Via dei Crociferi
كاتانيا
Via dei Crociferi is Catania's most theatrical Baroque street: a short stretch where 18th-century churches, monasteries and palaces follow one another without a break. You enter by passing under the Arch of San Benedetto. A stop that tells the story of Catania reborn after the earthquake.
History
The street took shape in the early 18th century, during the rebuilding that followed the 1693 earthquake. Religious orders and confraternities rebuilt their churches and monasteries here: the Benedictine nuns and the Crociferi fathers, who left the street their name. Since 2002, together with Catania's Baroque centre, it has been part of the UNESCO site of the Late Baroque Towns of the Val di Noto.
What to see
From Piazza San Francesco d'Assisi you pass under the Arch of San Benedetto (1704), which joins the Badia grande and the Badia piccola. Then come the church of San Benedetto, with its vault frescoed by Giovanni Tuccari, the church of San Francesco Borgia with its double staircase and, across the street, the convex façade of San Giuliano. Further on is the church of San Camillo and, at the end of the street, Villa Cerami.
Curiosities
In about 410 metres there are four Baroque churches. The church of San Giuliano, with its convex façade, is considered one of the finest examples of Catania's Baroque. In the 20th century the street became one of Italian cinema's favourite film sets.
How to visit
It is a public street that can be walked in a few minutes; the churches have their own opening hours. It is just a few steps from Piazza del Duomo and Via Etnea.
