The Sicilian rhythm in Catania by Silva Wischeropp

This snapshot in the streets of Catania on the magical island of Sicily was taken with the Nikon D90 camera on 15 July 2015 in the late afternoon hours.

Catania is the lively harbour city in the shadow of Mount Etna. The second largest city in the Sicily region stretches out at the foot of the southern slopes of the volcano. The houses stand close together right down to the coast of the Ionian Sea. Of particular importance and an absolute must-see is the baroque Cattedrale di Sant'Agata on the Piazza Duomo of the Sicilian coastal town.

Reconstruction in Baroque style after devastating destruction
The volcanic eruption of 1669 and the catastrophic earthquake of 1693 in south-east Sicily almost completely destroyed Catania. Following plans by architect Giovanni Battista Vaccarini (1702-1768), a city was built with churches and palaces in the Baroque architectural style of the 18th century, which can still be seen today.

The use of lava stone as a building material is visible everywhere in Catania: in palaces, residential buildings, churches, as street paving and at the harbour. The ancient theatre and the Roman amphitheatre are also built from the black stone.

Catania, also known as the "black city", is considered the economic centre of Sicily. Rich harvests from the fertile soil on the slopes of Mount Etna, the use of the harbour to export its own products such as oil, grain and wine as well as the initiative of the inhabitants helped Catania to grow into a modern and lively city.