Sights in Catania
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Chiesa di San Nicolò all'Arena
Directly opposite Chiesa di San Giuliano is the tiny Via Gesuiti, which leads west to Piazza Dante and Sicily's largest church, the Chiesa di San Nicolò all'Arena. Commissioned in 1687, work on the building was interrupted by the earthquake of 1693 and then by problems with its size - it is 105m long, 48m wide and its cupola is 62m high. The church was never completed. It has a terribly ugly façade, a stark contrast to the rich embellishments that adorn the city's other baroque structures. Directly behind the church and part of the same complex is the massive Benedictine Monastero di San Nicolò all'Arena, built in 1703 and now part of the city's university. It is the seco…
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Fontana dell'Elefante
In the centre of the piazza is the city's most memorable monument, the smiling Fontana dell'Elefante (Fountain of the Elephant; 1736). This comical statue is composed of a naive elephant, dating from the Roman period, surmounted by an improbable Egyptian obelisk. The elephant, with its upturned trunk, is known locally as Liotru and is the symbol of the city.
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Odeon
Catania also has a number of Roman remains dotted throughout the city. West along Via Vittorio Emanuele II is the Roman theatre and a small rehearsal theatre, the Odeon, both closed for restoration at the time of research. North of Piazza del Duomo, more leftovers from Roman days include a modest Roman amphitheatre on Piazza Stesicoro. For relief from the madding crowd, continue north along Via Etnea to the lovely gardens of Villa Bellini with its views of Mt Etna.
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Roman Amphitheatre
The western side of the large and modern Piazza Stesicoro is dominated by the sunken remains of the Roman amphitheatre. It doesn't look like much today, but in around the 2nd century BC it could seat up to 16,000 spectators and was second in size only to the Colosseum in Rome. What you see from the street is only a part of the once-massive structure, which extended as far south as Via Penninello. You can explore part of the vaults and get an idea of the true size of the theatre from a diagram.
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Chiesa di San Giuliano
The Chiesa di San Giuliano (1738-51), designed by Vaccarini, is about halfway up Via Crociferì. The convex central façade makes for an interesting effect. Further on you'll notice the excavations that have resulted in the whole street being closed off to traffic: here, at the crossroads with Via Antonino di Sangiuliano, a section of the old Roman road and a sizable floor mosaic have been uncovered. You can peer over the boarding to take a look.
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Castello Ursino
If you walk south from Piazza del Duomo, through the impressive Porta Uzeda (built in 1696) and down to Piazza Federico di Svevia, you'll come across the imposing fortifications of the 13th-century Castello Ursino, built by Frederick II. The grim-looking fortress, surrounded by a moat, was once on a cliff top overlooking the sea; following the earthquake of 1693 the whole area to the south was reclaimed by the lava and the castle became landlocked.
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Cathedral
Facing the statue is Catania’s other defence against Mt Etna, St Agata’s cathedral, with its impressive marble facade. Inside the cool, vaulted interior lie the remains of the city’s patron saint, the young virgin Agata, who resisted the advances of the nefarious Quintian (AD 250) and was horribly mutilated. The saint’s jewel-drenched effigy is ecstatically venerated on 5 February in one of Sicily’s largest feste.
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Le Ciminiere
Le Ciminiere is a renovated sulphur refinery building. The renovation involved transforming the refineries into a cultural centre while preserving their original character - a bit like the Tate Modern in London. It houses a collection of modern art and a permanent exhibition of WWII memorabilia, art and photography. Enquire at the tourist office about temporary exhibitions and cultural events, or pick up the Lapis leaflet.
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Piazza dell'Università
Via Etnea runs from Piazza del Duomo right up through the city and into the foothills of Mt Etna. It is a bright street with lots of shops and cafés, and at its heart is Piazza dell'Università. Facing each other on the square are two buildings designed by Vaccarini - the Palazzo dell'Università to the west and the Palazzo Sangiuliano to the east. The former is the city's university.
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Arco di San Benedetto
The Arco di San Benedetto is an arch built by the Benedictines in 1704. According to legend, it was built in one night to defy a city ordnance against its construction on the grounds that it was a seismic liability. On the left past the arch is the imposing Chiesa di San Benedetto, built between 1704 and 1713. Inside is some splendid stucco and marble work.
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Museo Civico
Catania’s Museo Civico is housed in the grim-looking Castello Ursino. The museum is the repository of the valuable Biscari archaeological collection, an extensive exhibition of paintings, vases and sculpture, plus an impressive coin collection.
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Sant'Agata al Carcere
A small walk away from Piazza Stesicoro you will find the church of Sant'Agata al Carcere, built above the dungeons where the saint was imprisoned and tortured. You can ask the custodian for permission to take a peak at the gloomy prison cell below the church.
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Piazza del Duomo
The central square of Catania, Piazza del Duomo, is a World Heritage site. Surrounded by magnificent, sinuous buildings, the piazza is a sumptuous example of Catania's own style of baroque with its contrasting lava and limestone.
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Fontana dell'Amenano
The Fontana dell'Amenano at the entrance of the Piazza del Duomo food market is Tito Angelini's commemoration of the River Amenano, which once ran overground and on whose banks the Greeks founded the city of Katane.
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Teatro Massimo Bellini
The Teatro Massimo Bellini is named after the composer Vincenzo Bellini, the father of Catania’s vibrant modern musical scene.
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Museo Belliniano
Museo Belliniano houses a collection of memorabilia from the composer’s life.
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