Renowned for its magnificent Baroque architecture, the monastery of the Benedictines is part of the UNESCO heritage site ‘Late Baroque Towns of the Val di Noto (South-Eastern Sicily). Get up close and personal with this impressive building via a tour – considered by many as the best thing to do in Catania.
The church complex is dedicated to Saint Agatha, the patron saint of Catania, and is the second largest Benedict Monastery in Europe, after the Palace-Convent in Mafra, Portugal.
It was originally built during the 12th century, but after the 1669 Etna eruption and the 1693 earthquake that brought it to ruins, the monastery was rebuilt in the style of Baroque architecture to reflect the fashion of the times.
Over the years it has been home to the state treasury, housed barracks, technical institutes, the Civic Museum, and an astrophysical observatory.
It was damaged by bombings during WW II, and later it was restored once more and then assigned to the University of Catania which it continues as today.
The complex is vast so I recommend joining one of their daily tours. However, the weekend tours are best since the students are out of class and more rooms become open to the public. Highlights of the tour include the grand church, a cloister, and an underground library.