Church of San Martino

According to tradition, the Church of San Martino was founded by Roger the Norman, although the earliest documentary reference dates from 1339. The church was associated with the Congregation of Purgatory, established in 1517, whose meeting hall and a 16th-century courtyard adjoin the building. In 1682 the church was rebuilt to the designs of the local priest and architect Matteo Gebbia, with work completed in 1688. Towards the end of the 18th century, the interior was enriched with stuccoes, frescoes and paintings by Antonio and Vincenzo Manno.

The rebuilt church is laid out on a Latin cross plan with three naves divided by Tuscan columns. Its restrained façade is approached by a short flight of steps and is distinguished by an elaborately decorated Baroque portal surmounted by a bell gable. A niche above the entrance contains a half-bust of Saint Martin, while the interior preserves works of art dating from the 15th to the 19th centuries.

Among the church's most significant artworks is a monumental wooden statue of Saint Martin on horseback, depicting the moment he divides his cloak with a poor man. Dating from the mid-16th century and attributed to the Ericine sculptor Curatolo, the statue was restored in the early 21st century and returned to the church in 2013 together with restored liturgical furnishings from the high altar. Following wider restoration works, the Church of San Martino reopened for worship in 2008.