The Duomo of Catania, Basilica Cattedrale Sant’Agata, patron saint of the city, is located in the beautiful Piazza Duomo, a fine example of a late Baroque square. This magnificent structure was built in Norman times around the year 1000 on the exact site of the saint’s martyrdom. Destroyed by the powerful earthquake of 1693, it was completely rebuilt in Baroque style according to Palazzotto and Vaccarini’s design.
The church has a ground plan with three naves and three apses in lava stone. Its majestic interior also houses the tomb of fellow citizen Vincenzo Bellini. The Chapel of the Madonna holds the tombs of Aragonese kings and the sarcophagus containing Constance of Aragon, wife of Frederick III.