Angelo Italia
Angelo Italia (8 May 1628 – 5 May 1700) was an Italian Jesuit and Baroque architect, who was born in Licata and died in Palermo. He designed a number of churches in Sicily, and later worked to reconstruct three cities following the 1693 Sicily earthquake. Biography. His father was a master mason in Licata, from whom he received technical training. His first work as an architect was the construction of the Chiesa di Sant'Angelo Carmelitano in Licata, dated 1653. In November 1671 he joined the order of the Jesuits at the age of 43 and after his novitiate in  Messina in 1671–1672 he went to the Jesuit College in Palermo. The originality of his designs for the Holy Sacrament of Palermo and the Jesuit church of San Francesco da Saverio indicates that it is likely that his architectural studies had taken him to Rome, Naples and other Italian cities, and that he was familiar with the works of Francesco Borromini, Girolamo and Carlo Rainaldi and Pietro da Cortona. He saw the work of Guarino Guarini in Messina in 1672, and this influenced him in a decisive way. He may also have met Borromini in Messina, since Italia's unusual  design for the Jesuit College of Mazara del Vallo shows Borromini's influence. Between 1685 and 1692 was in the service of the powerful and cultured Carlo Carafa Branciforte, Prince of Butera, for the realisation of the Chiesa Santa Maria della Neve (Church of St. Mary of the Snow) in Mazzarino. After the devastating east Sicilian earthquake of 1693, Italia designed the cities of Avola, then Lentini, and then Noto. These three new urbanization projects establish him as the most important figure in the reconstruction. He remained in eastern Sicily until he returned to Palermo in 1700, where he died . Works. His works show several influences, and the use of the hexagonal shape is a characteristic feature of Italia's work; for example, in the Chapel of the Crucifix in the Cathedral of Monreale, the church of Palermo St. Francis Xavier, and in the street plan of Avola. His major works include: Urban development. Avola (1693). Following the 1693 earthquake, Italia was commissioned by representatives of the Duke of Terranova, feudal lord of Avola, to design the reconstruction plan for the city. Italia chose a flat area, rich in water and relatively close to the sea, a location opposed by  the viceroy, who thought it was difficult to defend, but it was nevertheless adopted. In 1694 work began on the various buildings. The urban layout combines a hexagonal shape with two lines that meet at right angles in a square. This combined symmetry and order with open spaces and broad, straight roads to minimise damage in any future earthquake. This design also comparable with that used for the reconstruction of contemporary Grammichele, and can be referred to as an ideal Renaissance City. As Vittorini wrote in 1694: The architect himself with the help of 50 workers, traced the pattern of  the new city on the ground, defining not only the streets and walls, but also the location of public buildings and private lots. Lentini (1693). As with Avola, Italia planned to reconstruct Lentini on a site some distance from the rubble of the destroyed city, but after the inhabitants asked the King (Giuseppe Lanza, Duke of Calastra) to override these plans he granted their wish and allowed them to rebuild the city on the old site. Noto (1693). Ancient Noto occupied a site on the summit of Mount Alveria, but following the earthquake it was agreed that it should be  rebuilt some 10 km away on the slopes of Mount Meti. Angelo Italia was one of those involved in the construction plan, along with Dutch military engineer Carlos de Grunenberg, mathematician Giovanni Landolina and military architect Giuseppe Formenti.