Convent of the Carmine

The work almost certainly dates back to the 13th - 14th century by the mendicant orders of Marsala, and then latterly entrusted to the care of the friars from Mount Carmel in Palestine. Subsequently, the structure takes on great importance for the history of Marsala, so much so that one of the four districts of the city was designated: the Annunziata district.

The structure has undergone many transformations since the 17th century.  Its original dimensions have onwards changed.  Inside of it was rich in works of art, such as the graves of the Grignani, and after were preserved in the Mother Church following the collapse of its roof.  In the 90s, the Convent was restored and used as a museum, while the church houses its Municipal Archives.

Inside, the convent houses the Exhibition of Contemporary Painting (Municipal Art Gallery) with a permanent collection of over 750 works of national and international prestige.  The Pinacoteca was inaugurated in 1988, and plays an important role in cultural promotion by hosting exhibitions dedicated to contemporary Italian and foreign artists.

Last but not least, you can admire the bell tower of the church built in the sixteenth century.  It was rebuilt in its present form in the eighteenth century after its collapse, now preserving its original layout and ancient proportions. The bell tower is built on an octagonal base with a helical staircase in yellow tuff and has a special architectural and compositional character considered one of the wonders of our Sicily.