Chiesa del Santissimo Crocifisso

The Church of Santissimo Crocifisso in Taranto developed from a Carmelite convent and later became an important parish in the modern Borgo.

Why it matters

The church reflects the shifting religious and civic roles of a complex that passed from convent to hospital and parish. Its history combines the legacy of earlier religious foundations with the changing institutions of modern Taranto.

What to notice

The Latin-cross interior has three aisles and a dome. Frescoes by Tommaso della Volpe recall the church's Carmelite past, while eighteenth-century canvases and a venerated wooden crucifix form part of its devotional heritage.

Context and history

A Carmelite convent was established here in 1673 on the site of an earlier Clarisse foundation. After the 1743 earthquake, the complex was adapted as a hospital run by the Fatebenefratelli. The church later acquired a parish role as Taranto expanded beyond its older urban core. The wooden crucifix is attributed variously to Fra Angelo or Fra Umile da Pietrafitta, so the precise attribution remains uncertain.