The church of Santa Chiara is located in Corso Vittorio Emanuele, next to the former Benedictine monastery of the Holy Crucifix.The church was designed by Rosario Gagliardi around 1730, it was completed in 1758 and later annexed to the monastery belonged the Benedictine nuns (which is now a museum).
It represents an important example of baroque architecture.The façade of the church was originally located in Corso Vittorio Emanuele. It had a portal surmounted by a broken vault, while at the centre there was a window with a large circular gable decorated with battlements. In the 19th century, as a result of previous excavation works, the church’s entrance turned to be above the street level, which practically obstructed the access to the worship place. The same thing happened to the portal of the monastery (now walled but easily detectable by lavish baroque battlements and pyramidal pinnacles which are still visible).The current façade, located in via Capponi, has the main entrance located on a small staircase.
Among the many artworks inside the church, there is an altarpiece depicting Santa Chiara, San Benedetto and Santa Scolastica, made by Salvatore Lo Forte in 1854 and a 16th century marble-made sculpture of the Virgin and the Child, attributed to Antonello Gagin.
References:The Walls of Constantinople are a series of defensive stone walls that have surrounded and protected the city of Constantinople (today Istanbul) since its founding as the new capital of the Roman Empire by Constantine the Great. With numerous additions and modifications during their history, they were the last great fortification system of antiquity, and one of the most complex and elaborate systems ever built. They were also the largest and strongest fortification in both the ancient and medieval world.
Initially built by Constantine the Great, the walls surrounded the new city on all sides, protecting it against attack from both sea and land. As the city grew, the famous double line of the Theodosian Walls was built in the 5th century. Although the other sections of the walls were less elaborate, they were, when well-manned, almost impregnable for any medieval besieger.