Chiesa del Carmine Sorrento

See the art treasures in historic church just off Piazza Tasso

 

A stunning sight in the centre of Sorrento is the ornate façade of the Chiesa del Carmine in Corso Italia.

The yellow-painted church with its white decorative features looks beautiful against the blue sky when viewed from Piazza Tasso.

Chiesa del Carmine in Corso Italia in Sorrento

Chiesa del Carmine is on the left hand side at the beginning of Corso Italia going in the direction of Sant’Agnello.

It is believed the church was originally built near the spot where a group of Sorrentine Christians were martyred in Roman times.

The present building, which has an attached bell tower, was constructed on the site of an earlier church at the end of the 15th century.

It was based on a simple design with a single nave but contains some fascinating art treasures.

The church has a painting of Mary the Madonna holding the baby Jesus, believed to date from the 16th century, depicting her as dark-skinned in the style of the Vergine Bruno di Napoli, a painting of a dark-skinned Virgin Mary in Naples.

There is a large ceiling painting by Onofrio Avellino depicting the Virgin Mary with Saint Simon and angels, believed to have been completed in 1710.

Along with other 16th and 17th century paintings, Chiesa del Carmine is also home to two gilded, wooden containers of saints’ relics and bones which are believed to date back to the 16th century.

Villa Fiorentino a hub for culture in Sorrento

 

In the centre of Sorrento, just off Corso Italia, Villa Fiorentino provides an elegant setting for cultural events and exhibitions.

The villa was chosen as a residence by the Fiorentino family and completely refurbished in American style in the 1930s.

Villa Fiorentino set back from busy Corso Italia

During the war it became a refuge for famous people, including the tenor Benamino Gigli, who sang O Sole Mio and Torna a Surriento there in honour of Signora Fiorentino.

On the death of the lady of the house, the villa with its beautiful gardens, was bequeathed to the city of Sorrento and has now become the headquarters of Fondazione Sorrento, an organisation dedicated to raising awareness of the area’s rich heritage of art and culture.

Visitors to Sorrento will have the chance to take a look at the interior of Villa Fiorentino, at Corso Italia 53, during an exhibition of the works of Mario Sironi, the Italian painter and illustrator, between 21 February and 20 April, 2014 .

The exhibition will be open daily from 10.00 -13.00 and 16.00 to 20.00, staying open until 21.00 on Saturdays and Sundays.

For more information visit www.fondazionesorrento.com.