Just 500 metres from Palazzo Sangiorgio, the Baroque jewel of Catania
The Cathedral
The Duomo, a jewel of Catanese Baroque with a splendid facade by Vaccarini
The most representative image of Catanese Baroque is that of the Cattedrale di Sant’Agata. After multiple destructions and reconstructions, it proudly showcases its resilience and ability to renew its appearance, enchanting both locals and tourists. Just 500 metres from Palazzo Sangiorgio, the Cathedral is dedicated to the patron saint of the city and stands on the site attributed to her martyrdom, which in Roman times housed the Achillian Baths.
Originally built as a church-fortress, today it preserves a harmonious and surprising syncretism of styles from different eras.
Its current Baroque appearance dates back to its last major renovation, which took place throughout the 18th century following the earthquake of 1693 that almost completely destroyed it. The 18th- century project was led by architects Girolamo Palazzotto and Giovan Battista Vaccarini, the latter responsible for the facade facing the square.
The rich facade is divided into three orders in the Corinthian style with granite columns and an attic in Carrara marble, adorned with statues of saints, with Agatha, the patron saint, prominently in the centre.
The entrance to the churchyard is made monumental by a white stone balustrade with 5 marble statues of saints, separating the Cathedral's entrance from the Piazza del Duomo. Almost as if to further mark the transition from a profane space to the sacred space of the Basilica, at the end of the staircase leading to the churchyard is a wrought iron gate decorated with 10 bronze representations of saints.
The finely carved wooden door pays homage to the city of Catania, with the engraving of its coat of arms and civic mottos, as well as the political and religious figures who played a central role in the foundation and reconstruction of the Cathedral. These include the coats of arms of Pope Urban II, Roger I of Sicily, and the musician Vincenzo Bellini.
Among the elements attributable to other styles, one of the most evident in the Cathedral is the Norman-era bell tower, which during its first construction served as a watchtower and has also undergone various collapses and reconstructions. The three semicircular apses in lava stone, derived from an ancient Roman-era building, the underground crypt in the apse, and the presbytery also date back to the Norman period. The neoclassical style can be found in the dome with columns and large windows through which light radiates inside, and in the choir with its monumental organ.
The Relics of Saint Agatha
A silver shrine, adorned with precious ex-votos, symbol of devotion to the Saint
The Cathedral houses the sarcophagi of the Aragonese royalty, the funerary monument of the musician Vincenzo Bellini, and the reliquary bust containing the remains of Saint Agatha. The 60 cm silver bust, representing the Saint, is a 14th-century work by sculptor Giovanni di Bartolo. The relics of the Saint are kept in a Gothic-style silver shrine adorned with precious ex-votos.
Of particular artistic value are the frescoes decorating the central apse, a 17th-century work by Giovan Battista Corradini, depicting the coronation of the Saint.