Casalvecchio Siculo - Santi Pietro e Paolo d'Agrò

Sicily, the largest Mediterranean island, has a long history, that starts around 8000 BC, but later there were Phoenician, Carthaginian, Greek and Roman periods. After the Roman Empire had fallen apart the Vandals tried to take over the island but failed. Finally, the Ostrogoths took possession.

Mid of the 6th century Sicily was conquered by troops of the Byzantine Empire. After the advent of Islam, Sicily got attacked by the Arab forces. Raids seeking loot continued until the mid-8th century.

A Muslim army was sent to the island in 827 but met with much resistance. So it took a century to conquer it and even later revolts constantly occurred

In 1038 the Byzantines invaded the island supported by Norman mercenaries, led by Roger. In 1072, after the siege of Palermo, most of Sicily was under Norman control. Roger´s son Roger II raised the status +of the island to a kingdom in 1130. During this period, the Kingdom of Sicily was prosperous and powerful,

The court of Roger II became melting out of culture from Europe and the Middle East. This attracted scholars, scientists, artists, and artisans. Muslims, Jews, Greeks, Lombards, and Normans cooperated and created some extraordinary buildings.

In 1186 the last descendant of Roger, Constance of Sicily married Emperor Henry VI, the second son of Barbarossa. So the crown of Sicily was passed on to the Hohenstaufen Dynasty. Frederick II, the only son of Constance, was crowned King of Sicily at the age of four in 1198. He became "Stupor Mundi", one of the greatest and most cultured men of the Middle Ages.

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Santi Pietro e Paolo d'Agrò is located very remote and not easy to find. The church, one of the foremost examples of Norman architecture on the island, was built in 1116/1117 replacing a 6th century building destroyed in battles between Islamic and Christian rulers.

It belonged to a Greek Orthodox Basilian monastery to which Roger II transferred property to finance the reconstruction in 1116. A Greek inscription tells, that the damage caused by the earthquake of 1169 was repaired 1172 by "Gherardo il Franco".

The church is about 11 metres wide, 20 metres long and 17 metres high. It is characterised by its block-like form, but the facade is richly decorated. Inside, the church has the plan of a basilica with three aisles. Two domes rise from the central nave, one above its centre and one above the choir.

The block-like form is reminiscent of North African architecture while the floor plan is similar to the way churches were built in the Byzantine tradition.