Where is the Caravaggio painting exhibited in Syracuse?
Michelangelo Merisi, better known as Caravaggio, painted "Burial of Saint Lucy" in 1608, which is certainly the most important painting in Syracuse and a must-visit attraction for tourists visiting the city. However, finding the correct location where the painting is exhibited is not always easy, especially if you rely on outdated guidebooks or websites. This is because the painting has changed its exhibition venue several times in recent years.
Initially, Caravaggio created the artwork for the main altar of the church of Santa Lucia extra moenia, located near the traditional place of martyrdom of the Saint, above the catacombs of the same name. However, in recent decades, the absence of adequate security measures and environmental conditions for the proper conservation of the painting has led to its transfer to other locations in Syracuse several times. For many years, the painting was exhibited at the Regional Gallery of Palazzo Bellomo in Ortigia. It was then transferred from its location for restoration work carried out by the central institute of restoration and a subsequent exhibition held in Rome in 2010. Upon its return to the city, it was briefly exhibited in the church for which it was painted, the Basilica of Santa Lucia. However, the lack of security and environmental control systems led to a new transfer of the "Burial of Saint Lucy". The Caravaggio artwork was then exhibited for several years in the historic center of Ortigia, in the Church of Santa Lucia alla Badia, located in the central Piazza Duomo. The exhibition venue with an optimal position has attracted many tourists in recent years to admire Caravaggio's work, and in 2019, even the temporary exhibition of another painting attributed to him. However, controversy has arisen over the years. On one hand, some criticized the removal of the painting from the church for which it was created, claiming it deprived the artwork of its original context. On the other hand, despite the importance of the work, there were criticisms of difficulties in accessing it, as Caravaggio's painting was only open to the public for a few hours a day.
In mid-2020, an additional loan of the city's most important painting ignited further controversies. Vittorio Sgarbi, director of the MART museum in Rovereto, was interested in exhibiting it in the Trentino city. The bureaucratic procedures that led to the authorization of the loan of the artwork owned by FEC (the Fund for Church Buildings, managed by the Ministry of the Interior) and the approval of the Superintendent of Cultural Heritage, the Archdiocese, and the Cultural Department, are still being verified and have been subject to journalistic investigations and ongoing legal actions to verify their correctness. At the end of the loan, the "Burial of Saint Lucia" finally returned to Syracuse and its original location.
Current Exhibition Location
Starting from December 6, 2020, the Caravaggio artwork is again on display in Syracuse at the Church of Santa Lucia extra moenia, in the homonymous Piazza Santa Lucia, located in the Borgata district, outside the historic center, on the mainland, a short distance from the Sanctuary of Madonna delle lacrime, the "Paolo Orsi" Museum, and the Archaeological Park of Neapolis. The church is commonly known as the Basilica of Saint Lucia al Sepolcro since it is located next to the octagonal temple that originally housed the remains of Saint Lucia.
As of the date of this post, visiting hours, methods, and possible entrance fees for visitors have not yet been announced. As soon as this information is provided, it will be published in the appropriate section of our website dedicated to opening hours.
Regarding the Church of Santa Lucia alla Badia, in Piazza Duomo, the church is open to the public during usual hours, but at present, the copy of the painting that was initially planned has not been installed. Nevertheless, the church remains of great interest for visitors thanks to its Baroque decorations and the sixteenth-century painting depicting Saint Lucia, created by Deodato Guinaccia, which is displayed behind the altar.
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"Photo credits: D.Mauro (Wikicommons), G.Dall'Orto (Wikicommons)
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