Catania in Italy was never one of the places on my radar to visit. It's on Sciliy, an island in the south of Italy, and looks like a ball being kicked away by the Italian boot (check the Worldmappin map below if you don't know what I mean). When I knew I would be here for a day (it was a stop on a cruise holiday), I checked for things to do for my 8 hours visit. I found two interesting things to do.
First impressions
My first reaction to Catania was beautiful architecture but very drabby, the buildings all looked 3D - dull, dirty and depressed. Even the clear blue sky above couldn't lift the mood up much. I subsequently found out that Catania is also called the black city. It's located at the foot of Mount Etna, a volcano that has erupted often in the past centuries. The soot and dust from the eruptions land on the buildings, making them look drabby. Now it all makes sense.
I had to find Piazza del Duomo to go to the first place on my list, it's one of the busiest place in the centre of the city. But I kept on getting lost in the labyrinth of side roads and alleys. Well, it wasn't as bad as it sounds, I got to see more of the city. Eventually I got to the Piazza, I knew because there was an elephant standing on the fountain. The elephant is the iconic symbol for the city, a relationship that dates back to Roman times, though the fountain wasn't built later until the 18th century.
My objective here was to climb up the church dome for the 360 degree of the city. I read it was a must do. It was a Sunday morning and the church, or rather the cathedral was quite busy. When I went inside it was packed with people and I couldn't see the dome entrance. I tried asking a staff but my Italian was as good as their English so we got nowhere. It was very odd, the dome was clearly at the rear of the cathedral, but where was the entrance? I walked around both inside and outside but still couldn't find the way up.
Mixed identity
Sudddenly, I looked around, and saw some people outside a dome at another church on the other side of the road!!! That was the church I was looking for - Chiesa della Badia di Sant'Agata. The one I was in just now was the Basilica Cattedrale Sante’Agata!! What a silly mistake 🙃
This church was more intimate, and less busier, most people came here for the climb up the dome. I paid the Euro 3 entrance fee and proceeded up the narrow staircase that was only wide enough for one person.
After what seemed like climbing for ages, I got to the top. The views here are very nice and truly 360 degrees. There was the Ionian Sea from one side and supposedly Mt Etna from the other. Sadly the clouds were too low, masking any sight of that.
I made sure I left our Hive and Worldmappin mark here before I left. If anyone comes here and see this in future, please let me know. I'd love to connect with you via this post.
Benedict Monastery
The second place I wanted to visit in Catania is the Benedict Monastery. Life started here in 1558 and was one of Europe's biggest monasteries. If you google the monastery, you will read about how it was destroyed by earthquakes and volcano eruptions, and how it has been rebuilt and restored, leading to a mixed bag of architecture. I won't bore you with the details, otherwise I will end up writing an entire post just on the history of it. Anyway, today the monastery is part of the Universirty of Catania. Lucky you students to study at such a beautiful building. I hope you appreciate it. Just look at the intricate carvings outside the building, and the beautiful decor that extends inside.
Cloisters
There are two cloisters at the monastery, each of a different architecture style. This is the Cloister of the Levant, it has a neo-gothic Caffeau in the center. This is a place where the monks used to gather for drinks. Beer or tea? I wonder? The gardens are quite lush here.
I couldn't say the same for the second cloister, the Marble Cloister. This has a late baroque style four clover leaf fountain made of marble in the center. It's built on a platform with four steps leading up to it. The fountain itself is beautiful and elegant. However, my advice is best to admire it from a distance. When I walked near it, the whole courtyard was pretty grim and sad. The bare vegetation patch looked so lonely, and how can a fountain be a fountain when there's no water?
Ponte Manica
When the monastery was restored for the University, the area between the two courtyards were converted into a student study area called the Ponte Manica. This is a very creative use of space linking the monastery through times, from the 16th centure to modern day. Even though most of the monastery was destroyed by the earthquake in the past, and then rebuilt, some of the original structure remains. Part of the walls are left exposed, and a staircase takes you down to see the ground level and remains of the original flooring that is now protected underneath the glass cover.
A modern element here is the wooden walkway built along the 18th century cross vault white wall area. Desks were added into the alcove allowing students to look out into the cloisters. How many student can claim they have such an amazing view when studying?
 |  |  |
With students being students, they still get bored during their revisions. Though I have to say, the pig drawing is nicely done.
The cat in the garden
Before I left, I went for a walk in the garden. Gardens aren't the most vibrant in November, most plants have died or are on their way out. The were a few cats roaming around, and not being an animal lover, I ignored them of course. One little cat kept following me around, meow meow it kept on crying. Hey, leave me alone kitty, I don't like cats and I'm not going to pat you. I turned to look at kitty and was horrified and heartbroken at the same time. One of his/her eye was injured, like someone had poked through it, it was horrible. My heart of stone was shattered and it hurt. I couldn't stay around for any longer let alone offer kitty any comfort. I'm sorry kitty, I hope whoever did this to you was punished and the monastery is taking good care of you. Stay safe.
You can check out all my travel posts on the Worldmappin here or click below
Those stickers are COOL! I noticed stickers everywhere in Europe. Not as much here. The fact that the buildings were covered in ash 'stains' is absolutely a fun fact. Nothing drab about that place from an Australian perspective!!
Are the Aussies more conscious of not sticking stickers around places? I only do it if there's already some there, great way to spread the word around about Hive.
Once I found out about the black city, it puts another perspective on things, and not the city being lazy not taking care of things
Beautiful city full of monasteries and cathedrals.... despite some dark colors is a Treasure that strive to preserve.
