In Modica, the Duomo di San Pietro plays second fiddle only to the Cattedrale di San Giorgio. The original 14th-century church was damaged in the earthquake of 1693, leading to its reconstruction in 1697. Construction continued way into the 19th century; the rippling staircase, lined with life-sized statues of the Apostles, was only completed in 1876.
Inside, the marble and pitchstone floor also dates from the 19th century. Above it, the vault is adorned with scenes from the Old Testament, executed by Gian Battista and Stefano Ragazzi in the late 18th-century. The right side of the nave harbours a 15th-century marble statue of the Madonna di Trapani and a group of late 19th-century wooden statues representing San Pietro e il Paralitico (St Peter and the Paralysed Man), the latter by sculptor Benedetto Civiletti. Also noteworthy are the pair of 17th-century paintings in the first chapel on the left side of the nave, one depicting Christ handing St Peter the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven, the other depicting St Joseph's passing.
