Il Duomo -The cathedral of...
by LysDor
Il Duomo -The cathedral of Saint Agatha
Erected in 1092 and work of Giovan Battista Vaccarini, it was remade in 1169 and also after the earthquake of 1693.
On the piazza there were several artists painting - ME - standing beside that Elephant fountain :-) or was it the church or the statue...LOL?!
That curious fountain has two of the ancient treasures of Catania, that survived the earthquake. One of them is a large elephant made of volcanic rock. Its origin is a mystery.
Geko
by SeaBreezeUSA
An exotic spot in the heart of Catania? Yes,it is a shop called Geko.
Just by looking at the shop window you can see some unusual objects with showy colours, with the most varied forms for different uses: a fascinating place where you can emerge yourself in distant worlds.
Art and craftwork are an indissoluble couple at Geko's
Old Catania
by happyhourkid
"An abused city"
Catania was founded in the 8th B.C. by the ancient Greeks. It was hard hit by several natural disasters like earthquakes and by major volcanic eruptions over the last 1,000 years. In addition, the city was a victim of severe economic recessions mainly due to Government neglect. Despite this, Catania, mainly due to its ideal location, has persevered and has flourished and has become the second largest city in Sicily.
Although much of the architecture offers typical scenes you would expect to find in Sicily, it is said that Catania is in need of considerable renovation. Therefore, though it offers visitors glimpses at superb architecture, bustling fish markets and awesome views of Mt. Etna, most tourists almost seem to agree that Catania has little more to offer than oranges and lemons.
I disagree. After all, it is much different than home and if its track record continues, it's only a matter of time before Catania flourishes even more.
One negative that needs to be mentioned is that on most days where weather is warm, it is very hazy and smoggy. This is mainly attributed to the fact that the area between Catania and Siracusa, the next major town south down the coast, is heavily industrialized. However, there also seems to be much more traffic on its streets that would normally be warranted by a city of 300,000 people. Additionally, many buildings are run down. And although a coastal city, there really are no beachfronts appropriate for swimming, as basically the entire area hosts numerous streamliners and industrial equipment.
"If the City Doesn't Impress....."
There's always Etna. Catania sits at the foot of Mount Etna and is visible from anywhere in the city. Here is a picture of Etna behind Catane Duomo
"A Catania Street Scene"
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Reflection
Catania
Sicily map
