The interesting historic centre of Catania is marked by Baroque architecture, part of which has been inscribed, along with seven other towns of the Val di Noto, as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Catania preserves traces of most of the cultures that succeeded one another there, including the Ostrogoths, the Arabs, the Normans, the Swabians, […]
Tag: Catania
In the heart of Catania, the Piazza Duomo is the starting point for a tour of the city. The present square is the result of the reconstruction that followed the disastrous earthquake of 1693. It was redesigned by Giovanni Battista Vaccarini around 1730 and is considered a model of Sicilian Baroque urban composition, with a […]
Beyond this article dedicated to the churches of the city, also discover the main religious buildings with the articles on the Piazza Duomo and its Catania Cathedral, the one on the Benedictine monastery with the church of San Nicolo, as well as those on Via Etnea and Via Crociferi, where in this latter street several […]
The Via Crociferi is called the “street of churches”, a monumental and emblematic street of Catania, very dense with Baroque architecture, not to be missed during a visit to the city. In fact, over less than 200 metres, four churches follow one another along with three monasteries, Baroque monuments built after the 1693 earthquake, including […]
The ancient remains of Catania bear witness to the importance of the city during the Greek and Roman periods, when the ancient Càtina (or Càtana) occupied a strategic position on the eastern coast of Sicily. Founded by Greek colonists from Naxos in the 8th century BC, it came under Roman rule in 263 BC, then […]
The Via Etnea is the main shopping street in the centre of Catania, a very long street lined with shops, ice cream parlours, palaces and churches, and crossing several beautiful squares of the city. About 3 km long, it links Piazza Duomo to the green space of Parco Gioeni, with the botanical garden halfway along, […]
Beyond this page dedicated to the most remarkable palaces in Catania, you can also find in the article dedicated to Via Etnea (Palazzo dell’Università, etc.) other interesting buildings that can be discovered along this street and in the squares it crosses. Palazzo Biscari in Catania A few steps east of Piazza Duomo, Palazzo Biscari (Via […]
Bellini Theatre Located towards the north-east of Piazza Duomo, on the square of the same name, the Bellini Theatre (Teatro Massimo Vincenzo Bellini officially in Italian) is the most important in Catania, dedicated to the famous composer born in the city, inaugurated on 31 May 1890 with the performance of Norma by Bellini. It is […]
The Ursino Castle of Catania was built between 1239 and 1250 on the orders of Frederick II of Swabia by Riccardo da Lentini, his master builder. Since 1934, it has housed municipal collections, including archaeological, Greco-Roman, medieval, Renaissance and modern sections, an interesting picture gallery, with in particular the collections of the Princes of Biscari […]
About 850 metres west of Piazza Duomo, Piazza Dante sits in front of a large Benedictine monastery, which was originally intended to be even larger, with four cloisters and a majestic church. In the end, two large cloisters were built and the church remained unfinished, including the “Chiostro di marmo” (marble cloister) and a second, […]
List of the main museums of Catania, including palaces, religious and archaeological sites. Municipal Museum of Castello Ursino (overview) The Castello Ursino, built between 1239 and 1250 under Frederick II, today houses the Museo Civico Castello Ursino. This museum displays collections of archaeology (Greek, Roman, and medieval objects) as well as medieval and modern works […]
Porta Garibaldi in Catania In the south-west of Catania’s centre, more than a kilometre from Piazza Duomo, the Porta Garibaldi was built in 1768 by the architect Stefano Ittar at the end of Via Garibaldi, as a wedding gift from the “people of Catania” to the union between Caroline of Austria and King Ferdinand IV.→ […]
Lava flows have periodically covered entire districts of Catania, burying much of the city’s past, which will remain largely hidden forever. However, you can discover remains in several places around the city, among the underground areas, such as ancient remnants, caves or crypts. Underground sites in Catania Several ancient Roman baths can be discovered in […]
Feast of Saint Agatha in Catania The main festival of Catania is that of Saint Agatha, which lasts three days. After a month of preparation, it takes place on 3, 4 and 5 February, three days devoted to the worship of the city’s patron saint and to folklore.It is one of the most popular religious […]