Mother Church of Santa Caterina in San Pietro Clarenza

The one entitled to Santa Caterina and the Mother Church of San Pietro Clarenza, the largest and most important place of worship in the city. Visiting it you will not miss all the details that characterize it, especially if you go there on the occasion of Patronal Feast of Santa Caterina, held every November 25, in which the festive decorations are an added value for this already splendid building.

The Mother Church of Santa Caterina is located in the historic center of San Pietro Clarenza, very close to Mannino block, standing out from the other buildings for its unmistakable style Sicilian Baroque.

History of the Mother Church of Santa Caterina in San Pietro Clarenza

The first mother church was there Mother Church of San Pietro, originally from the fourteenth century, also known as Major Church, which was completely destroyed with the eruption of Etna in 1669. Unfortunately, you will no longer be able to admire anything of the old building, except for a few frescoes scattered around the city that depict its silhouette.

Only later the Church of St. Catherine it became the Mother Church of the Clarentina town, as well as making the Alexandrian martyr herself the Patroness of Saint Peter Clarence.

Architecture of the Mother Church of Santa Caterina in San Pietro Clarenza

The Sicilian Baroque is the predominant feature of this building, which is joined by the various more typical details of the Late Baroque. The stylistic aspect is very simplified, diverging from the sumptuous and abundant canons, showing more tenuous features that we can summarize in a eclecticism noteworthy.

Pausing to look at the facade of the Mother Church of Santa Caterina, you will be presented with a single body supported by pilasters, in which the high reliefs located in the central part, between the entrance portal and the window above it, stand out.

We suggest you also visit the interior of the Mother Church of San Pietro Clarenza, which, although made up of a single rectangular nave, will be able to offer you a spectacle to the eye, thanks to the many decorations and artwork placed on the walls and on the vault, which feature frescoes of exquisite workmanship.
To the left of the building is his bell tower, which perfectly recalls the same style of the Mother Church. Just like for the Church of theOratory of Santa Maria delle Grazie, the bell tower has, at its apex, an inverted cone closure.

How to get to the Mother Church of Santa Caterina in San Pietro Clarenza

It is really easy to get to the Mother Church of Santa Caterina, given its central location, just as it is just as easy to get to San Pietro Clarenza, which enjoys numerous connections thanks to its proximity to Catania.

Right in the capital are the Catania Central Railway Station andCatania Fontanarossa Airport, excellent for those arriving from far away, to which are added the numerous bus rides of Sicilian Transport Company AST, very useful for moving around the Sicilian territory.

Since you are already on Sicilian soil, you can also reach San Pietro Clarenza by car, traveling along the Highway 121 , European Route 45, or any other stretch of road that takes you at least as far as nearby Catania.