The Park
The Archaeological and Landscape Park of Catania and the Aci Valley includes sites located both in the area of the metropolitan city of Catania the territory of Enna. The institutional aim of the Park is above all the research, the valorisation and the fruition of important diversified cultural realities. In particular the archaeological, landscape, literary, artistic and monumental ones. In the archaeological park of Catania the monumental complexes of the Roman age are relevant. The’Amphitheatre, the Terme della Rotonda and the Terme dell'Indirizzo, the Ancient Theatre, and the Odèon. In the Aci valley, the area of Santa Venera al Pozzo (Aci Catena) there are remains of thermal facilities and handicrafts from the imperial age; finally, the church complex of SS. Annunziata di Mascali with mosaic and pictorial evidence from the medieval age.
Sites of archaeological value are associated with important museums. That of Adranolocated inside the Norman castle, with collections of prehistoric age among the most significant in southern Italy. The Centuripe Museum - an internationally renowned centre for the production of ceramics and pottery - with valuable collections of statuary and epigraphs. That of Ceramics of Caltagirone – second in Italy only to its counterpart in Faenza - whose collections of ceramics and terracotta from prehistoric times to the early 20th century come from all over Sicily. Catania's Greek phase is the subject of the permanent exhibition "Katàne tra mito e rito". The exhibition is housed in the former Manifattura Tabacchi. Katanè is a precious example of industrial archaeology in the heart of the city's historic centre.
The Ancient Theatre.
The ancient theatre of Catania is located on the extreme southern slopes of the hill of Montevergine, the acropolis of the ancient city, between today's streets Vittorio Emanuele, Crociferi e Teatro greco. The area shows evidence of frequentation from prehistoric times. It also preserves traces of the theatre building from the Greek period, probably connected to the sanctuary of Demeter and Kore in Via Crociferi. The current structure dates back to Roman times and has several construction phases, the first dating back to the first century AD.
During the 2nd century AD, the theatre took on larger and more magnificent proportions thanks to the construction of a monumental entrance. A larger cavea and a more articulated and richly decorated stage building were built. From the same period theOdeonIt was used instead for poetic and musical competitions. Further modified in the 3rd and 4th centuries AD, it was then abandoned and gradually covered by buildings. Two dwellings (Casa Pandolfo - Casa Liberti), preserved from demolition, now serve as Antiquarium. These display the most significant evidence produced by archaeological investigations.
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