Editing Catania (section)

==Main sights==
{{More citations needed section|date=September 2014}}
[[File:Catania BW 2012-10-06 11-32-08 2 fj.JPG|thumb|[[Giovanni Battista Vaccarini]]'s Duomo façade (1736) is an example of the city's [[Sicilian Baroque]] architecture.]]
The symbol of the city is ''u Liotru'', or the ''[[Elephant Fountain|Fontana dell'Elefante]]'', assembled in 1736 by [[Giovanni Battista Vaccarini]]. It portrays an ancient lavic stone elephant and is topped by an Egyptian obelisk from [[Aswan|Syene]]. Legend has it that Vaccarini's original elephant was neuter, which the men of Catania took as an insult to their virility. To appease them, Vaccarini appropriately appended elephantine testicles to the original statue.

The [[Sicilian language|Sicilian]] name ''u Liotru'' is a phonetic change of Heliodorus, a nobleman who, after trying without success to become bishop of the city, became a sorcerer and was therefore condemned to the stake. Legend has it that [[Heliodorus of Catania|Heliodorus]] himself was the sculptor of the lava elephant and that he used to magically ride it in his fantastic travels from Catania to Constantinople.<ref>Amari Michele (1933), ''Storia dei Musulmani di Sicilia'', Catania, Nallino, Vol. I, pp. 344–345</ref> Another legend has it that Heliodorus was able to transform himself into an elephant.

The presence of an elephant in the history of Catania is surely connected to both zooarcheology and popular creeds. In fact, the prehistoric fauna of Sicily from the Upper [[Paleolithic]], included [[dwarf elephant]]s. Paleontologist [[Othenio Abel]] suggested that the presence of [[dwarf elephant]]s in [[Sicily]] may be the origin of the legend of the [[Cyclopes|Cyclops]]. [[Ancient Greece|Ancient Greeks]], after finding the skulls of [[dwarf elephant]]s, about twice the size of a [[human skull]], with a large central [[nasal cavity]] (mistaken for a large single eye socket) supposed that they were skulls of giants with a single eye.

The ''Catanian Museum of [[Mineralogy]], [[Paleontology]] and [[Vulcanology]]'' holds the integral unburied skeleton of an ''[[Elephas falconeri]]'' in an excellent state of conservation. The first inhabitants of Etna molded such lavic artifacts to idolize the mythical proboscidian.

===Classical buildings===
The city has been buried by lava a total of seventeen times in [[recorded history]], and in layers under the present-day city are the [[Ancient Rome|Roman]] city that preceded it, and the Greek city before that. Many of the [[ancient monument]]s of the Roman city have been destroyed by these numerous incidents. Currently, different ancient remains can be seen and visited in the city centre, as part of an archaeological park (Parco Archeologico Greco-Romano di Catania).
<gallery>
Catania Greek-Roman theater.JPG|Church of [[San Francesco d'Assisi all'Immacolata, Catania|St Francis of Assisi]] backs Cavea of the Greek-Roman Theatre
Odeum Catania.JPG|Odeon
Catania anfiteatro romano2423.jpg|Roman Amphitheatre
Catania terme indirizzo23434.jpg|Roman Thermae of ''Santa Maria dell'Indirizzo''
</gallery>
Ancient edifices include:

*[[Greek-Roman Theatre of Catania]] and Odeon (2nd to 3rd century CE)
*[[Amphitheatre of Catania]]
*[[Piazza Dante, Catania|Greek Acropolis of Montevergine]]
*Roman Forum
*Christian [[basilica]]s, [[Hypogeum|hypogea]], burial monuments, and [[catacombs]]
*Thermae
**[[Achillean Baths (Catania)|Achillean Baths]]
**''[[Santa Maria dell'Indirizzo, Catania|Terme dell'Indirizzo]]''
**''Terme di Santa Maria Odigitria''
**''[[Terme della Rotonda (Catania)|Terme della Rotonda]]''
**[[Baths of the Four Quoins (Catania)|Baths of the Four Quoins]]
**''Terme di Palazzo Asmundo''
**''Terme di Casa Gagliano''
**''Terme della Chiesa di Sant'Antonio Abate''

