work of Domenico Gagini, and two sculptures, representing the Magdalen and St. Mark, attributed to Antonello Gagini. The Badia Nuova, known also as the Church of San Francesco di Paola preserves a painting by P. Novelli and allegorical decorations by G. Serpotta. In the church of San Salvatore (Badia Grande) are other canvases by Novelli and sculptures by Antonio Gagini. The Church of Sant'Oliva (eighteenth century) has a painting by Novelli (high altar) and works by the Gaginis, including a figure of Saint Olive, attributed to Antonello. The Church of the Santi Paolo e Bartolomeo, which has characteristically Baroque traits, houses an admirable Madonna del Miele Madonna of the Honey), by an unknown fourteenth century artist.