Chiesa di San Giuseppe (Church of Saint Joseph), Taormina

Next to the celebrated Clock Tower (Torre dell'Orologio) on April 9th Square (Piazza IX Aprile) is the Baroque 17th-century Church of Saint Joseph (San Giuseppe). It was built as a center for the Confraternity of Souls in Purgatory. On the facade and inside the church, there are many inscriptions, bas reliefs, mottos, motifs, and allegorical shapes.

Since 1919, the church has been given to the Salesian Order. The Order has left even more sculptures and frescoes. In 2015 the building was found to be in a state of collapse, and it closed for restoration. The restoration works were completed, and the church was open once more.

An elegant double staircase leads up to the church entrance. The stairs and porch are enclosed in a stone balustrade. On the main facade, the large central portal grants access to the church. There are two smaller side portals. The right doorway leads to the Sacristy. The left leads to a recreation space, often a venue for exhibitions.

Above the central doorway, a niche holds an impressive marble statue of Christ the King. Inside, the main altar is of polychrome Taormina marble. The dome, over the tabernacle, is supported by marble columns. On the side walls are frescoes of the prophets and scenes from the Gospels.