Catania is where the sea and the mountains come together in a long and sinuous embrace. Between the slopes of Etna and the sea Ionian refracting on the coast, the Sicilian municipality welcomes about 700 people, like one of the beating hearts of the island. It's a arches unmissable for everyone, whether they are tourists or Italians, it must be visited at least once in a lifetime.
The birth of a name
The first explanations on the name of Catania date back to Plutarch, in fact the city took its name from the Indo-European word katanas, or grater. It could be interpreted as a metaphor of the jagged territory due to the lava but according to others, the etymology dates back to the Latin word catinum, to refer to the pelvis of the Piana which it overlooks. Some have thought that Catania derives from the Greek prefix katà- combined with the word Etna, to indicate its proximity. Although its origins remain obscure, the city is clear about its prestige and charm.
Catania in six souls: the first three
In the city there can be six different facets of equal importance. Its ancient history outlines one of the six souls of Catania: Greeks and Romans. Although unfortunately not many traces of the Greek period remain, it is certain through many excavations that it was a destination for the Greeks. There Ancient city boasts its Roman origins: the Theater and the Amphitheater, the Baths of the address and Anchilliane and also the famous statue of the elephant belongs to the Roman era, following the legends of the city.
Medieval town
Catania became medieval town, with Byzantine influences and Norman, whose bequests can still be seen today. The Benedictine monastery and the church of Santa Maria di Gesù make the heart of the Renaissance city.
The last three souls of Catania
Lava flows and earthquakes characterize the Baroque period, which is why the architects worked to solve the problem and Catania became a baroque city, with wide streets, such as Via Etnea, Via Vittorio Emanuele II and Via Giuseppe Garibaldi, and churches rebuilt by famous architects. Then the nineteenth-century city, with the Pietro Antonio Coppola Theater and numerous fountains in the 60s in Piazza Alfredo Cappellini and Piazza Giovanni Falcone. Finally, the last soul is that of the city of the twentieth century, With the Proserpina Fountain and the University Citadel. All six cities beat in unison in the heart of Catania.
The city of the Cyclops
When Homer - or whoever for him - was telling the stories of Ulysses, did not fail to provide a detailed geographical description and it was just near Catania that Ulysses met Polyphemus, linked to the volcanic activities of Etna. The Faraglioni of Aci Trezza they should be placed there after the blind fury of Polyphemus, who threw huge boulders at Ulysses.
The fund of truth of this legend lies in the elephants nani, among the first inhabitants of the area and disappeared for some time, as their skeletons show a hole on the forehead, where they had the trunk, which was mistaken by men for one eye only. Human error but nice legend.
Catania and the river underground of the bull
Amenano he was a Greek god, half man and half bull, who gave his name to the underground river that flows in the meanders of Catania. It can only be identified in some parts of the city, as the eruption of 1669 submerged it, hiding a large part of it but fortunately, no traces have been lost and, indeed, they were used to sprinkle the Amenano fountain but it can be seen in the famous Fish market of Catania. The most curious place to stop and listen to its rustle and admire it is literally inside the Youth Hostel. Between fire and water, Catania reserves surprises for all tastes. How not to go there?
