Piazza del Duomo, Catania

Piazza del Duomo is the main city square in Catania, Italy, flanked by both the centers of civic (city hall at Palazzo degli Elefanti) and religious power (Duomo or Cathedral of Saint Agatha).

Three streets enter the square: via Etnea, the historical Cardo maximus or north–south artery of the Ancient Roman City; the via Giuseppe Garibaldi, and the via Vittorio Emanuele II that crosses it from east to west.

In front of this building stands a fountain designed by Vaccarini, consisting of an obelisk on the back of the elephant u Liotru, the (symbol of Catania).

From the terraces you can admire two splendid panoramas: to the north, the Piazza del Duomo in Catania with the Elephant fountain and Via Etnea with Mount Etna in the background; towards the port, the walls of Charles V, with the arches of the Marina up to the Ursino castle.

The Piazza del Duomo is a focal point for the annual Festival of Saint Agatha, a three-day event that begins on February 3 with a procession known as “della luminaria”, from the church of Sant'Agata alla Fornace to the Cathedral here.