Page 160 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Sicily

158  SICIL Y AREA B Y AREA

r Caltagirone E Museo Civico
Via Roma. Tel 0933-31590. Open
In the history of this city (a UNESCO World Heritage site), 9:30am–1:30pm, 4–7pm Tue & Fri–Sun.
built between the Erei and Iblei hills, there is one element This museum in the former
of continuity – ceramics production. Prehistoric pottery 17th-century Bourbon prison
has been found on the hills around the Arab Kalat al Giarin has prehistoric, Greek and
Roman material, sculptures
(“castle of vases”). The local potters were world famous and ceramics from the 1500s
in the Middle Ages, and the tradition is maintained today. to the present.
R San Francesco d’Assisi
The Ponte San Francesco,
decorated with typical
coloured tiles, leads to the
church of San Francesco
d’Assisi, which was founded
in the 12th century and
rebuilt in Baroque style after
the 1693 earthquake.
} Giardino Pubblico
The public gardens can be
reached by going down Via
Roma. The park was designed
in the mid-1800s by Giovanni
Battista Basile, and the long
balustrade and the bandstand
are richly decorated with
coverings of ceramic tiles.
E Museo Regionale della
Ceramica
Viale Giardini Pubblici. Tel 0933-58418.
Open 9am–6:30pm. &
From the Belvedere del
Teatrino, in Giardino della Villa,
you can visit the Ceramics
Museum. There are Bronze Age
pots and Greek, Hellenistic
and Roman kraters and
San Giuliano, displaying some 20th-century architectural features figurines. The Middle Ages
are represented by Arab
Exploring Caltagirone R Duomo di San Giuliano vases and Sicilian pieces. The
It is pleasant to explore The Cathedral is in Piazza collection also has more recent
Caltagirone on foot, walking Umberto I. The exterior of pharmacy jars and glazed
around the streets and the church, dedicated to San vases with religious figures.
squares, pausing at the local Giuliano, has a long history:
craftsmen’s workshops. There first it was Norman, then R Santa Maria del Monte
is quite a difference in altitude Baroque, and was rebuilt Stairway
between the lower part and in the 20th century (the façade Once back in the centre of
the hill of Santa Maria del in 1909, the bell tower in town, one of the most
Monte, so plan your visit with 1954). In the interior impressive sights is the
this in mind. is a 16th-century
wooden crucifix. By
P Piazza Municipio going down Via
The former Piano della Loggia Roma towards the
– now Piazza Municipio – is San Francesco
the heart of the city, where bridge you
the main streets converge. will come to an
In the piazza are the Town open space with
Hall and Palazzo Senatorio, the old Bourbon
formerly the city theatre, prison and the
which is now home to the church of
Galleria Sturzo. Sant’Agata. Ponte San Francesco in Caltagirone
For hotels and restaurants in this region see p204 and pp214–16

158-159_EW_Sicily.indd 158 11/3/16 2:10 PM
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Catalogue template “UK” LAYER
(Source v2.4)
Date 25th April 2013
Size 125mm x 217mm