Piazza Duomo

Culture, Monuments
Piazza Duomo - 95100 Catania

    To admire the square and its monuments, sit at one of the historic bar where you can taste the local cuisine.

    It’s the main square in Catania, some surveyors considered it the Sicilian interpretation of the “trident” in “Piazza del Popolo” in Rome; infact, via Etnea, Via Vittorio Emanuele and Via Garibaldi, the three main roads of the old town, cross in this place.

    It was built after the earthquake of 1693, this square was totally restored and renewed in 2008; it’s still the ecclesiasiastic seat and civic central offices.

    On the north side, in fact, we find the “Palazzo degli elefanti” (Elephants’Palace) or “Loggia”, where there is the City Council, on the other side, there’s the “Amenano’s fontain going towards the characteristic area called “Pescheria” (fish market), near there are “Chierici’s Palace” and “Uzeda’s entrance”; to the East people side overlook the St. Agatha’s Cathedral, also called “Duomo”, hence the name of the square. And under the road surface there are the remains of Achilliane’s Thermae.

    In the centre of the square is placed the famous “Elephant’s fontain”, it was built by Gianbattista Vaccarini in 1757, and subsequently modified several times.

    On the fountain’s top it was placed the famous “Liotru“, the presumably Roman statue, that’s the symbol of the city.

    During city life moments and solemn occasions, the square is meeting place for people of Catania.