chiesa di Santa Lucia alla Badia (Santa Lucia alla Badia)

A church and monastery at the site, attached to a female Benedictine monastery was present by the mid-15th century, putatively with the patronage or Isabella I of Castile. It was supposedly built at the site at which St Lucy was forced into prostitution. Documentation is lacking as to whether the church and monastery predates the reign of Isabelle, and may have only been refurbished by her.
The monastery and church were destroyed by the 1693 Sicily Earthquake. Originally, the façade likely was oriented on an east-west orientation, overlooking the narrow Via Picherali, but when the present church was reconstructed between 1695 and 1703 and attributed to the architect Luciano Caracciolo. The façade was transferred to face the piazza Duomo, the site of more religious celebrations. Caracciolo may have only played an initial role in the construction of the first story.
The structure of the church was heavily damaged during the Second World War, and various restorations took place in the 20th century. The tile flooring of the nave was replaced in 1970.
The flat tall façade is decorated just above the main portal with symbols of the martyred patron of Siracusa, St Lucy; these include a column, a sword, a palm, and a crown. To the sides, above two flanking niches, are the coat of arms of the Spanish monarchy during the rule of Philip V in 1705, including the symbols of the kingdoms of Leon (lion), Castilla (castle), Aragon (vertical stripes); and Sicily (eagles and stripes); the shield resembles that used by John of Austria. The entrance is flanked by two spiraling Solomonic columns. The frieze reads IN HONOREM/SANCTAE LUCIAE VIR.& MAR. SIRACUSANA.
On the second floor is an elaborate metal balcony from where the cloistered nuns could view processions and celebrations in the…