Sant'angelo Di Brolo: Churches, Museums and Sicilian Local History

Sant'angelo Di Brolo combines churches, museums and historic buildings with Salame Sant'Angelo IGP, which is produced exclusively there. Its cultural themes range from the Norman-era town centre and the Byzantine Basilian Monastery of S. Michele Arcangelo to the Museo degli Angeli with its contemporary art.

Monastery and Evolving Local History

Today's town centre emerged during the Norman period around the Byzantine Basilian Monastery of S. Michele Arcangelo. The Monastero di San Michele Arcangelo was rebuilt in 1084 by Count Ruggero di Altavilla on an area of 3,000 square metres. This connection between the town centre, monastery and history gives the cultural experience a clear focus, without requiring you to limit yourself to a single subject.

The cloister with family chapels in its arcades and the church's bell tower have survived from the original Monastero. Its spire is octagonal and clad in majolica tiles; it bears an image of Saint Michael forged from sheet iron. The complex was designated as a cemetery in 1879.

Churches, Museum and Art

Another church is the Chiesa del Santissimo Salvatore. It has a Renaissance-style façade, a Latin-cross floor plan with three apsidal naves, a bell tower, a sacristy, a pincer staircase and a large forecourt. The church was reopened for worship in 2007 and is the largest church in Sant'angelo Di Brolo.

The Museo di Arte Sacra is located in this church. It displays works of art from the 15th to the 20th century, including liturgical vestments embroidered with gold and silk, silverwork and alabaster works. Admission is free. The collection connects the architecture of the Chiesa del Santissimo Salvatore with preserved sacred objects.

The Museo degli Angeli is located in the Convento di Santa Maria degli Angeli in Sant'angelo Di Brolo and is entirely dedicated to the depiction of angels and angelology. More than 80 works on the subject of angels are preserved there, including paintings, sculptures and contemporary art by Paolo Schiavocampo, Enrico Benaglia, Franco Nocera and Turi Sottile.

The Chiesa Madre Santa Maria was built before the 16th century.

Torre Saracena on Piano Croce

The Torre Saracena stands on the Piano Croce hill beside the Complesso Medievale di Sant'Angelo di Brolo. Both are partly located within a fortified wall and are surrounded by vegetation. The Torre Saracena has a square floor plan and is three storeys high.

A Local Taste

Salame Sant'Angelo IGP complements the church and museum themes with a connection to local culinary culture: it is produced exclusively in Sant'angelo Di Brolo.

More Destinations

For further travel planning: Roccella Valdemone, Rinella, Milazzo, Raccuja, San Piero Patti, Furci Siculo, Furnari and Castroreale.

For the overarching travel overview: Messina.