Immaculate Conception Church
Badolato. The wonderful church dedicated to the Immaculate Conception is situated beyond the eastern entrance of the village, on the hill where the view extends from Capo Colonna to Punta Stilo.
They started building it in 1686, it has a granite portal attributed to the masons from Serra San Bruno. Two columns on a base, placed on both sides of the entrance opening, support an architrave with a recess where the year of the church's establishment (1686) and the year of the restoration works (1859) are reported.
The inside of the church features a ceiling with gypsum plasters decorated by artists from Serra San Bruno. The barrel vault is divided into three squares alternating with belts with flowers. In the center of each square there is a medallion. The vault bottom is blue, with flower decorations and white and gold spirals. Near the apsis there is the octagonal dome with a series of windows which represents one of the most significant examples of the 17th century's art in Badolato.
The high altar is made of white marble, the majolica floor features drawings of daisies. On the left wall there is an oil on canvas representing the Croce Angelica ("Angelic Cross") by Tommaso Aquinate and several works by Neapolitan and local artists. There are valuable silver objects (the chalice, the monstrance, the top of the Prior's stick) realized by Neapolitan artists.
On the apsis's outside wall there is a majolica panel (1800) representing the Immaculate Conception (created in Sqillace).
