Discover Paternò: Castle, Church Art and Nature

Paternò between Castle, Church Art and Nature

Paternò combines striking buildings with religious art, festival traditions and distinctive landscapes.

The Norman Castle and Views over the Plain

The Norman Castle was built in 1072 by the Norman count Roger of Hauteville. The three-storey building is made of lava stone, has a footprint of 24.30 by 18 metres and reaches a height of approximately 34 metres. From the terrace of the Norman Castle, you can look out over the city of Paternò and the Plain of Catania.

Church Art and Archaeological Evidence

The Church of Maria Santissima Annunziata is Paternò’s mother church. It houses a painting of the Madonna dell'Itria by Sofonisba Anguissola, created in 1579. This makes the church a tangible point of reference for anyone wishing to consider sacred spaces and Italian painting together.

The Museo Civico Gaetano Savasta displays finds dating from the Neolithic period to more recent times. Its main focus is on ceramics and smaller finds from local excavations. The chronological range of Paternò’s cultural evidence thus extends from very early traces of settlement to more recent periods.

Festivals and Religious Sites

The main celebration of the Festa di Santa Barbara takes place on 4 December in honour of Saint Barbara. Further celebrations are scheduled for 27 May as “Santa Barbara delle rose” and for 27 July as “Santa Barbara di mezza estate”. The Sanctuary of Madonna della Consolazione is also located on Paternò’s historic hill. Alongside its buildings, these festivals and this religious site give the city its own spiritual and communal dimension.

Salinelle and Landscape

The Salinelle dei Cappuccini in Paternò are a natural area of landscape value and importance to the regional cultural heritage. In addition, the Sicily Region classifies the Salinelle of Paternò as a geosite of global importance. Both classifications make this natural area an important part of local perceptions without reducing it to a purely historical attraction.

Other Places in the Surrounding Area

The surrounding area of Paternò is home to Palazzo Moncada, a palace; Castello Normanno Paterno, a castle; Museo della civiltà contadina, a museum; and Scalinata settecentesca, a historic site. Villa Moncada, Villa de Papiri and Parco del Sole are also nearby; all three are parks. These different categories of places allow you to include buildings, museum themes and green spaces in your personal selection.

Ponte Barca and the Wider Regional Area

At Ponte Barca, two roads have been laid out along the banks of the Simeto: one runs along the left bank and the other along the right bank of the reservoir. On the right-bank road at the Ponte Barca reservoir, you can observe many bird species on foot or by car. The wider regional area around Paternò also includes Spiaggia della Plaia, a beach.

Other Places for Orientation

Maletto, Montargano, Acireale, Militello In Val Di Catania, Presa, Castel Di Judica, San Leonardello and Mascali.

For the broader travel overview: Catania.