Church of St Nicholas de Franchis

The church of San Nicolo de' Franchis is one of the oldest churches in Polizzi Generosa. It was erected at the behest of Pietro da Tolosa and was the head of a Capitanea when, at the end of the 12th century, the town was divided into six capitanee, known from 1363 onwards as quarters. The building stood beside the hospital, which existed until 1430.

In 1260 the Franciscan San Gandolfo, patron saint of Polizzi, died here. Following in the footsteps of the followers of the Poor Man of Assisi, and after carrying out his apostolate between Castelvetrano, Palermo and Termini Imerese, he reached this royal town of the Madonie, where he preached during Lent. He also carried out works of spiritual and material assistance for the poor and the sick of the hospital of San Nicolo de' Franchis, where he had taken up residence.

The church today houses a wooden statue depicting the deceased patron saint, dating from the second half of the 19th century and by an unknown artist; the holy water stoup of the early 16th century made by the Gagini workshop; and a canvas depicting the Madonna del Rifugio of the late 18th century, placed here by the members of the confraternity of the Madonna del Rifugio when the confraternity of San Gandolfo moved to the church dedicated to the saint, that is the present church of the Collegio di Maria built in 1622.