Journal Article

\A Miracle of Architecture\: The Billiemi limestone columns of the Church of San Giuseppe dei Teatini in Palermo and Domenico Fontana's method for lifting monoliths

Sutera, Domenica

2014

Overview

The Church of San Giuseppe dei Teatini in Palermo, whose construction began in 1619, is a singular structure in the context of 17th and 18th century international architecture. The unconventional formation of the vaulted basilica comprises a series of colossal monolithic columns both in the aisles and at the crossing where the dome is supported on 10m tall columns. The origin of this unique structure had several strands. The construction of the church was made possible by the discovery of a dense limestone called Billiemi at the end of the 16th century in the area around Palermo. It has aesthetic and structural qualities similar to those of marble enabling it to be used to make robust monoliths. This sparked a revolution in the design of columnar basilicas in Sicily, which reached its peak in the Church of San Giuseppe dei Teatini. The visual impression is that of a skeletal structure supported entirely by slender columns. The construction was also made possible thanks to the application of the advanced techniques for lifting monoliths, which Domenico Fontana had devised for moving the Egyptian obelisk to St Peter's Square in the Vatican in Rome, in 1586. Word of the church and its construction soon spread throughout Europe and was hailed by Giacinto Fortunio in 1655 as a \"miracle of architecture\". Drawing on a contemporary unpublished chronicle of the project, this paper presents the first in-depth historical analysis of the construction of this remarkable building which concerns the crucial role of the Billiemi limestone columns.

• Publisher: Construction History Society
• Subject: Architectural design / Architecture / Buildings / Cathedrals / City squares / Obelisks / Quarries / Religious buildings / Stone buildings / Theater design