Catania Travel Guide
Travel to Catania - Baroque City, Gateway to Etna
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Second most-important city in Sicily since the 18th century Catania is the gateway to eastern Sicily, yet has many of its own attractions. Damaged by volcanic eruptions from nearby Etna and earthquakes the 17th century was not a good period for the city, howevere its history is much older than this.
Bronze age remains point to an ancient settlement here but the city proper was founded by the Siculi and colonized by the Greek Chalcidians people of Naxos in 729 BC. Catania became a Roman settlement in AD263, eventually becoming the most prosperous Roman city in Sicily. Messina was a more important port but nevertheless Catania flourished until 1169, when it was almost completely destroyed by a particularly violent earthquake; rebuilding as ever followed.
Attractions in Catania
The city has two Roman amphitheatres and an odeon. Ursino Castle was a coastal fortress and is located in Piazza Federico di Svevia; built by Richard de Lentina on the orders of Emperor Frederick II von Hohenstaufen in the 13th century and subsequently modernized in the manner of those at Messina, Taranto and Bari today it is a museum.
The Duomo cathedral dates from 1092 but has be re-style along Baroque and neo-Classical lines. Many of Catania's wide streets and wonderful palaces date from the 18th century. Two large street markets are interesting and worth exploring and the Baroque-era buildings make Catania worth a half day trip at least.
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