===Baroque and historical churches===
<gallery>
Chiesa di San Placido (Catania).JPG|''San Placido''
2893 - Catania - Giov. Batt. Vaccarini - Chiesa della Badia di S. Agata (1767) - Foto Giovanni Dall'Orto, 4-July-2008.jpg|''Badìa di Sant'Agata''
ChiesaSFrancescoImmacolataCT.JPG|''San Francesco d'Assisi all'Immacolata''
SAgataFornaceEst.JPG|''Sant'Agata alla Fornace'' or ''San Biagio''
Chiesa di Santa Maria dell'aiuto (Catania, XVIII sec.).jpg|''Santa Maria dell'Aiuto''
Catania Chiesa San Benedetto234232.jpg|''San Benedetto da Norcia''
Chiesa di San Francesco Borgia a Catania.jpg|''San Francesco Borgia''
</gallery>
The Baroque city centre of Catania is a [[List of World Heritage Sites in Europe#Italy|UNESCO World Heritage Site]].

*[[Catania Cathedral]] (1070–1093, rebuilt after 1693 earthquake) built atop ''Terme Achilliana''
*[[Badia di Sant'Agata|Sant'Agata, Badia di]] (1620), church and monastery
*[[Sant'Agata la Vetere, Catania|Sant'Agata la Vetere]] (254) church
*[[Sant'Agata al Borgo, Catania|Sant'Agata al Borgo]],  built 1669, destroyed 1693, rebuilt 1709). The "Borough" (''il Borgo'') is an inner district of Catania.
*[[Sant'Agata al Carcere, Catania|Sant'Agata al Carcere]] or ''Santo Carcere'' (1760). Church built above jail (carcere) where Ste Agatha was allegedly imprisoned during her martyrdom.
*Sant'Agata on [[Lava|the Lavic Runnels]]
*[[Sant'Anna, Catania|Sant'Anna]] church
*San Antonio Abate
*[[San Benedetto, Catania|San Benedetto]] (1704–1713) church and adjacent ''Badìa Grande e Piccola del Chiostro delle Monache Benedettine''
*[[San Biagio, Catania|San Biagio]], church formerly called ''Sant'Agata alla Fornace'' (1098, rebuilt 1700)
*[[Basilica della Collegiata]], [[Sicilian Baroque]] façade by [[Stefano Ittar]]
*[[San Camillo ai Crociferi]], church
*Santa Caterina al Rinazzo church
*[[Santa Chiara, Catania|Santa Chiara]] (1563) church, and former convent of Poor Clares
*[[San Domenico, Catania|San Domenico]] or Santa Maria la Grande  (1224), church and convent
*Sant'Euplio, ruins of church
*[[San Filippo Neri, Catania|San Filippo Neri]]
*[[San Francesco d'Assisi all'Immacolata, Catania|San Francesco d'Assisi all'Immacolata]] (1329), Franciscan church with tomb of its founding patron, Queen [[Eleanor of Sicily]]
*[[San Francesco Borgia, Catania|San Francesco Borgia]] church and adjacent former Jesuit college
*[[San Francesco di Paola, Catania|San Francesco di Paola]]
*[[San Gaetano alle Grotte, Catania|San Gaetano alle Grotte]] (260) church
*[[San Gaetano alla Marina, Catania|San Gaetano alla Marina]]
*San Giovanni Battista, in the suburb of San Giovanni di Galermo
*[[San Giuliano, Catania|San Giuliano]] church and convent
*San Giuseppe al Duomo church
*San Giuseppe al Transito church
*[[Santuario della Madonna del Carmine, Catania|Madonna del Carmine]] (1729) Basilica church and sanctuary
*[[Santa Maria di Gesu, Catania|Santa Maria di Gesu]] church (1465, restored in 1706)
*Santa Maria della Guardia church
*[[Santa Maria dell'Indirizzo, Catania|Santa Maria dell'Indirizzo]] (1730) church
*Santa Maria della Mercede church
*[[Santa Maria della Salute, Catania|Santa Maria della Mercede]] church
*Santa Maria di Ogninella
*[[Santa Maria della Purità, Catania|Santa Maria della Purità]] or ''della Visitazione'' (1775), church and conservatory
*Santa Maria della Providenza al Borgo, church
*[[Santa Maria della Rotonda, Catania|Santa Maria della Rotonda]]
*Santa Maria del Soccorso or Santa Maria della Palma church
*[[Santa Maria dell'Aiuto, Catania|Santa Maria dell'Aiuto]] parish church and sanctuary
*''Santa Maria dell'Itria'' or ''Odigitria'', church
*[[Santa Marta, Catania|Santa Marta]]
*[[San Martino dei Bianchi, Catania|San Martino dei Bianchi]] church
*San Michele the Lesser
*[[San Michele Arcangelo ai Minoriti, Catania|San Michele Arcangelo ai Minoriti]]  (Franciscan) church, a second [[Immacolata Concezione dei Minoritelli, Catania|Minoritelli church]] is nearby
*[[San Nicolò l'Arena, Catania|San Nicolò l'Arena]] (1687), unfinished basilica church and extensive Benedictine [[Monastery of San Nicolò l'Arena]] (1558) 
