ART SINCE THE YEAR 1358 349
   During the Renaissance period a number of new churches and chapels were built at Ragusa, the majority of them quite small. The most beautiful of these is the votive church of San Salvatore, built to commemorate the earthquake of 1520. “This shock caused much spiritual benefit, for many people confessed their sins, and said prayers, and gave alms. Each Sunday the Government with all the people went in procession to implore the Divine mercy, and vowed to build a church in honour of the Saviour, on which it was decided to spend 1500 ducats. . . . For the building of it Messer Daniele di Resti, Messer Damiano di Menze, and Messer Giunio di Sorgo were appointed Prov-veditori. These nobles raised the cost to more than 2500 ducats, and the building proceeded so slowly that it was not finished for ten years.”1 It is said that noble matrons went barefoot carrying materials for the building, but the three noble Provveditori employed the masons for their own private houses as well, and this caused the delay. The façade is a simple but very beautiful specimen of Renaissance architecture, recalling that of the Lombardis’ church of the Madonna dei Mira-
1 Anonymous account of Ragusa, quoted by Gelcich, p. 76.