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Visit Catania
The historical town of Catania is situated on the east coast of Sicily, lying between Messina and Syracuse. It is an active port town and the second largest city in Sicily, Italy.
Catania history
About a decade after founding Giardini Naxos, in the second half of the eighth century BC, the Chalcidians of Euboea founded the colonies of Leontini (now Lentini) and Catana (today Catania), under the guidance of Evarchus, using locations already inhabited by the Sicilians. In subsequent centuries, Catania was subject to Hiero ('-466 B.C.) of Syracuse who made slaves of the inhabitantsand changed the name of the town to Etna. The Chalcidians managed to return to the city, which then fell again in 403 BC into the hands of Dionysius, the tyrant of Syracuse. When conquered by the Romans ( in 239 B.C.) Catania was largely autonomous and became one of the most important ports in Sicily for the export of wheat, because the lava land was the most fertile area of Sicily.
In the middle agaes Catania suffered many barbarian invasions (including the Vandals and Goths), before passing to the Byzantines (6th century) and Arabs (9th century). In 1071 it was conquered by the Normans who strengthened its defences, as demonstrated by the Cathedral. In Norman times the Benedictines settled in the area, but the city had a deep economic crisis and also suffered catastrophic natural events such as an earthquake in 1161. The city was greatly strengthened under Frederick II of Swabia (1194-1250), who built the Ursino Castle in proximity of the sea. A significant development of both civil and religious buildings occurred in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, under the rule of the Angevin, Aragonese (1268-1411), Spaniards (XVI-XVIII century) and the Austrians (1720-1734), followed by Sicly becoming part of Italy with the Unification of Italy in 1860.
Visit Catania
The site of ancient Catana shows the ruins of the oldest theatre, behind a natural slope (later rebuilt by the Romans), the ruins of a necropolis, and some traces of ancient masonry. Of more interest is undoubtedly a beautiful series of coins through which it is possible to reconstruct some important moments in the history of the city.
A visit to Catania can start from Piazza del Duomo in the centre of which stands the monumental Elephant Fountain (1736) by Giovan Battista Vaccarini, who, in constructing it, used various finds of the city, like a lava elephant of Roman times and an obelisk from Syene which presents some hieroglyphics pertaining to the worship of the goddess Isis. The work is structurally very well organized; at the base of the fountain you see the statues representing the Catania Rivers (the Simeto and Amenano); above is the elephant, bearing the obelisk.
Close by is Catania Cathedral, built in the mid-eleventh century by Duke Ruggiero (1031 c.-1101); of the ancient Norman building the transept and three circular apses remain while the structure shows that the church was fortified. The façade is by Vaccarini. The interior is artistically decorated with low reliefs by Giovanni Battista Mazzolo (active in the XVI century) depicting scenes from the life of Virgin and a statue of the Madonna; also there is the tomb of Constance of Aragon (1343-1363) and next to it there is a Roman sarcophagus from the third century AD which contains the remains in several boxes of Frederick II of Aragon (1272-1337). In the right apse is the chapel of St. Agatha and in the Treasure of St. Agatha is a bust of the Saint by Giovanni di Bartolo (1430 c.-1495). The Cathedral Treasury contains much silver-ware including the Treasure Coffer, where they keep the remains of the martyr woman of the third century AD - it is a rectangular box, lined with velvet and out with silver leaves, with figures of saints in relief. Also interesting is the sacristy, which has a marble bath attributed to Antonello Gagini (1478-1536), to whom the decoration of a door in the cathedral is also attributes.
Next to it, there are the remains of the famous thermal baths of Achillea Thermae - (or 'Dionysia' for its close proximity to a temple of Bacchus), which, according to some historians, are even earlier than those of Diocletian in Rome. These baths were separated into seven parts (the 'Apodyterium', or 'dressing-room', the 'ephebeum', a gym for gymnastics, the 'conisterium' to dry out the sweat; the 'frigidarium' and 'caldarium', the places of rest before the bath; the 'Eleutherium', a place where they keep the oils and then the 'laconic', where they went to sweat).
