St. Agatha Abbey

Churches, Culture
Via Vittorio Emanuele, 182 - 95131 Catania
348 7967711 / 338 1441760

Morning:
Tuesday to Sunday
from 9.30 to 12.30

Afternoon:
Friday and Saturday from 18.00 to 21.00
Sunday from 19.00 to 20.30

Visit the terraces of the Abbey to admire the city in a different way.

Guided tour to dome and terraces

Free entry

Guided tour to dome and terrace € 3,00
Guided tour to dome and terrace, Diocesan Museum and Achilliane Thermae € 12,00

Next to the Cathedral, overlooking Via Vittorio Emanuele there is the St. Aghata’s Abbey. The former adjoining monastery and the abbey were built on the ruins of the ancient church and monastery dedicated to Saint Agatha that the 1693 earthquake razed.

The Abbey was completed in 1735 and some critics think that this building is the architect Vaccarini’s masterpiece. In Sicilian Baroque style, the Abbey has with a massive prospect that it’s characterized by a movement “as waves” that gives it a soft and sinuous appereance at the entire structure.

The play of concave and convex also creates a fascinating alternation of light and shadow. The facade in single order has a rich portal of late Renaissance style and the Saint Aghata’s insignia fill the capitals which are structurally linked with statues, balustrades and cornices.

Inside the church is an eulogy of essentiality, in the Greek cross’ structure the main element is the large dome.
Among the artworks are contained in it, we suggest you to see the “Crucifix” by Ignazio Carnazza it’s dated in 1696.