The Chiesa del Gesù, also called Casa Professa, was the first church the Jesuits built in Sicily, begun in 1564 on a small square near the Ballarò market. Behind its plain facade almost every surface inside is covered in marmi mischi, inlaid coloured marble with floral, figurative and geometric designs. Bombs destroyed its dome in May 1943, so much of what you see today is the result of a long post-war restoration.
The Chiesa del Gesù at a glance
- Where: Piazza Casa Professa in the Albergheria quarter, a short walk from Via Maqueda and the Quattro Canti, right by the Ballarò market.
- Built: from 1564; side chapels added in 1591–1633, a new dome in the mid-17th century, and decoration continuing into the 18th century.
- By: many artists over two centuries, among them the Serpotta family (stucco), Pietro Novelli (paintings), Filippo Randazzo (frescoes) and Gioacchino Vitagliano (sculpture).
- What it is today: a working church, with a museum route that includes the crypt, the Oratorio del Sabato and the monumental sacristy.
- Time needed: 30–45 minutes for the church, more with the museum route.
The Jesuits' first church in Sicily
The Jesuits arrived in Sicily in 1549, and in Palermo they built a church and a professed house, the Casa Professa, a residence for fully professed members of the order, adapting older buildings on the site. Work on the church began in 1564. The first church was a Latin cross with three aisles; between 1591 and 1633 it was enlarged with deep side chapels, and a new dome followed in the mid-17th century. For about two centuries marble workers, stucco artists and painters kept adding to the interior until hardly a surface was left bare. The former Jesuit residence next door is the historic seat of the city library, and under the church lie early Christian catacombs.
On Sunday 9 May 1943, at 1 pm, two bombs from an Allied air raid hit the church: one struck the dome and exploded inside, the other burst on the floor of the left aisle. Around half an hour later the dome, the central vault and much of the left side collapsed. The Jesuits had already carried out the Blessed Sacrament and the relics of St Ignatius and St Francis Xavier, but most of Filippo Randazzo's 18th-century frescoes were lost and many marbles were smashed. Rebuilding took about ten years, with a new dome of reinforced concrete clad in majolica and a floor relaid in 1954 to the original design. Restoration went on for decades, and the church officially reopened in 2009.
What to look for
- The marmi mischi: panels of inlaid coloured marble on walls, pillars and altars, with flowers, figures and geometric patterns. Stand close to see how finely the pieces are cut.
- Old and new marble: some panels are originals restored after 1943, others are faithful recreations. Experts tell them apart by the different patina on the surface; see if you can spot it too.
- The surviving Randazzo fresco: in the first bay of the nave vault, signed by Filippo Randazzo in 1743. Most of the rest of the vault was repainted by Federico Spoltore in 1954–1956.
- The chapels of St Ignatius of Loyola and St Francis Xavier, the Jesuits' founder and their great missionary, both rich in sculpture groups.
- The chapel to the left of the high altar, entirely clad in marble.
- The facade: a sober late-16th-century front, with a statue of the Madonna della Grotta in a niche above the central door.
Tips for your visit
- Take your time and look closely: the inlays are best seen from a metre away, and many details sit low on the pillars and altar fronts.
- It is a working church: dress modestly, keep quiet and avoid walking around during Mass.
- Combine it with the Ballarò market next door, which is at its liveliest in the morning.
Nearby
- Ballarò market: one of Palermo's oldest street markets, a few minutes' walk away, with fish, fruit, vegetables and street food stalls.
- Quattro Canti and Piazza Pretoria: the Baroque crossroads of Via Maqueda and Via Vittorio Emanuele, with the 16th-century marble fountain just round the corner.
- Palermo Cathedral: the vast cathedral on Via Vittorio Emanuele, where Norman, Gothic and later styles meet.
- Norman Palace and Palatine Chapel: the royal palace at the top of the old town, with the 12th-century gold mosaics of the Palatine Chapel.
See Palermo with World City Trail
Our Palermo scavenger hunt turns the old town into a game you play on your phone. The route links 10 stops and takes around 2 hours, with about 34 minutes of walking. It includes the Norman Palace with the Palatine Chapel and Palermo Cathedral, both within walking distance of the Chiesa del Gesù.
If you prefer a different format, there is also a self-guided walking tour and an outdoor escape game in Palermo.
Play the Palermo scavenger hunt →
Take the self-guided walking tour of Palermo →
Play the outdoor escape game in Palermo →
Facts checked in October 2026.