Description of the attraction
Caltagirone is a small town in Sicily in the province of Catania, 70 km from the city of Catania. According to the 2004 census, about 40 thousand people lived there. Caltagirone is one of the eight cities in the Val di Noto region, included in the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List for their unique architecture in the "Sicilian Baroque" style.
The name of the city comes from the Arabic word "kal'at - al - giran", which means "Vaz Hill". It was inhabited by humans since prehistoric times, as evidenced by two necropolises dating from the second millennium BC and numerous archaeological finds. The Arabs also built a castle in Caltagirone, which in 1030 was attacked by Ligurian troops led by the Byzantine commander George Maniak. During the rule of the Normans and the Hohenstaufen dynasty in Sicily, the city flourished, becoming a recognized center for the production of ceramics.
Among the interesting sights of Caltagirone, it is worth noting the Museum of Pottery, created in 1965, which contains a collection of ancient and modern pottery and pottery, including those dating back to the era of Ancient Greece. The religious buildings of Caltagirone are no less interesting, for example, the Norman Church of St. Julian, on the facade of which Saverio Gulli worked. The Baroque church of San Francesco di Paolo is notable for its Gothic-style sacristy even before the earthquake of 1693 that destroyed the city. The Temple of the New Capuchins was built of stone in the 12th century, and the Church of San Francesco d'Assisi in 1236. The latter was restored in the Baroque style. Its façade is decorated with nautical symbols. Finally, the church of Gesu at the end of the 16th century is distinguished by eight statues of saints and the Madonna installed on the facade, and inside you can see the painting by Filippo Paladino "Pieta" and the painting by Polydor da Caravaggio "The Nativity of Christ". Another significant building in the city is the Palazzo Senatrio, built in the 15th century and serving as the City Hall.
But, perhaps, the main attraction of Caltagirone is the majestic staircase of Santa Maria del Monte with 142 steps, built in 1608. Each step is decorated with unique handcrafted ceramics using different styles and numbers. On the day of the patron saint of the city of St. James - July 25 - the stairs are lit with candles, which are arranged in a special way to reproduce a drawing several tens of meters in size.
Since Caltagirone has always been famous for its pottery, majolica and terracotta, here you can still buy a variety of exquisite souvenirs made from these materials. In addition, grapes, olives and delicious peaches are grown in the vicinity of the city.