*San Nicolas al Borgo
*[[San Placido, Catania|San Placido]] (1769) church
*Madonna delle Grazie Chapel
*[[Santa Rita in Sant'Agostino, Catania|Santa Rita in Sant'Agostino]] church
*[[San Sebastiano, Catania|San Sebastiano]] (1313)
*[[Santa Teresa, Catania|Santa Teresa]], Carmelitan church and convent
*[[Santissima Trinità, Catania|Santissima Trinità]], church
*[[Santa Ursula, Catania|Santa Ursula]]
*[[Conservatorio delle Verginelle di Sant'Agata|Chiesa delle Verginelle di Sant'Agata]]
*[[San Vincenzo de' Paoli, Catania|San Vincenzo de' Paoli]], church
*Santissimo Sacramento al Borgo church
*Chapel of the ''Blind's Housing'' (''Ospizio dei Ciechi'')
*''Santissimo Sacramento al Duomo'', church
*Church of the [[Child Jesus|Holy Child]]
*Our Lady of [[Divine Providence|Providence]]
*San Berillo in Santa Maria degli Ammalati, church
*Our Lady of the Poor
*Little Saviour's [[Byzantine architecture|Byzantine]] [[chapel]]
*Church of the ''Santissimo Sacramento Ritrovato'' (1796)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sacramentoritrovato.com/index.php |title=Santissimo Sacramento Ritrovato – Home |publisher=Sacramentoritrovato.com |date=16 March 2009 |access-date=25 July 2009}}</ref>
*Sanctuary of [[Blessed Virgin Mary|Our Lady]] of Ognina (1308).<ref>{{cite web |title=Santa Maria di Lognina |url=http://www.etnalandonline.it/catania/chiese/smlognina/smlognina.html |access-date=20 August 2008 |language=it |website=Etanland on line |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090528075055/http://www.etnalandonline.it/catania/chiese/smlognina/smlognina.html |archive-date=28 May 2009}}</ref> ''Ognina'' is the [[maritime quarter]] and the main fishing port in Catania. Many bareboats and sailing vessels gather here all year round. In its close vicinity is a cylindrical tower known as Saint Mary's Tower (''Torre Santa Maria''),<ref>{{cite web |title=Catania, Torre di Ognina |language=it |trans-title=Saint Mary's Tower of Ognina |url=http://www.mondimedievali.net/Castelli/Sicilia/catania/ognina.htm |website=Mondi medievali|publisher=Archeoambiente e Giuseppe Tropea }}</ref> which was restructured in the 16th century to prevent the frequent plundering by the Saracen pirates. The church is the result of the gradual modification of the Greek Temple ''[[Athena]] Longatis'' or ''Parthenos Longatis'' that existed on the steep reef. This cult was imported from a [[Boeotia]]n region of [[Greece]] called ''Longas''<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mythindex.com/greek-mythology/L/Longatis.html |title=Athena Longatis |publisher=Mythindex.com |access-date=5 April 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110427012023/http://www.mythindex.com/greek-mythology/L/Longatis.html |archive-date=27 April 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> from where the first Hellenic settlers of this borough probably came. After the earthquake of 1693 it was rebuilt in the same place, but with a different orientation.
*[[Virgin of Montserrat|Our Lady of Montserrat]] (1755)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.parrocchie.it/catania/monserrato/ |title=Home Page Parrocchia N.S. di Monserrato |publisher=Parrocchie.it |access-date=25 July 2009}}</ref>
*[[Our Lady of La Salette|Saint Mary of La Salette]]
*Our Lady of Concordia
*Our Lady of Consolation
*Santissimo Crocifisso Maiorana church
*''Crucifix of Miracles''
*Crucifix of Good Death
*Our Lady of La Mecca<ref>''La Mecca'' is not named after the Saudi [[holy city]], but a vernacular Catanian word that identifies a "[[silk]] mill" that existed, in effect, in its vicinity.</ref>
*Most Holy Redeemer
*''Divina Maternità'' church
*Chapel of [[Mary Help of Christians|Mary Auxiliatrix]]
*Chapel of the Sacred Heart of Jesus church
*''Sacro Cuore al Fortino'' (1898) church
*Saints [[Saint George|George]] and [[Saint Denis of Paris|Denis]]
*Sacred Heart Church of the [[Order of Friars Minor Capuchin|Capuchins]]
*Saint Christopher
*Saints Cosmas and Damian
*Saint Vitus
*''Santi Angeli Custodi'' church
*''Santissimo Salvatore'' church

