Chiesa di San Placido
The first foundation dates back to 1409, on the ruins of an ancient pagan temple dedicated to Bacchus, place of worship for religious tradition of Catania because it was said there arose the St. Agatha's birthplace, oatron Saint of the city. The Church was destroyed by catastrophic earthquake in 1693 and its reconstruction, entrusted to architect Stefano Ittar, was completed in 1723. The facade, in classic Sicilian Baroque style, is made of white stone from Taormina. The facade, enclosed by an artistic iron gate of convex shape with St. Benedict's coat of arms, is concave and ends at the sides with two acuteacute struts. On either side of the main entrance they are placed statues of Saints. On the top, a bell tower with three bells. The facade is decorated with sculptures, carvings and windows. The Church has a single nave, with semi-fluted columns on the side walls decorated with marble and gilded stucco. The four side altars are decorated with bas-reliefs in marble and equipped with four large paintings by Michele Rapisardi and Giuseppe Napoli. The altar is made of polychrome marble, supported by putti. On the side walls of the apse, two large paintings by Michele Rapisardi and, in the background, Tullio Allegra.
