Catania

The disastrous earthquake

The city of Catania is located in eastern Sicily, overlooking the Ionian Sea, and lies on the slopes of Mount Etna.
veduta EtnaThe people of Catania are deeply attached to the volcano, a symbol of the city, but it is also the cause of immense disasters such as the eruption in 1669.
In 1693, a violent earthquake struck Catania and destroyed it completely; only the walls, fortifications and some ancient buildings survived. The people of Catania then had two options: abandon the old city forever, or focus their energies on rebuilding it on the same site.
Given its strategic position for trade between the coast and further inland, they decided not to change location and so began an extraordinary rebirth.
All state, religious and secular authorities participated in the reconstruction, demonstrating remarkable organisational capacity.
Under the supervision of the Duke of Camastra , a reconstruction and restructuring plan was implemented, which still forms the urban fabric of Catania today. The current Piazza Duomo was recognised as the central point around which the new main roads were designed.

The colours of the cathedral

St. Sebastian, so much work!

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

The Maiolica of the staircase

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

A feast only for Scicli

The church of Carmine

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

One city, two sites

A new site for a new city

A majestic and luminous church

The interior and its masterpieces

A triumph of colour

New roads for Catania

Many owners, one palace

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

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

The chocolate of Modica

A city in colour

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

Feast days

Prominent façade

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

A colourful floor

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

The Baroque town by the sea

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

A half-Baroque church

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

A Nobel Prize in Modica

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

A new site for a new church

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

Some prestigious works

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

Connections with other UNESCO sites

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

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

Limestone, the colour of harmony

Modica, a city with ancient origins

The façade used as a puppet theatre

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

Discovering the mother church

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

From International Gothic to present day

A prominent church

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

The Staircase of Angels

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

Feasting in Palazzolo

Searching for colour

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

Norman apses

Between white and black

A miniature city

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

A small room with a golden entrance

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

Some masterpieces

A symbol for the town

The internal colours

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

The Burgos crucifix

A museum to save a tradition

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

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

The city of museums

A talking palace

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

The wall comes to life

Wonderful quick decorations

One city, three sites

An eagle-shaped city

A hall for the feasts

The two churches

The disastrous earthquake

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

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

Two illustrious patron saints

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

A square as the heart of the city

A long reconstruction

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

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

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

The theatre of taste