Chiesa parrocchiale di San Michele Arcangelo

The Parish Church of San Michele Arcangelo in Baranello was rebuilt after the 1805 earthquake and is an important neoclassical landmark in the village.

Why it matters

The church preserves the story of Baranello's recovery after a devastating earthquake and the role of Giuseppe Zurlo, a native of the town who helped support its reconstruction.

What to notice

The facade is framed by four Tuscan columns and a triangular pediment. Inside, paired columns divide three naves, and a cupola rises over the presbytery. Paintings donated by Giuseppe Zurlo and his circle form part of the church's artistic collection.

Context and history

A church stood on the site by the twelfth century, and a parish building was documented after 1520. The earthquake of 26 July 1805 destroyed it. Giuseppe and Biase Zurlo supported reconstruction under engineer Berardino Musenga in the early nineteenth century, and Giuseppe Zurlo donated paintings to the rebuilt church.