An ancient, medieval and then finally Baroque city, often attacked by the violence of nature and just as often rebuilt with determination and obstinacy. Catania, the cradle of theatre and music, is a city to experience day and night, when the sun shines on its Baroque palaces, whose black lava stone and white limestone dominate the vision, and when the evening comes, the clubs open, streets and squares fill up with people up to the next morning.
A city open to the world, and an important point of reference for the island and its capital. Lively and enterprising, its description in ancient times as the “Athens of the South” has been updated to the equally apt “Milan of the South these two names point to the fact that Catania has always kept in step with march of history and progress, assimilating and interpreting new cultural movements. In more recent times it also underwent a rapid economic and industrial growth, which led to a flourishing sulphur processing industry.
The choice of Catania’s emblem reflects its hardiness and strength. A lava elephant who represents power, solidity and patience, popularly called “U’ Liotru”, whose effigy decorates the monumental fountain in Piazza Duomo, recalling ancient oriental cults and embodying the city folks’ stubborn toughness, so often tested by natural adversity.
Others good pretexts to visit Catania:
The festival of Sant'Agata, consistently attended for the past five centuries, is undoubtedly one of the most important religious event. The festival takes place every February, between the 3rd and the 5th, and is a heady mix of religious fervor, folklore.
For the art & culture lovers, Catania is also the birthplace of great artists as Vincenzo Bellini (composer of “La Norma”), the writer Giovanni Verga (“I Malavoglia”, “la Cavalleria Rusticana”) and the sculptor Emilio Greco (“Pinocchio’s Monument”). You can visit their museums and native houses.
www.comune.catania.it
