Stock Photography Online Digital Library

Traveller Dreams - Sell Travel photos on line Traveller Dreams - Sell Travel photos on line
- Posters & Prints - Stock Photos - Web Graphics -

Information | Stock Photography | Photo Prints | Contact Us   

enter keyword to search:
Images db
Articles db
 Stock photo Location
 Stock photo Subject
 Related articles:
 Catania - the city
 Catania - Piazza del Duomo
 Catania - Baroque Itinerary
 Riviera dei ciclopi
 Etna Region
 Inland region
 Related photograph categories:
 Sicily Cityscapes
 Ancient Greek Architecture
 Baroque in Sicily
 Archaeological sites in Sicily
 Scenery coast of Sicily
 Nature landscapes
 Sicilian countryside
 Markets in Sicily
 Holy week - Enna
 Sant'Agata - Catania

Stock Photography Online Digital Library of

>> Home > Sicily
Catania
A Baroque Itinerary
Sumptuous and richly decorated churches and palaces are the distinctive character of the south-eastern Sicily. After the earthquake of 1693 that destroyed completely cities like Catania, Noto, Modica, Ragusa the reconstruction architects were inspired by the masterpieces of the Roman Baroque, giving prominence to exuberance of shapes, volumes and the peculiarity of the decoration subjects. It is considered an original baroque, commonly named 'Barocco della Val di Noto' the geographical and chronological and architectural homogeneity of eight towns in south-eastern Sicily: Caltagirone, Militello Val di Catania, Catania, Modica, Noto, Palazzolo, Ragusa and Scicli are now declared World Heritage by the UNESCO. Distinctive characteristic of the various cities is though the construction material and this is particularly relevant for the grey baroque-darkness of Catania quite different from the bright honey color of Noto. Catania is the Etna's town with a special dark color that characterizes monuments, houses, and main doorways, often realized with lava stone. The 1693 earthquake obliged to rebuild almost entirely the town, that acquired a geometric unitary plan. At its core are the outstanding Piazza del Duomo and the Via dei Crociferi, together with the nearby Badia di Sant’Agata, the Collegiata, Benedictine monastery, and Palazzo Biscari. 

Sicily Ctania Stock pictures

Palazzo Biscari


The Piazza Duomo (main square) was planned from one of the most famous architects of the xviii century, G. B. Vaccarini. His is in fact the Fountain of the Elephant, with the homonymous composition from Bernini in Rome. From the same architect, the Cathedral, rebuilt, after the earthquake, on the former Norman plan. The xviii century Badia di Sant'Agata, at the left flank of the Cathedral, other example of the architecture of Vaccarini.

Badia di Sant'Agata

Sicily Catania stock photographs

Via Etnea crossing the entire city is flanked by palaces with baroque façades like the harmonious square of the University, the Collegiata Church, or Basilica of Santa Maria dell'Elemosina, with a marvellous baroque façade, the famous cross road called ‘i quattro canti’ (the four corners) with San Demetrio palace. 

Catania Sicily Stock pictures

Collegiata Church


But Via dei Crociferi is the best example of baroque Catania. It is straight, and over 300 m. long; connecting the archway of the Benedictine Monastery to the Baroque gateway of the princely Villa Cerami at the other end, to the north. In ancient times it was already the centre of city life but it is after the earthquake reconstruction that it became the monumental symbol of monastic orders power. It is really spectacular thanks to the façades and flights of steps of the churches surrounded by wrought iron handrails. On the southern end the church of San Francesco d’Assisi all'Immacolata and the close by arch of San Benedetto, linking the Badia Grande and the Badia Piccola. Soon after the majestic church of San Benedetto, with its beautiful wooden door, situated on top of a flight of steps, renovated with neoclassic style, with semi-columns added on the limestone façade. The interior is spectacular: the stairs lead first to the vestibule decorated with statues and a multicoloured marble floor, and then to the nave with refined stucco works. The church of San Francesco Borgia, or Jesuit Church with its baroque prospect surmounted by a dome, a double-ramp monumental stairway leads to the two order façade, with twin columns. A Jesuit college is housed in its remarkable cloister, divided into four yards, one of which made by Vaccarini. Opposite stands the church of San Giuliano (Vaccarini?) one of the most important examples of local baroque, the convex façade reminds the Roman perspective experiments of Borromini, the dome is surrounded by a loggia. Crossing via San Giuliano, we find the monastery and the church of San Camillo dei Padri Crociferi that gives the name to the street. The street ends with the portal of Villa Cerami, this building was the marvellous residence of prince Rosso di Cerami, erected in a place overlooking the present city and built with a refined baroque style.

