Santa Maria dello Spasimo

Donat66 · CC BY-SA 4.0

Palermo, PA

Lo Spasimo is a roofless church in the heart of the Kalsa, with a Gothic nave open to the sky. It was never finished: work began in the early 16th century and was never completed.

For its altar Raphael's Lo Spasimo di Sicilia was painted, now in the Prado in Madrid. Over time the complex was a fortress, a lazaretto during the plague of 1624, a grain store, a hospice and a hospital.

Today it hosts concerts, theatre and exhibitions: it is worth going when there is an event, but even on its own it is an extraordinary space.

• Tuesday-Sunday 9:30-18:00, closed on Monday; hours may vary depending on events.
• 30-45 minutes
• Free entry; concerts and shows are paid
• Spring and autumn
• Entrance at street level; the nave is open-air.
• In summer concerts and shows are held here: check the programme. The best light is in the afternoon.