{"id":68196,"date":"2015-02-27T00:53:00","date_gmt":"2015-02-26T23:53:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sicile-sicilia.net\/?p=68196"},"modified":"2026-10-13T09:14:52","modified_gmt":"2026-10-13T08:14:52","slug":"militello-in-val-di-catania","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sicile-sicilia.net\/en\/militello-in-val-di-catania","title":{"rendered":"Militello in Val di Catania"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Set in the hills between the plain of Catania and the north of the Hyblaean Mountains<\/a>, the beautiful town of Militello<\/strong> is one of the eight municipalities inscribed by Unesco among the late Baroque towns of the Val di Noto<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Historical overview<\/strong><\/p>\n

The name of Militello comes from “Militum Tellus” (land of soldiers<\/em> in Latin), having according to tradition been founded by the Roman consul Marcellus, during the siege of Syracuse, in 212 BC, to escape the plague that was raging there.
The presence of the Byzantines is attested later and the town developed in the Middle Ages, as a fief of the Cammarana<\/strong> first, then of the Marquises Barresi<\/strong> and the Branciforte<\/strong>. It was with the latter, in the 16th and 17th centuries, under the rule of Prince Don Francesco Branciforte, that Militello was greatly embellished. The earthquake of 1693 destroyed almost everything, but the reconstruction in the Baroque period was a great success.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\"Militello<\/a>

Militello in Val di Catania<\/p><\/div>\n

Must-sees in Militello<\/h2>\n
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  1. Chiesa Madre di San Nicol\u00f2 \u2013 SS. Salvatore<\/strong>
    The main Baroque church of the town, with its imposing dome and its 18th-century canvases. The adjacent museum of sacred art preserves ancient liturgical furnishings.<\/li>\n
  2. Sanctuary of Santa Maria della Stella<\/strong>
    \nChurch dedicated to the patron saint of Militello, remarkable for its separate bell tower and its preserved works of art. <\/li>\n
  3. Castello Barresi-Branciforte<\/strong>
    Remains of the medieval castle with tower and bastion, integrated into the urban fabric, a testimony to the feudal history of Militello.<\/li>\n
  4. Oratorio di Maria Santissima della Catena<\/strong>
    Small Baroque building decorated with stuccoes and statues of canonized virgins, with an intimate interior that illustrates local religious art.<\/li>\n
  5. Fontana della Ninfa Zizza<\/strong>
    Monumental fountain from the early 17th century, an example of hydraulic engineering and Sicilian Baroque ornamentation. <\/li>\n
  6. Piazza Municipio<\/strong>
    The church and the former Benedictine monastery stand on this square along with 17th-century Baroque palaces equipped with carved balconies.<\/li>\n
  7. Remains of Santa Maria la Vetere<\/strong>
    On the site of the old church, one discovers a Norman tower and a Christian necropolis.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
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