===Other===
[[File:CastelloUrsino1CT.JPG|thumb|''Castello Ursino'']]
[[File:Palazzo delle poste centrali (Catania).jpg|thumb|''Palazzo delle Poste'']]
[[File:Negozio Frigeri, Via Manzoni, Catania, arch. Tommaso Malerba.png|thumb|''Negozio Frigeri'']]
*[[Castello Ursino|Ursino Castle]], built by emperor [[Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor|Frederick II]] in the 13th century.
*[[Palazzo degli Elefanti|Elephants' Palace]] (or "Palace of the Elephants"), designed by Vaccarini, houses the municipality offices.
*[[Palazzo dell'Università, Catania|University Central Palace]], designed by the Battaglia family, is an offices seat and main library of the [[University of Catania|Catania University]].
*[[Palazzo Biscari|Biscari Palace]]
*[[Palazzo Tezzano|Tezzano Palace]]
*The Medieval Gothic-Catalan Arch of the Friars' Saint John the Baptist (''San Giovanni de' Fleres'')
*[[Porta Garibaldi, Catania|Porta Garibaldi]], [[triumphal arch]], originally ''Porta Ferdinandea'' erected in 1768 to celebrate the wedding of King [[Ferdinand I of Two Sicilies|Ferdinand I]] and [[Marie Caroline of Austria]].
*Porta del Fortino ("Redoubt Gate")
*[[Teatro Massimo Bellini|Bellini Theatre]]
*[[Teatro Sangiorgi, Catania|Sangiorgi Theatre]]
*[[Palazzo Rosa, Catania|Palazzo Rosa]] ("Pink Palace")
*Negozio Frigeri, or Palazzina Frigeri ("Frigeri Shop", or "Frigeri Little Palace")
*[[Palazzo dell'Esposizione]]
*The House of the War Mutilateds (''Casa del Mutilato'') built in [[Fascist architecture|Fascist-style architecture]].
*Catania War Cemetery, a [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]] Graveyard located in the southern country hamlet of Bicocca.<ref>Commonwealth [[War grave|War Graves]] Commission – Catania War Cemetery [http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/2006200]</ref><ref>Veterans Affairs Canada – Anciens Combattants Canada – Catania War Cemetery [http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/general/sub.cfm?source=feature/italy99/backgrounders/catania]</ref>
*[[Palazzo delle Poste, Catania|Palazzo delle Poste]] ("Post Office Palace")
*[[Palazzo della Borsa, Catania|Palazzo della Borsa]] ("Stock Exchange Building")
*[[Giardino Bellini|Bellini Garden, or Villa Bellini]]
*[[Orto Botanico dell'Università di Catania|Catania Botanical Garden]]
*[[Giardino Pacini|Pacini Garden]], or Villa Pacini
*[[Parco Gioeni|Gioeni Park]]
*[[Clementi Clinic building, Catania|Clementi Building]]
*[[Garage Musumeci, Catania|Garage Musumeci]]
*Four sculpture reliefs' street lights, situated in the [[Piazza Universitaria, Catania|Piazza Universitaria]] ("University Square"), depicting legendary characters and events: [[Peix Nicolau]]; [[Amphinomus|Amphinomus and Anapias]]; [[Gammazita]]; and the [[Opera dei Pupi|young knight]] [[Uzeta]].