We were on a guided tour in Ragusa and visited this beautiful baroque church. The cathedral appears in the opening credits of the Italian TV series Inspector Montalbano, and it also features in some episodes, as does the similarly named cathedral of Modica. I am a fan of Inspector Montalbano, so it was nice to visit his ”church”. Before the earthquake of 1693, the Church of San Giorgio stood in the eastern part of Ragusa Ibla, near the Hyblean Garden. Today, the only thing left from the ancient church, demolished in 1718, is the Portal of San Giorgio.After the earthquake of 1693, which destroyed almost entirely the historical center of the town, it was decided to built a new church dedicated to Saint George on the place of the ancient Church of San Nicola.However, the building of Ragusa Superiore – the modern part of the city, developed faster, and the Cathedral of San Giovanni Battista, erected in 1694, became the main Catholic church of Ragusa, to the discontent of the inhabitants of Ragusa Ibla.