The Carlo al Corso church replaced an earlier church. This church likely designed by Rosario Gagliardi, was part of the town reconstruction after the 1693 Sicily earthquake.
The concave façade has three superimposed orders of columns, identified by their capitals from base to roofline as Doric, Ionic and Corinthian; in the progression expected in classical construction. The third story has floral oculus. The interior has a longitudinal layout with a barrel vault sustained by pilasters. The main altar was rescued from the prior church.
Inside the church, the 18th-century altarpieces display a Sacrifice of Isaac; a Flight into Egypt; a Deposition; San Carlo Borromeo ministering to those ill with the plague; a Virgin and Child with saints; Biblical Scene; St Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Jesuit order; and wood icon of St Aloyitius Gonzaga, another Jesuit saint. The main altar is flanked by marble statues symbolizing Faith and Hope respectively, sculpted by Giuseppe Giuliano. The nave ceiling is frescoed by Costantino Carasi, depicting the Transfiguration and the Healing of the Paralytic, with a central panel depicting the Triumph of the Agnus Dei. The spandrels that support the dome are frescoed with the evangelists, and just below are four allegorical statues depicting the respective cardinal virtues.
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.