Museo Civico Castello Ursino, Catania

Museo Civico Castello Ursino, Catania

Built in 1239-'4- by Frederick II as a fortification on a rocky promontory overlooking the sea, the Castello Ursino was once the seat of the Aragonese royalty, then a prison and later barracks.

Built in 1239-'4- by Frederick II as a fortification on a rocky promontory overlooking the sea, the Castello Ursino was once the seat of the Aragonese royalty, then a prison and later barracks. It is several metres inland today due to geographic changes caused by erupting lava from Mount Etna. The imposing castle has a square plan with 4 circular towers of 10 metres diameter at each corner, and semi-cylindrical turrets midway along each side.

Today it houses the Civic Museum of Catania, built around the founding collection of Neapolitan art bequeathed to the city by Giovan Battista Finocchiaro. The collection has been enhanced with possessions from the Benedictine monks, Baron Zappalà-Asmundo, and the Princes of Biscari, which include archaeological finds from excavations carried out in the region, such as Attic vases, coins, pottery, and an ensemble of bronzes, along with 15thto 19thcentury paintings. Also on display are historical etchings, engravings, maps and watercolours tracing the evolution of Catania over centuries.

Highlights of the museum's collection are Pietro Novelli's San Cristoforo, Matthias Stomer's Death of Cato, Luis Morales' L'Ultima Cena (Last Supper), Domenico Fetti's Melancolia, Antonello de Saliba's Madonna ed il bambino (Madonna and Child), Giuseppe Sciuti's Paesaggio con l'Etna (Landscape with Etna), Jusepe de Ribera’s Profetta (Prophet), and Natale Attanasio’s Sunt Lacrimae rerum (Crazy Women). Other artifacts of note are a 4thcentury Torso dell'Imperatore, Hellenistic terracotta figurine of Afrodite, lava reliefs, 5thcentury BC ephebus head, and ivory caskets.