Among the civic monuments, note the Zappala Palace and Palace of the Doctor from the eighteenth century. Behind the Cathedral there is the Church of San Placido, the façade of which is a work of Stephen Ittar (1724-1790), and Biscari Palace (XVII century). Along the Via dei Crociferi you can admire the Church of St. Francis Borgia, rebuilt after the earthquake of 1693, which also contains a section on archaeological finds from the city. Especially note the Benedictine Monastery (over 5000 square metres). In the church choir you can see 18th century sculptures by Nicholas Bagnasco depicting stories from the Old Testament. Here the Benedictine Fathers have also set up a valuable archaeological museum containing ancient pottery, Etruscan and Greek-Sicilian vases, inlays, low reliefs depicting mythological scenes ('Andromeda', 'Hercules on Mount Eta'). Many paintings, today at the Ursino Museum, belonged to this valuable collection of the Benedictines.
Continuing through Catania, after University Square, which contains numerous 18th century buildings (Sangiuliano, St. Demetrios and Manganelli Palaces and the Church of San Michele Arcangelo) you arrive at Piazza Stesicoro and the impressive Augustan Roman amphitheatre appointed for the battles of the gladiators: of elliptical shape; it was equipped with about 60 doors, with an inner perimeter of about 193 metres and it could hold over 15,000 spectators. Inside, some aqueducts have been discovered that brought water to the arena to perform naval battles among the gladiators. Much of the structure wad destroyed by the earthquake of 1693.
In Corso Vittorio Emanuele II admire the Roman Theatre - larger than those of Siracusa, Taormina, Segesta and able to accommodate more than 7,000 spectators. This is an extraordinary work of art for the stucco plasters, decorations, arcades, low-reliefs. Behind the theatre, there is the Odeon for musical performances, circular in shape which could hold more than 1000 spectators; in general here, they tested the concertos to be performed in the theatre. Along Via Zappala-Gemelli you reach the late Baroque style Church of Santa Maria of Indirizzo (first half of the 18th century).
Catania Municipal Museum
The interesting Municipal Museum is based in the 13th century Ursino Castle, with two massive round towers (one called the Flag and the other the Martorio, because it was used as place for tortures). The other side towers were called the Sala and the Storehouse. It is a colossal work, with walls 3 metres thick, 30 metres high and more than 60 metres long. The museum holds artefacts of great historical value: in the Room I you can see some remains of the ancient Roman theatre, in the Room III, there are sculptures of the Hellenistic and Roman times, such as the 'Torso of Hercules' of the fourth century B.C. and a Hellenistic relief depicting a 'Polifemo blinded by Odysseus'; in the Room IV stands out an 'ephebic head', an Attic sculpture of the sixth century B.C., also a 'head of Jupiter Hammon' of the fifth century B.C., a torso of Dionysus and a 'head of Meleager' a copy of a Roman statue of Skopas.
In the Room X are statues from Medieval and Renaissance Ages, with several sculptures by Tino da Camaino (1280 c.-1337 c.). For paintings in Catania Museum visit Room XX for some works of the Byzantine period, such as the 'Madonna and Child' by Antonello de Saliba (1466-1535) and a powerful 'San Cristoforo', with a heavy club in his left hand, a work by Pietro Novelli (1603-1647) (both works belong to the Museum of the Benedictines). In Room XXI there are beautiful bronzes by Andrea Riccio (1470 c.-1532), Jean de Boulogne, called 'Giambologna' (1529-1608) and the 'Last Supper' by Louis de Morales (1509-1586). Also interesting is the collection of coins, which includes very rare pieces such as those of type Isis, referring to ancient Egyptian cults transplanted into Catania in IV-III century B.C., apparently the result, according to scholars, of trade relationships rooted in Catania especially with Ptolemaic Egypt under Hiero II.
Places to visit near Catania
People who love to immerse themselves in nature will enjoy hiking around Catania and its territory, rich in monuments and new discoveries from recent excavations. The natural environment offers tourists a relaxing and interesting visit, with the possibility of fascinating experiences such as fishing alongside expert fishermen.
Local cuisine
In numerous villages (Ognina, Acicastello, Acitrezza and Timpa di Acireale), and villas in the countryside, now converted into restaurants with typical cuisine of the place or the many 'agro-tourisms' that have arisen in the shadow of Etna, you can enjoy some pasta dishes like 'spaghetti alla Norma', in honor of Vincenzo Bellini (Catania, 1801-1835) and various fresh seafood specialties (eg squids and stuffed swordfish rolls) also 'marinated wild boar', 'sweet and sour rabbit', 'mushrooms of Etna', pistachios from Bronte, and the famous local lemon cake, accompanied by the Wine of Etna; and, after lunch, it is almost an obligation to eat ice cream because it is in Catania that you will find the best ice cream in Sicily.
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