Description of the attraction
Piazza del Duomo is the main square of the resort town of Acireale in Sicily. It is around this square that some of the most beautiful and elegant buildings of the city are built, which are its attractions. First of all, it is worth noting the Cathedral, after which the square is named. The cathedral bears the name Maria Santissima Annunziata, but is closely associated with the cult of Saint Venus - one of the two patrons of the city. The relics of this saint are now kept inside. The luxurious church building was built in the 16-17th centuries and was slightly modified in the following centuries. The interior of the cathedral is decorated with works by Pietro Paolo Vasta, Antonio Filocamo, Giuseppe Chouti, Francesco Patane, Vito D'Anna and Giacinto Platania.
Nearby is the ancient Basilica of Santi Pietro and Paolo, built in 1550 and rebuilt in 1608. And the baroque look of the basilica was given by Pietro Paolo Vasta in 1741. The bell tower was built in the 19th century. The construction of a second bell tower was also planned, but it was never started. Inside, the one-nave basilica was re-decorated after the 1818 earthquake. Today, you can see several paintings by Vasta and Giacinto Platania and a statue of Christ by an unknown author. The statue is especially revered by the locals, and participates in a religious procession every 70 years.
Noteworthy is the Palazzo Municipale, also known as the Loggia Juratoria - the Oath Loggia. The palace, designed in the second half of the 17th century, was built in the Baroque style. Its attraction is the maskerons that adorn the balconies. And inside you can see an exposition of military uniforms from different years.
Another palace in Piazza Duomo is Palazzo Modo, formerly known as Teatro Eldorado. From the original structure, two balconies with baroque elements, decorations in the form of grotesque masks and the name of the Eldorado theater have been preserved. The theater was housed in the palace building from 1909 until the end of the First World War.
In 2009, Piazza Duomo was re-paved by architects Paolo Portogesi and Vito Messina. They used lava blocks and white marble from Comiso for this. In the center of the square, the new coat of arms of Acireale was engraved by various local artists.
