Motel Caltagirone

Caltagirone is a beautiful town in the province of Catania, set in central Sicily. The city rises in a beautiful hilly area between the Iblei and Erei mountains. The economy of this district is based on agriculture, in particular grapes and olives, but especially on the production of ceramics. This tradition, which has ancient origins, has evolved over the centuries to become a flourishing business, as demonstrated by the many craftsmen in the region. The city also boasts a museum of ceramics, which preserves precious objects dating back to prehistory and to the Greek period.

Caltagirone has very ancient origins but a terrible earthquake in 1693 destroyed completely the town and damaged much of the artistic heritage. The current structure, typically baroque, goes back to the long reconstruction completed in the eighteenth century. The main street is Corso Roma ending at the foot of the scenic steps of Santa Maria al Monte, one of the city's symbols. It is made up of 142 steps decorated with polychrome pottery and it connects the downtown with high one. At the top stands the church with the same name, which houses the Madonna dei Condomini, a splendid example of Byzantine art dating back to the '200. During the feast of St. James, held July 24, the entire staircase is illuminated by thousands of  lights.

In Piazza Umberto I, the heart of Caltagirone, there is the Cathedral of Saint Julian. The church was built in the Middle Ages but after the earthquake was restored in a liberty style, rarely exist in a religious building. The interior is richly decorated with frescoes, sculptures and hosts a valuable wooden crucifix of '500. On the same square overlook important public buildings like the Palazzo Crescimanno, a sumptuous residence rich in works of art. Nearby lies the Capuchin Monastery, where we can admire a rare copy of the Holy Shroud.

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