- Latin:
- Catana, or Catina
Catania
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What is Catania?
Catania is a city located in eastern Sicily, Italy, situated on the Ionian seacoast, south of Mount Etna. It was founded in 729 BCE by settlers from Chalcis, a city on the Greek island of Euboea. Catania is the second largest city in Sicily and is a transportation and industrial center with one of Italy's busiest ports.
The city has a rich history, having been under the rule of the Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, and Normans. After an earthquake in 1693, the city's center was rebuilt in the 18th-century style. Today, Catania is known for its ancient ruins, including Greek and Roman theaters, as well as its winter resort and proximity to fine beaches.
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Where is Catania located in Italy?
Catania is a city in eastern Sicily, Italy, situated on the Ionian seacoast in the broad plain of Catania, south of Mount Etna. Catania is the second largest city in Sicily and is an industrial and transportation center with one of Italy's busiest ports. The city stands almost entirely on lava from Mount Etna eruptions, giving the older part of the city a dark-gray color because of the volcanic tufa used for building.
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What is Catania known for?
Catania, located in eastern Sicily, Italy, is known for its rich history, architecture, and as a transportation hub. Founded in 729 BCE, Catania has been influenced by Greeks, Romans, Arabs, and Normans. The city stands on lava from Mount Etna eruptions, with buildings constructed from volcanic tufa, giving the older part of the city a dark-gray color.
Catania suffered damage in World War II but was rebuilt, showcasing 18th-century architecture. Key landmarks include the Duomo Piazza, the Ursino Castle, and the Church of San Nicolo. Catania is an industrial center with a busy port, known for mechanical and chemical manufacturing, food processing, and exporting local agricultural products.
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What is the historical importance of Catania?
Catania, located on Sicily's eastern coast, has a rich history. Founded in 729 BCE by settlers from Chalcis, it rose to prominence in the 5th century BCE under Hieron I. Catania was among the first Sicilian towns to fall to the Romans in 263 BCE and later endured barbarian invasions before being ruled by the Byzantines, Arabs, and Normans. The city faced civil unrest, pirate attacks, and natural disasters in the 16th and 17th centuries, including a devastating earthquake in 1693. Severely damaged during World War II, Catania has been rebuilt and is now a major industrial and transportation hub.
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How has Mount Etna impacted Catania?
Mount Etna has significantly impacted Catania throughout history. Founded in 729 BCE, Catania has been influenced by Etna's volcanic activity, with the city standing on lava from past eruptions.
One notable event was the violent eruption of 1669, which submerged the western part of Catania. The city's architecture reflects this history, with volcanic tufa used as a building material, giving the older part of Catania a dark-gray color. Despite the dangers, the fertile lower slopes of Mount Etna have allowed for agriculture and dense settlements like Catania.
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What are some famous landmarks and cultural traditions in Catania?
Catania, located on the east coast of Sicily, Italy, boasts a rich history and unique cultural traditions. Founded in 729 BCE by Chalcidians, Catania has been influenced by Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Arab, and Norman rule.
Famous landmarks include the Ursino Castle, constructed in the 13th century, and the Duomo Piazza, surrounded by 18th-century palaces. The Cathedral of Sant'Agata, dedicated to the city's patron saint, houses her relics and the tomb of composer Vincenzo Bellini, a Catania native. The Elephant Fountain (Fontana dell'Elefante), created in 1736, is another architectural highlight of the Piazza del Duomo.
A sporting tradition is the fishermen in the port of Aci Trezza (near Catania) stage a farcical swordfish hunt every June.
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Catania, city, eastern Sicily, Italy, in the broad plain of Catania on the Ionian seacoast, south of Mount Etna. The city was founded in 729 bce by Chalcidians (settlers from Chalcis in the Greek island of Euboea) from Naxos, 50 miles (80 km) north. It acquired importance in the 5th century bce with Hieron I, tyrant of Syracuse, and his son Deinomenes, who conquered it and renamed it Aetna after the volcano. The inhabitants restored the old name after driving out Deinomenes’ followers. One of the first Sicilian towns to fall to the Romans (263 bce), Catania was made a colony by Octavian (later the emperor Augustus). The Christians there suffered under the persecutions of the emperors Decius and Diocletian, and the Catanian martyrs included St. Agatha, patron saint of the city. After the barbarian invasions, Catania fell successively to the Byzantines, the Arabs, and the Normans. It was hostile to the Swabian emperors and was sacked by Henry VI and Frederick II. The Aragonese sovereigns of the Kingdom of Sicily often resided there. During the 16th and 17th centuries the city was afflicted by civil disorders, pirate incursions, epidemics, famines, and natural disasters, including an eruption of Etna in 1669 and an earthquake in 1693. Later it became subject to the Bourbon kingdom of Naples. Civil disturbances occurring during an outbreak of cholera in 1837 were vigorously suppressed, and, when in 1848 Catania joined the other cities of the island in claiming autonomy for Sicily, this movement was also put down by force. In World War II the city suffered severe damage from bombing and heavy fighting in 1943.
Standing almost entirely on the lava left by various eruptions, the city slopes slightly downward from north to south. The use of volcanic tufa for building has given the older part of the city its prevailing dark-gray colour. Almost completely rebuilt after the 1693 earthquake, the centre of the city has a distinctly 18th-century appearance. Ancient remains include the ruins of Greek and Roman theatres, and a Roman amphitheatre, basilica, baths, and aqueducts. The Ursino Castle with its four angular towers, constructed (1239–50) for Frederick II, long served as a model of military architecture. It now houses the civic museum with rich collections of art and archaeological relics.
The centre of modern civic life is the Duomo Piazza, surrounded by 18th-century palaces and opening onto wide streets. Of the original structure of the cathedral founded by the Norman count Roger I in 1091, three apses of dark lava and part of the transept remain. After the 1693 earthquake it was rebuilt by the architects Fra Fiolamo Palazotto and Giovanni Battista Vaccarini (1702–68). The cathedral contains relics of St. Agatha and the tomb of the composer Vincenzo Bellini, a native of Catania. The Church of San Nicolo (1693–1735), the largest in Sicily, is connected with the former Benedictine monastery of the same name; it was begun in the 14th century and completed in the 17th century. The university, the first in Sicily, was founded in 1434 by Alfonso of Aragon, and its library (1755) possesses a number of important medieval manuscripts. Other notable landmarks include the Baroque Church of Santa Agata, the town hall by Vaccarini, the elephant fountain (1736) in the Duomo Piazza, the Collegiata (or royal chapel), the astronomical observatory, and the birthplace of Vincenzo Bellini, now a museum.
Modern Catania, the second largest city in Sicily, is an industrial and transportation centre, connected by rail with Palermo, Messina, and Syracuse, with one of the busiest ports in Italy. Industries include a variety of mechanical and chemical manufactures, food processing, and fishing. About half of Sicily’s refined sulfur comes from the factories of Catania. The marketing centre for the surrounding agricultural region, it exports almonds and oranges, as well as handwork in metal, wood, and amber. It is also a popular winter resort with fine beaches nearby. Pop. (2004 est.) mun., 307,774.