Via Crociferi

Sicily Catania stock photographs

In the province of Catania besides the other UNESCO cities of Caltagirone, Militello Val di Catania, we should remind the beautiful Grammichele church and the other examples of the dark Baroque that can be found at Acireale with its magnificent San Sebastiano Cathedral.

Grammichele Sicily Stock pictures

Grammichele




  Related Pages
  - Sicily - Art and Architecture
  - Sicilian Monuments - Palaces Castles and Villas
  - Sicily - Popular Traditions


Welcome to Traveller Dreams on-line stock Photo Gallery. This website provides a large and growing original collection of high quality high resolution photographs/pictures immediately available to browse. 
Our photography online Library is a source of worldwide unpublished images with online search facility for genuine photo buyers, a major collections of digital downloadable stock pictures for fast and efficient delivery. 
With our Web Site Picture buyers may conveniently access inspirational photography from around the world. Images are organised coherently with an intuitive navigation so you can find what you want with the fewest number of mouse clicks. Our photos are indexed according to categories and keywords. Browse through picture categories for ideas and inspiration. 

Our stock photography expertise is in the category of active adventure travel experience: the country, the places, the culture, people, the architecture.
Our catalog covers numerous themes: from landscape nature stock photography to architectural details photography, still life, religious photography, outdoor photography, scenic photography, travel photograph, people photo, background photo, Beach, Coastal, Forests, Geography, Habitats, Landscapes, mountain photo, Plants, Rivers. Stock Photos collection of Cities and City Skylines, Lifestyles; Stock Photography of Architecture and Tourism Destinations; Rural lifestyle, archaeology photography, traditional markets, bazaar suks photography indigenous and native people.
The extensive range of editorial images will stimulate the imagination.
vibrant color images from around the World Europe & Mediterranean destinations and landscape photography (particularly Italy, Europe) plus a selective worldwide coverage.
Photography gallery which showcases the European cultural heritage, stock Photography web gallery of landscape and Mediterranean nature.
New places around the world are continuously added to our photo collection.
All the photographs on this site have been scanned up to 50Mb file size for immediate use. High resolution scans are delivered ready within 1 day of ordering.

You can purchase

fine art print
License for print editorial use (newspapers, magazines, brochures, etc.)
or license for non-print use (web, CD-ROM, video games, etc.)

Fine-art Print


Our photo library is perfect if you look for fine art photography
We sell Photographic Prints as fine art in custom-made beautiful photo print made with the latest photographic print digital technology.
Architectural stock photography Gallery of beach sea cost and villages pictures
Photo archaeology sites Landscape stock photo gallery
Nature stock photography Corsica stock photography and scenic picture
Cusco Peru Travel photos Tunisia Travel pictures photos of Culture and Civilization
Mediterranean nature and landscape photos Gallery Portugal images picture gallery Images of Lisbon Alentejo
High quality Italian Images of Lake Como Images of Turkey Istanbul
Pictures of Spain and Andalucia photos Sardinia Pictures
Gallery of Brittany France photos Sicily picture photo gallery
Mountain Pictures Trees stock photographs
Pictures of Venice Italy and its architecture Photo of Croatia Split Dubrovnik

STOCK PHOTOGRAPHY       STOCK PHOTOS       PICTURES       WEB IMAGES       RIGHT MANAGED  STOCK PHOTOGRAPHS

Terms and Conditions :: Privacy Policy :: Contact Us
Copyright ©  TRAVELLER DREAMS. All rights reserved.