White Almond Sicily

Catania was founded in the 8th century BC by Chalcidian Greeks settlers from nearby Naxos (modern day Giardini Naxos) and was given the Greek name Katánē. During the 14th century AD and into the Renaissance period, Catania was one of Italy's most important cultural, artistic and political centres. It was the site of Sicily's first university founded in 1434 and has been the native or adopted home of some of Italy's most famous artists and writers, including the composer Vincenzo Bellini and the writer Giovanni Verga. The city has weathered multiple geological catastrophes. As Sicily's second largest city Catania has had its fair share of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions and although it is rich in monuments dating back to Greek and Roman times the city seen today was built mostly after a massive earthquake in 1693 which hit south eastern Sicily destroying 70 towns and cities killing up to 60,000 people. The rebuilding, then a territory part of the Crown of Aragon and r