Casalvecchio - Santi Pietro e Paolo 


Level with the town, on the left north bank of the Agró, in the middle of lonely countryside, stands the Church of Santi Pietro e Paolo. It formed part of a Greek Orthodox monastery and was probably built in 1116 under Roger II and restored in 1172 under William II. It is a closed block structure with polychrome exterior walls (red brick, golden-brown limestone and black lava). There are battlements along the top of the rectangular building.
Interior
Despite its extended ground plan the undecorated interior is not a basilica in the sense that the word is used in the "Latin" world. Instead it follows the Byzantine East Christian tradition of a narthex between two staircase towers (only half preserved), a central area with the ground plan of a Greek cross and a chancel in three parts. There is a large dome over the central area, a smaller one over the chancel. As a whole the church is considered the most important of several Greek churches along the east coast in the province of Messina (others at Itàla and Mili).
Interior
Despite its extended ground plan the undecorated interior is not a basilica in the sense that the word is used in the "Latin" world. Instead it follows the Byzantine East Christian tradition of a narthex between two staircase towers (only half preserved), a central area with the ground plan of a Greek cross and a chancel in three parts. There is a large dome over the central area, a smaller one over the chancel. As a whole the church is considered the most important of several Greek churches along the east coast in the province of Messina (others at Itàla and Mili).
Hobbies & Activities category: Christian sites
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