The archaeological heritage of Catania

Catania in the Roman period was, undoubtedly, a rich and powerful city. The numerous devastations suffered over the years due to earthquakes and lava eruptions, have partly destroyed the archaeological heritage but in part have preserved it. Start your journey to discover the archaeological heritage of the city of Etna.
Among the most important ancient remains, mention must be made of:
• The Achilliane Baths (3rd century AD) are located below the Cathedral. Accessible through a door on the right side of the sacred building, the various rooms are still identifiable and worthy of mention is a beautiful room whose vault is decorated with fine stuccos.The Thermal Baths of the Address are a Roman baths, probably of advanced imperial age, partially incorporated in the former Carmelite convent of S. Maria dell’Indirizzo during the rebuilding after the 1693 earthquake of the church. The architectural structure and the materials. Several rooms have come from the thermal building with original covers and, among these, a large octagonal room with a domed roof.


• The Roman Theater, from the Antonian period, had an orchestra of about 22 meters and the cavea with a diameter of 98 meters. Originally the scenic environments were decorated with marble, colonnades and statues. Unfortunately part of the scene, on the carceris and on a portion of the cavea still insist eighteenth-century factories that, unfortunately, limit the legibility.
• The Odeon was a small building intended for performing music and dancing and was located west of the large theater). The odonon’s hemicycle is made up of 18 walls so as to form wedges of different shapes in which seventeen rooms with vaulted roofing have been obtained. The orchestra has a marble floor that, thanks to the use of lava stone and bricks, allowed an interesting chromatic play.


• The Terme della Rotonda are located north of the theater and have a circular building inscribed in a quadrilateral with numerous marble tanks inside niches.
• The Roman Baths are located opposite the well-known Benedictine Monastery. In the courtyard of the former monastery, in fact, it is possible to see the excavation trenches showing fragments of the ancient catanese acropolis.
• The Amphitheater can be admired in the central Piazza Stesicoro. It is one of the largest Italian amphitheatres of Roman times and is partly open to visitors below the road surface. According to the calculations, it was estimated that it could contain a good 15,000 seated spectators who doubled up with standing places. It is generally dated to the second century. B.C.
• The Roman funeral monument below the ruins of the church of S. Euplio consists of a small underground chamber with traces of frescoes.

Many accommodation facilities, hotels, B & B, Agritourism, etc., will welcome all those who want to know the ancient face of the Etnean capital, a city that is always full of charm and emotions. An easy search on the internet will allow you to choose the accommodation more in line with your needs.