Church of Santa Lucia
The historic church of Trapani's coral fishermen
The Church of Santa Lucia in Trapani is a medieval church associated with coral fishermen, whose trade and religious devotion shaped its history and decoration.
Key facts
Site type:
Comune:
Church
District:
Historic centre
The Church of Santa Lucia stands on Via Sant'Anna in Trapani's historic centre, beside the former Convent of Sant'Anna and close to the city's Mura di Tramontana. The church, also historically known as Santa Maria della Catena, is generally dated to the fourteenth century. It became associated with the fishermen of the Palazzo district, particularly those engaged in coral fishing.
Santa Lucia served both religious and commercial purposes. The fishermen supported its religious activities and stored unsold coral in the church, where merchants could inspect and purchase it. Two inscriptions, dated 1651 and 1673, commemorated the discovery of productive coral banks and recorded navigational directions based on landmarks visible from the sea.
The church's decorated portal preserves evidence of its maritime associations. A Latin dedication dated 1675 identifies Saint Lucia as the fishermen's protectress, while sculpted details include a sailing boat and symbols associated with the saint. The interior once contained frescoes by Domenico La Bruna and a majolica pavement depicting Trapani and coral-fishing boats.
The church closed to worship in 1945. Its neighbouring convent, established by the Reformed Franciscans in the seventeenth century, subsequently underwent several changes of use and has housed the Archivio di Stato di Trapani since 2009. Together, the buildings preserve evidence of the religious and maritime history of this part of the city.
Photo: Libero Monterisi, Alamy
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The fishermen of the Palazzo district
Trapani's maritime communities were traditionally divided between the Marina Grande, associated with sailors engaged in longer voyages, and the Marina Piccola, comprising fishermen, tuna fishermen and coral fishermen.
The coral fishermen of the Palazzo district were associated with Santa Lucia, while fishermen from Casalicchio gathered at Santa Maria della Grazia.
The church stands beside the narrow Via Santa Lucia, which leads towards Corso Vittorio Emanuele. Beyond the corso, Via Corallai preserves a connection with the fishing community. Giacalone identifies its earlier name as Via del Rais and associates the street with the Palazzo fishermen.
Lina Novara records that their confraternity acquired Santa Lucia in 1419. Giacalone, however, associates that date with privileges granted to the fishermen's corporation, rather than explicitly documenting the church's acquisition.
The coral-fishing inscriptions
Two inscriptions formerly displayed on the church commemorated the discovery of coral banks in 1651 and 1673.
Both recorded navigational directions using islands, coastal landmarks and distances measured at sea. The 1651 inscription referred to Levanzo, Marettimo, Bonagia and the hills around Baida.
The inscriptions were intended to preserve knowledge of productive fishing grounds. Giacalone interprets them as evidence of a navigational system based on visual bearings and the experience of local fishermen.
The 1651 inscription is known through historical transcriptions and drawings. The 1673 monument survives in two parts: the inscribed section at the Biblioteca Fardelliana and the figurative section at the Museo Regionale Agostino Pepoli, as documented by Giacalone.
The portal and artworks
Santa Lucia's portal combines Baroque decoration with imagery associated with its patron saint and the fishing community.
The sculpted crest above the entrance includes Saint Lucia's traditional attribute, a dish bearing her eyes. Its Latin inscription, dated 1675, identifies her as the fishermen's protectress.
The portal also incorporates a relief of a sailing boat, now heavily worn, representing the Marina Piccola. Novara dates the late-Baroque portal to 1783.
Inside the church were frescoes by Domenico La Bruna (1699–1763), depicting episodes from the life of Moses. These have disappeared.
A late-sixteenth-century polychrome wooden statue of Saint Lucia was transferred in 1934 to the Church of the Epiphany and subsequently to San Francesco d'Assisi, according to Novara.
An eighteenth-century majolica pavement depicting Trapani and fishing boats was also removed from the church. Giacalone records the decorated panel at the Museo Pepoli.
The neighbouring Convent of Sant'Anna
The former Convent of Sant'Anna occupies the adjoining complex, between Santa Lucia and Bastione Sant'Anna.
The Reformed Franciscans began constructing the convent and its own adjoining church in 1620. The older Santa Lucia belonged to the fishermen's community and should not be confused with the Franciscan church.
Following the suppression of religious orders, the convent was used as a Guardia di Finanza barracks. In 2009, after restoration of part of the complex, it became the home of the Archivio di Stato di Trapani.
A further restoration and accessibility programme, funded with €1.7 million through Italy's PNRR, was officially reported as completed in September 2026.
Santa Lucia and Trapani's coral heritage
Santa Lucia was one of several churches associated with Trapani's coral fishermen. Near the western tip of the city, the Church of San Liberale was established by coral fishermen around 1600.
The tradition also influenced Trapani's decorative arts. Coral became an important material for local craftsmen, whose work circulated well beyond Sicily.
A contemporary reference to this heritage can be found in Sala Laurentina, whose interior by Antonino Cardillo draws inspiration from coral.
Sources & further reading
These sources document Santa Lucia's medieval history, the fishermen's community, its inscriptions and artworks, and the neighbouring Sant'Anna complex.