Catania

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

The Cathedral of Sant’Agata (St. Agatha) is undoubtedly one of the most important buildings in Piazza Duomo. The foundation of the first cathedral dates back to Roger I, a Norman king around the late 11th century.
From that moment onwards, the church underwent numerous modifications at the hands of the various sovereigns who ascended to the throne. But it was the catastrophe in 1693 that destroyed the old building and forced the bishop to order a new church to be built.
The work phases were long and various architects took part in the project. The first was Girolamo Palazzotto, called upon by the bishop of the city, Ignazio Riggio; in 1709 he started the works and chose to reuse structures that had remained standing, such as the three Norman apses .
In 1729, Palermo-born Pietro Galletti was appointed bishop. He decided to entrust the supervision of the work to architect Giovan Battista Vaccarini who was responsible for completing the remaining sections, including the main façade and the external side wall on Via Vittorio Emanuele.


His design for the façade was so highly criticised that he went to Rome to the Accademia di San Luca (Academy of St. Luke) to ask for approval, as did Charles of Bourbon, who asked his architects to verify the proposal.
Once Vaccarini’s design was accepted, he was able to build the façade, the lateral structure and the internal altars that had remained unfinished. The works were finally completed by Antonino Battaglia, who built the dome. In the 19th century the bell tower was built.
zoom cupola  foto del campanile

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

Discovering the mother church

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

Some prestigious works

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

The two churches

A long reconstruction

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

The wall comes to life

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

From the contrast of the exterior to the internal jubilation of colours

The Baroque town by the sea

Prominent façade

The senses tell the Mother Church of San Nicolò and of the Santissimo Salvatore

The chocolate of Modica

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

New roads for Catania

The façade used as a puppet theatre

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

Between white and black

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

A miniature city

Feast days

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

Some masterpieces

A triumph of colour

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

A small room with a golden entrance

The Staircase of Angels

Modica, a city with ancient origins

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

Freedom of worship and the role of the Catholic Church in the diffusion of Baroque

Feasting in Palazzolo

Two illustrious patron saints

The internal colours

A Nobel Prize in Modica

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giovanni Battista

The church of Carmine

A colourful floor

One city, two sites

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

Wonderful quick decorations

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

An eagle-shaped city

The senses tell the story of the staircase of Santa Maria del Monte

Many owners, one palace

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

Church of San Giuliano (St. Julian) on Via dei Crociferi: reconstruction

St. Sebastian, so much work!

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

A square as the heart of the city

A hall for the feasts

A talking palace

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

The theatre of taste

Connections with other UNESCO sites

A symbol for the town

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

A half-Baroque church

A feast only for Scicli

A new site for a new city

The city of museums

The Burgos crucifix

The senses tell the story of the Badia di Sant’Agata

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

The colours of the cathedral

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

The interior and its masterpieces

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

The role of the religious orders in rebuilding the Val di Noto

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Giuliano ai Crociferi

The senses tell the story of the church of Santa Maria del Carmelo

The disastrous earthquake

The senses tell the Benedictine Monastery and San NicoIò l’Arena

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

From International Gothic to present day

The Maiolica of the staircase

A majestic and luminous church

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

One city, three sites

A museum to save a tradition

A new site for a new church

Searching for colour

A city in colour

Limestone, the colour of harmony

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Giovanni Evangelista

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

A prominent church

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

Norman apses

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca