When Jake got home from work yesterday we had a few hours before we had to be back for dinner so we decided to go downtown Catania to see some things. We actually went downtown with the intention of going to an old Roman amphitheater, but it was closed. Things around here close at 3PM. Nobody likes to work late! But, we didn't just want to go home so we decided to just walk around. I had done some research online so I knew that by one of the plazas was the symbol of the city, a fountain with an elephant status carved out of lava on it. We got super lucky and walked to the University Plaza and then turned around and saw the fountain. It is called the Fontana dell'Elefante. It was created in 1736.
In that same piazza there is the Giovanni Battista Vaccarini's Duomo which is an example of the city's Sicilian Baroque architecture. It was beautiful. So much detail in the columns. We went inside and walked around too. It was a HUGE building from the inside. The podium and the organ were quite the sites. I am sure the sound acoustics in there would be spectacular.
At the far side of the Piazza is the Fontana dell'Amenano fed by the
waters of the underground Amenano River. The Mercato della Pescheria (fish market)
lies just behind the fountain but is only active in the morning hours.
It was another wonderful time! We got blessed to get to the right spot, even though we were not planning this excursion. We also got lucky to find a parking spot, a parking meter and enough euros to pay for our parking. I had to ask someone in a corner market if he spoke English and what I spoke of Italian, we communicated what we needed to do to pay to park and not get a parking ticket. Yet another thing we learned! Can't wait for the next adventure.
1 comment:
That certainly is an ornate building. Amazing their skills.
We enjoyed the Skype. It's nice to see you all and what amazing technology to see you in real time.
Love you guys!!!
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