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Description

The church of St. Anthony, also known as Church of St. Sebastian, grows mainly in height, to compensate for the confined space of the winding alleys of the medieval Forio where it stands. It stands in the narrow road that it took its name for the height and the neo-classical facade in soft pink. The table has two rows of pilasters divided by stringcourses. Upstairs Ionic pilasters framing three scores, in the central one opens a window, at which rises above the triangular pediment that crowns the facade and the entrance portal at the bottom. On the left side there is the pointed bell tower, set back of the facade. The building has a central plan of a Greek cross with Corinthian pillars and a large dome decorated with sunken panels. The masonry is of tufa stone.

Historical Info

D’Ascia (1867) writes that Giacinto Colantonio, following a vow made, bought in 1321 for 60 ducats a fund in the district "Tuocco" and built a chapel dedicated to "SS. Name of Mary and St. Anthony". After the disastrous eruption of the Arso in 1301, across the island were built many churches consecrated to the saint, protector against fire. Di Lustro (1971), according to some historical documents of the historical administration archives of the University of Forio, has formulated a new hypothesis on the foundation of the church that dates back to the eighteenth century and was founded not in 1321 as reported by D’Ascia, but between 1700 and 1710. A son of the founder, Vito Colantonio, it is still alive in 1777 and expects the sale of his rights by the University of the church, as shown by the records of a public parliament on January 14 of that year. Already in 1770 the parish was transferred to this church, four years before the date reported by D’Ascia. The building has undergone several operations during the nineteenth century. In 1825, the small original structure was enlarged and furnished at the expense of the City, assuming its present size, the renovation and landscaping was completed in 1850. In 1883 he was again restored to repair damage caused by the earthquake. D’Ascia finds another explanation of the other name of the church: S. Sebastiano. In 1750, during the extension work of the parish of St. Sebastiano, which no longer exists, the priest was transferred to St. Maria di Loreto, following the suspension of construction of the temple, in 1770 (1774 according to D'Ascia) the priest came to St. Anthony has since became the parish church of St. Sebastiano.

Ischia churches map