Catania sights

Killing time in Catania

Aside from strolling the shops along crowded Via Etnea, Catania does have a few worthy sights. Most of these, however, tend to be eternally in the state that the Italians call "under restoration" and we call "closed."

The Roman amphitheater

Since it's hard to close a whole piazza, you can be assured at least of being able to look down into the excavated seats and walls of the AD 2nd-century Roman amphitheater (tel. 095-715-0508), built of black basalt and mostly buried under Piazza Stesicoro. It's open Tues–Sun 9am–1:30pm and 2:30–5pm. Admission is free.

For here, two blocks up Via Etnea and a left turn takes you to Villa Bellini, a lovely 19th century garden with cafes lining the surrounding streets.

Following Via Etnea south toward Piazza del Duomo, you'll pass Piazza Università (home to Sicily's oldest university, est. 1434) and the fine curving baroque facade of the Collegiata.

The cathedral

On Piazza del Duomo sits the perky symbol of the city, a baby elephant carved in the Roman age of black basalt; in 1736, Vaccarini fitted a tiny ancient Egyptian obelisk on the pachyderm's back to make it into a fountain reminiscent of a Bernini sculpture in Rome.

The Duomo itself was first built by Count Roger in 1094 using spoils from ancient Roman buildings, which explains the massive granite columns of the facade and the columns of the apses and transepts inside. The cathedral had to be rebuilt after the earthquake of 1693, but the Norman-era Madonna Chapel contains an ancient Roman sarcophagus (worn, but still remarkable) preserving the ashes of Frederick II and II and Louis of Aragon. If you can get in the Sacristy, there's a 1675 fresco of Catania being destroyed by Etna in 1669.

West of the Duomo, Via V. Emanuele leads to Piazza S. Francesco, on which you'll find the Museo Belliniano TK.

Roman Theater and Odeon

North of this piazza runs Via Crociferi, Catania's most picturesque street and lined with 18th-century churches, convents, and palazzi. Via V. Emanuele continues past the entrance (at no. 266) to the ruins of the Roman Theater (with nice exhibits in its antiquarium, installed in a 17th century building) and a neighboring Odeon (a smaller kind of theater). This complex is open daily 9am to 7pm (adm). tel. +39-095-715-0508.

Back at Piazza S. Francesco, heading south through Piazza Mazzini and down Via Auteri you'll come to the Castello Ursino, TK and housing the Museo Comunale of TK, long closed for an extensive renovation.

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