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About
The Cathedral of Sant’Agata is the Cathedral of Catania, dedicated to the martyr Saint Agatha, located in the main square of the city, Piazza del Duomo.
SHORT HISTORY
The church had a tumultuous history, being repeatedly destroyed and rebuilt after the earthquakes occurred in the area.
A first church was built around 1086 on the ruins of the Achilliane Baths dating back to Roman times. On February 4, 1169, an earthquake completely destroyed the ceiling of the church, killing many people gathered in the Cathedral. In 1194, under the reign of Henry VI, a fire caused considerable damage to the structure.
In 1693, the terrible earthquake of Val di Noto destroyed the Cathedral almost completely, leaving only the apse and the facade. The bell tower was also put to the ground.
The reconstruction of the church was made during the 18th century. The current building is the work of the architect Girolamo Palazzotto, who is responsible for the interior, while Giovanni Battista Vaccarini designed the facade, which was built between 1734 and 1761.
In 1857, the bell tower was completed, and the current layout of the churchyard was built in the 19th century.
ARCHITECTURE
The facade of the Cathedral, built in Baroque style, is composed of three Corinthian style orders. The first order consists of six granite columns of ancient origin, surmounted by the coat of arms of the noble Galletti family.
The second order also has six columns and two smaller ones on each side of the large central window. The orders are adorned with marble statues of Saint Agatha in the middle, above the main door, Saint Euplius on the right, and Saint Birillus on the left.
The main wooden door consists of thirty-two panels, finely carved, illustrating various portraits and scenes. On each side of the main door are the marble statues of Saint Peter and Saint Paul.
The dome of the church dates back to 1802, built on a project by Carmelo Battaglia. The dome is equipped with columns and large windows that illuminate the interior. Between 1867 and 1869, the architect Carmelo Sciuto Patti built the current bell tower and the lantern of the dome.
The church has a Latin cross plan, with a nave and two aisles. The apse dates back to the original construction of the 12th century.
TIP: Between the central nave of the church and the right one, leaning against one of the twelve pillars that separate the naves, is the funerary monument of the Italian opera composer Vincenzo Bellini, whose body was transferred to the Cathedral on October 23, 1876, from the Parisian cemetery Père Lachaise.
HOW TO GET THEREThe Cathedral of Sant’Agata is located in Piazza del Duomo, about 1.4 kilometers away from the main railway station of the city, Catania Stazione Centrale. The closest bus stop is in Via Vittorio Emanuele 192, located near the Cathedral, on the bus Lines 830, 902 and 932.
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