Description of the attraction
Paterno is a small town in the province of Catania with very ancient roots. The territory of the modern city was inhabited 3, 5 thousand years ago - probably the first inhabitants of these places were Sikans. Initially, the settlement was called Inessa, and its current name comes from the Greek words "pater aitnayon", which means "Fortress at Etna". In addition, traces of another ancient city, named Iblaya Mayor or Galeatis, were discovered to the northwest of Paterno.
During the Greek and Roman eras, Paterno was a modest provincial center, but at the end of the first millennium it was almost deserted. During the years of Arab rule in Sicily, the city was known as Batarnu. The Normans, who conquered the island in the middle of the 11th century, returned the city its name - Paterno. In the same period, it began to flourish. King Federigo III built here the so-called "Chamber Reginale" - the queen's chambers, which he presented as a wedding gift to his bride, Eleanor of Anjou. Later they were inherited by all the queens of Sicily. The heyday of Paterno lasted until the 15th century, when the city became a feudal property and lost its significance.
Historically, the area around Paterno has always suffered from malaria epidemics as it is located in the swampy Catanian plain. However, in the 20th century, this problem was solved, and in the 1960s and 1970s, there was a rapid urban development here.
Among the main attractions of little Paterno are the Norman castle, built in 1072 by order of Roger I of Sicily, and numerous churches. Thus, the Chiesa Madre di Santa Maria dell Alto church was erected in 1342 and significantly rebuilt in the early 18th century. It is connected by a picturesque staircase to the Porta del Borgo gate. In the Gothic church of San Francesco alla Collina, elements of baroque decorations have been preserved, and the church of San Martino al Monte is notable for its rococo style. The 11th century cathedral of Santa Maria della Valle di Lozafat with an amazing Gothic portal is also worth paying attention to.