I don't know why I remembered The Da Vinci Code book, a story of intrigues and betrayals inside mausoleums like these.
The angle of your photos certainly very good to get a good idea of the size of these buildings.
I think many of the religious buildings does gives off a Da Vinci Code vibe. The movie was very successful, and it was filmed in many real churches. I was lucky enough to go to a couple in the past in UK
Uff, that must have been extraordinary, I don't know why I imagine myself having your experience visiting those places described in the book, while my skin tingled.
I imagine it's because I believed almost everything, and I was absolutely sure that I was reading a secret book...
Do you have a post about those churches? I would like to see it.
Thanks.
If you're a Di Vinci Code fan, I've been to these churches that appear in the film
Temple Church in London
https://peakd.com/@livinguktaiwan/the-history-and-tour-of-the-law-of-england
Lincoln Cathedral in Lincoln
https://peakd.com/@livinguktaiwan/dc395940-2f82-11e8-8c78-95b7c3b77998
And the Rosslyn Chapel in Scotland
https://peakd.com/@livinguktaiwan/8-round-the-isle-uk-trip-8-the-capital-of-scotland-edinburgh-ppw1
Hope you enjoy reading them!
Thanks!!!!
Sorry for the inconvenience, you have been very kind.
Have a great week, I certainly read them.
🌻🌻🌻🌻
Not a problem at all. I pin all my travel posts on Worldmappin so it's very easy to find
Impressive!
You are an excellent tour guide, you leave me wanting to continue reading you.....
I have read them all, how beautiful, thank you very much.
Excellent work @livinguktaiwan
That is some beautiful architecture! I think the fountains alone would be enough reason for me to want to visit Italy one day. They all seem so majestic and grand!
The Italian certainly know their architecture. Italy's probably the country I've been back the most times out of my travels
I've never been, but it is on my wife's bucket list for us to go there one day.
I always wanted to stop in Sicily when touring the Med, but never had the chance. Love being able to take a small tour of Catania through your photos and narration. Yes, those students did hava a wonderful place to study.
I'm glad the cruise bought me here, otherwise I wouldn't have come, at least not yet, till I go to many other places in Italy
Catania is beautiful, its architecture reminds me of the promenade of fine arts in Santiago de Chile. Despite the darkness of the place there is a message behind everything; culture.
That's interesting to know, and I guess that's not a surprise either given that Spain had so much influence in Latin America many decades ago
Lovely old piles of bricks, they always make for great snaps and the pig is as you say well drawn, Great job with the sticker!!! I wish I had some.
We could do with getting some stickers around this stans that you're going to. I have a stack from HiveFest, would love to send you some for your trip. Just ping me up on discord.
btw, which travel agent do you use for your stan trips? I'm interested in going as well
I am just so slow uploading snaps I did that Stans trip, just over a year ago I did it with "Exodus", as the company I wanted to use was fully booked on the dates I was free, that was a better trip too as it did the 5 Stans, not 3 and that is a company called "Native Eye" ( I have used them for bangladesh, and Azerbaijan and am using them for the Ouidah Voodoo Festival, in jan next year.Highly recommended).
using a company called Lupine Travel for Turkmenistan in August, never used them before.
I shall ping you cheers
Got your message
😎
You can check out this post and your own profile on the map. Be part of the Worldmappin Community and join our Discord Channel to get in touch with other travelers, ask questions or just be updated on our latest features.
I admire the excellent and beautiful images you uploaded.
Thanks!
I hope someday Icango there and visit all those beautiful places in italy and I hope someday if I go there I can let you know, I will save this place thank you fo capturing and sharing this beatiful photo
You're welcome, hope you have a chance to visit one day
The pictures are very beautiful. Thank you so much for sharing such wonderful architecture with us.
You're welcome
The building was spacious enough to cater many pilgrims however it seems that is very solemn and people less.
Do you mean the church or the monastery? It was a Sunday, so the monastery was very quite as there were no students around, a contrast to the church and the city which was quite busy with tourists
I see... I'm imagining there were high school students in the monastery.
Very beautiful picture my friend
Thanks
Wow, what a rollercoaster of a day!
Not too much rollercoaster, but certainly packed with things to do
I constantly ask myself that question here.
Despite all the gloomy cloak that covers those buildings in Catania, I love the architecture and the reliefs on the walls. This interior patio also has its charm, but it would be even more beautiful with the fountain in operation. The pig... it sounds to me like there's a pig lurking around here... there usually are. I imagined a lot of stories and not exactly good ones. I guess I'm biased. Life is hard, poor kitty. People pay for all the bad things they do ... somehow... and are rewarded for their good deeds.
That is some woow great architecture! very beautiful in your area you can see many big buildings. The sorroundings are clean.
Travel Digest #2455.
Become part of our travel community:
- Join our Discord
Hiya, @lauramica here, just swinging by to let you know that this post made it into our Honorable Mentions in Your post has been manually curated by the @worldmappin team. If you like what we're doing, please drop by to check out all the rest of today's great posts and consider supporting other authors like yourself and us so we can keep the project going!!PIZZA
I really mesmerized this places, I only watch this on Television but now I saw someone sharing this .
It sure does! Long legged Italy kicked poor Sicily out of the Mediterranean sea... that sentence is in my head from something but not sure what!
I've been to Italy a few times, but never made it down to Sicily, it looks like a cool spot and worth a visit 😎
Wow thanks for that tour of the city. The architecture is great and nice that the entrance to the 360 view was in a quieter church. Poor kitty. I wonder if the monks get to chose if they want the lush monastery or the barren one. Sad that the water wasn't even running.