Catania
[key], city, capital of Catania prov., E Sicily, Italy, on the Gulf of
Catania, an arm of the Ionian Sea, and at the foot of Mt. Etna. It is a busy
port and a major commercial, agricultural, and industrial center.
Manufactures include chemicals, silk and cotton textiles, processed food,
and asphalt. The city also has a fishing industry. Founded (late 8th cent.
b.c.) by Chalcidian colonists, Catania was a flourishing Greek
town and was later a Roman colony. It was rebuilt after earthquakes in 1169
and 1693 and after a severe volcanic eruption in 1669. In 1862, Garibaldi
organized at Catania his expedition to Rome that was stopped at Aspromonte.
The city was heavily damaged in World War II. Points of interest include the
extensive Bellini Gardens (named for the 19th-century composer, who was born
in Catania); the cathedral (originally built in the 11th cent.); and Ursino
castle, built (13th cent.) by Emperor Frederick II. The city has a
university (founded 1444) and an observatory.
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