Santa Teleucania Auditorium
Details
The Church of the Most Holy Annunciation, built outside the city walls, does not have a known exact construction date, but it was certainly completed by May 4, 1670, when the first Mass was celebrated. In later years, it became better known as the Church of Santa Teleucania, after it housed the saint’s body from 1836. The saint became an object of local veneration and was displayed to the faithful only on her feast day (September 4).
As the religious devotion waned, the church fell into disuse and disrepair. In 1997, the Municipality, owner of the property, decided—after its deconsecration—to promote its reuse for socio-cultural purposes, such as conferences, concerts, and exhibitions. The area previously dedicated to worship was converted into an Auditorium–Conference Hall, while the rooms below were set up as an Exhibition Center.
Inside, the church houses an altarpiece depicting the Annunciation with Saint Joseph and Saint Anthony of Padua (18th century) and two other paintings: Visitation (17th century) and Saint John the Baptist and Saint Anthony (18th century), all by unknown artists.