Caltagirone City of Ceramics
Caltagirone is a Baroque town located in the heart of Sicily, known throughout the world for the artistic tradition of ceramics, which finds its origins in the times of Magna Graecia.
Located on three hills, the city was for over two millennia the privileged stronghold of many peoples who controlled the plains of Catania and Gela, including Byzantines, Arabs, Genoese and Normans.
Each of these dominations has left its mark on the artistic and monumental heritage of the city, in fact in 2002 the entire historic center was awarded the title of World Heritage Site by UNESCO together with the Val di Noto.
The Civic Museum
The former Bourbon prison today houses the Civic Museums of Caltagirone
The prison was built during the Kingdom of the Bourbons, at the request of the “Royal Grand Criminal Court” and the Syracusan Natale Bonaiuto was in charge of the construction.
The façade, entirely made of stone, is articulated by a giant order of Ionic pilasters on a base, which support a large protruding cornice.
Today the building houses the Civic Museums of Caltagirone which you can preview with the virtual tour by clicking on the image. Since 2017, some recently restored rooms can be visited, including the “torture room” where prisoners were subjected to heavy torture to force them to confess to crimes.
Ceramics
The millenary tradition of ceramics has enriched the city with splendid monuments
La Scala Santa Maria del Monte
Monumenti
The city is full of Churches and Monuments to visit
