{"id":68099,"date":"2015-01-16T12:57:33","date_gmt":"2015-01-16T11:57:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sicile-sicilia.net\/?p=68099"},"modified":"2026-10-13T08:08:38","modified_gmt":"2026-10-13T07:08:38","slug":"benedictine-monastery-and-san-nicolo-of-catania","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sicile-sicilia.net\/en\/benedictine-monastery-and-san-nicolo-of-catania","title":{"rendered":"Benedictine Monastery and San Nicol\u00f2 of Catania"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

About 850 metres west of Piazza Duomo, Piazza Dante<\/strong> sits in front of a large Benedictine monastery<\/b>, 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, later cloister.
Dedicated to Saint Nicholas of the Arena<\/strong> (San Nicol\u00f2 l’Arena), it is one of the largest Benedictine complexes in Europe and also a jewel of Sicilian Baroque. It is considered the second-largest Benedictine monastery in Europe after the one in Mafra, Portugal.
The complex is part of the UNESCO World Heritage site “Citt\u00e0 tardo barocche del Val di Noto”.<\/p>\n

Saint Nicholas of the Arena in Catania<\/h2>\n

The large church of San Nicol\u00f2 l’Arena<\/strong> (Saint Nicholas of the Arena<\/em>), inspired by Roman models, was begun in 1687 and construction resumed after the 1693 earthquake, with several architects working on it, including Francesco Battaglia and Stefano Ittar, who built the dome reaching 66 metres in height.  
The fa\u00e7ade remains unfinished, due to technical and financial difficulties. Thus, the columns are interrupted halfway up, and the planned pediment was never added.
The interior, with its three naves, reaches a length of 105 metres, with naves 48 metres wide and the transept 71 metres.
At the centre of the chancel is the great high altar surrounded by a carved wooden choir. There is also a famous monumental organ, an 18th-century carved wooden choir, and the great meridian line of 1841, 39 metres long.<\/p>\n\n\n