Chiesa di San Giuseppe di Paternopoli

The Church of San Giuseppe (Saint Joseph) in Paternopoli stands on Piazza Kennedy, near the town hall.

Built in 1534, it was severely damaged by the earthquake of 23 November, 1980, to the extent that the original ceiling had to be replaced by a precarious roof made of metal sheets. The religious building has a simple gabled façade with a stone doorway in the middle, bearing a Latin inscription that refers to the work done by the Brothers during its construction.

The central doorway is surmounted by a niche and a simple oculus rose window. The façade features decorative pilasters and is crossed by a design made with relief plasters. The interior has a rectangular floor plan with a single nave and is topped by wooden trusses and a pitched roof, covered with bent tiles. Inside, there is a valuable altar in polychrome marble, a hand-decorated wooden choir from the 18th century, 19th-century wooden statues, and some 18th-century paintings, among which the "Madonna with Child" is of particular importance.

Beautiful in its simplicity, the Church of San Giuseppe is a further testament to the rich artistic and religious heritage of the Paternopoli community.