//
Chiesa del Conventazzu e fortificazioni greche
It was dedicated to San Michele. It was annexed to the hermitage which housed the Augustinian friars until their transfer to the city (17th century). The ruins that can be seen are from the 16th century. The monastic complex was set on the remains of a Greek fortification, still visible.
© OpenStreetMap contributors
Church of San Giovanni Battista or the Badìa
Of medieval foundation, the Benedictine convent complex of San Giovanni Battista was gifted around 1470 by Countess Eleonora Speciale, widow of Baron Blasco II Barresi di Militello, daughter of the Viceroy of Sicily Niccolò Speciale and Beatrice Landolina who retired here in later years of his life. Damaged by the earthquake of 1693 and subsequently restored, it still retains some of the original structures, such as a beautiful Renaissance-style portal. Like all the other monasteries in Sicily, it suffered the effects of the subversive laws of 1866 which transferred ownership of the building to the Italian state. Subsequently the monastery was sold to private individuals who obtained homes from it, while the church was redeemed and transferred to the Parish of Santa Maria della Stella. The single nave is embellished with a beautiful eighteenth-century floor in Calatina majolica with a serial design and has a total of three altars, in addition to the nuns' choir in the choir loft. In the high altar there is an eighteenth-century statue of St. John the Baptist, once protected by a canvas depicting the Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan (now in Santa Maria della Stella). The other two altars instead exhibited two beautiful canvases by Alessandro Comparetto depicting respectively the Nativity of San Giovanni (1631) and the Beheading of San Giovanni (1634). For safety reasons, the canvases, together with other sacred furnishings (including a 15th-century pyx and a frontal in gold thread), are now kept in the Treasury of Santa Maria della Stella.
Chiesa del Purgatorio
Dedicated to Saints Vitus and Gregory the Great, but better known as the Purgatory, it was built in 1613 to replace the old church of San Vito, located elsewhere and now in ruins. The elegant intaglio prospectus of 1690 is due to the Militellese master builder Giacomo Barone. Partially damaged by the earthquake of 1693, it was immediately repaired. With a single nave and three altars in all, it is decorated inside with valuable and sumptuous polychrome stuccos with allegorical figures and has a grandiose high altar with steps in gilded wood with zecchino, surmounted by a small throne for the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament.
Chiesa confraternale degli Angeli Custodi
Known by the Militellesi simply as the Angel, it was built in 1639 on the initiative of some priests of the city, zealous in works of charity, on the site where a church dedicated to the Archangel Michael had already stood since the 13th century. The old hospital run by the Compagnia dei Bianchi was annexed to the latter (hospital perhaps was built by the Knights Templar). After the hospital was transferred to another place and the Company ceased to take care of the church, in 1657 it became the seat of the new Congregation of Maria Santissima degli Agonizzanti, still active, which had the purpose of offering comfort to the dying and a worthy burial to the needy. Restored following the 1693 earthquake, the building has valuable rococo style stuccos and a splendid Caltagirone ceramic floor from 1768 (in 2000 some majolica tiles from the floor were stolen). The church also has two canvases depicting the Archangels Michael and Raphael and a positive organ from the early 18th century, now transferred to Santa Maria della Stella for safety reasons.
It is a splendid noble residence dating back to 1717. Outside it offers a magnificent balcony supported by richly carved shelves with masks. Inside it has numerous rooms, including a courtyard with a cistern and a garden. It belonged to the ancient Militellese family of the Iatrini who saw in many of its illustrious jurists and religious exponents, such as Mons. Alfio Iatrini, prior of the cathedral of Catania and Mons. Can. Iatrini Dr. Francesco, Supernumerary Secret Waiter of His Holiness and Vicar Forane of Militello. The last exponent of the family, in 1995, donated the entire building to the Sanctuary of S. Maria della Stella.
Fontana della Ninfa Zizza
It was built in 1607 in the southern courtyard of the castle to celebrate the construction of the first aqueduct of Militello, commissioned by Prince Francesco Branciforte. Mannerist in shape with an octagonal basin, in which one could admire the precious marble bas-relief depicting the Ninfa Zizza by Giandomenico Gagini. The original bas-relief, for the purpose of its greater protection, has been replaced by a plaster copy.