The Palazzo Vescovile, or the Bishop’s Palace, dates from the 11th century.  In the mid 18th century, the palace was given a makeover by the architect, Domenico Dolcemascolo.  The coat of arms, visible near the windows, is that of the Lucchesi Palli.  A section of the palace houses the Museo Diocesano, which we had just finished visiting.

Next to the Palazzo Vescovile, you will find the Cattedrale di San Gerlando.  This is the main church of Agrigento, and occupies the highest and westernmost point of the city.  Construction of the cathedral began in 1087, and the building was completed in 1094.  Now, I understand that most people who visit Agrigento are here to see the Valley of the Temples, and the different sites down there, but in my opinion, it would be a shame to come to this historical city, and not see this beautiful church.  At the time of our visit, there were only a handful of people inside.

The bell tower, to the right of the cathedral, dates from the 15th century.

The view, from the top of the stairs leading up to the cathedral, was wonderful!

We began our visit to the cathedral, with a climb to the top of the bell tower.

On the way up, one gets a close-up look at the stained glass window on the cathedral’s facade.

It was time to explore the interior of the cathedral.  The building contains many treasures, as well as legends associated with it.  One of the most interesting of these is a letter kept inside, which was reportedly written by the Devil, trying to tempt a nun into a life of sin.  Another interesting fact about the structure is that, if someone whispers to another person, while standing near the entrance of the building, they can plainly be heard by whomever is standing in the presbytery, at the other end of the church.  However, if you whisper to someone in the presbytery, no one can hear you, but the person to whom you are speaking.

 

Next up: We finish our visit to the Cattedrale di San Gerlando, and our stay in Agrigento!

 

Note: This blog is written in English and Spanish, and the author takes no responsibility for the quality of any other translations that may appear.  If you have enjoyed this post, please, check out our archives for more posts from Agrigento, as well as other Italian destinations.  Grazie!