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Castello UrsinoCastello UrsinoThe castle was built between 1239 and 1250 by Riccardo da Lentini and belonged to Emperor Frederick II, the King of Sicily. At that time the castle was considered impregnable and therefore had important military role. After the move of the capital away from Catania and appearance of powder weapons, the castle lost its military role and was used as a prison.The castle has a rectangular plan with a circular tower at each corner and an open air inner courtyard. It was built on a cliff looking out to sea but as the result of volcanic eruption it is now a kilometer inland. The former moat was filled with lava, as it could be seen on one of the pictures.

Situat în Piazza Federico di Svevia, Castelul Ursino a fost iniţial o fortăreaţă construită de Riccardo da Lentini în anii 1239 – 1250 din ordinul împăratului Frederick II von Hehnstaufen, regele Siciliei. Considerat la timpul său inexpugnabil a avut un important rol militar dar după mutarea capitalei de la Catania şi-a pierdut acest rol şi a fost utilizat ca închisoare. Castelul are un plan rectangular cu patru turnuri rotunde pe colţuri şi fusese construit pe un promontoriu chiar pe malul mării dar după erupţia vulcanică ţărmul s-a îndepărtat cu peste un kilometru iar vechiul şanţ de apărare a fost umplut cu lavă.

There is a little Italian proverb that said:" Palermo grandeza, Catania belleza." This proverb purported that Palermo have the larger City, but Catania the beauty of Sicily.

UNESCO World Heritage Site, representing "the final flowering of baroque art in Europe.”

Catania

Ursino Castle is the home of the Civic Museum created using private local collections, in particular the archaeological ones of Prince Biscari, admired by Goethe, and those of the Benedictines.Castelul adăposteşte Muzeul Oraşului, creat din colecţii particulare, în special cea a prinţului Biscari (atât de admirat de Goethe) şi cea a Benedictinilor

Through this building Frederic II Hohenstaufen meant to punish the rebellious town. The plan of the massive building recalls that of the Arabic castles, squared-based, strengthened by four 30 mt. high towers. Along the centuries the Castello became an important military fortress, it hosted the Sicilian Parliament and was changed into a prison from the 17th century to 1931. Today the building houses the Town Museum

Fortăreaţa a fost în primul rând ridicată cu scopul de a pedepsi oraşul rebel. Planul său masiv aminteşte de castelele arabe, cu baza patrată şi străjuit de turnuri de colţ înalte de 30 de metri. De-a lungul secolelor a devenit o importantă fortăreaţă militară, a adăpostit Parlamentul Sicilian şi a fost apoi transformată în închisoare din secolul XVII până în anul 1931. Acum adăposteşte Muzeul Oraşului

Frederick II, universally referred to as “Stupor Mundi” - the Wonder of the World - , was crowned king of Sicily in 1198, he was enlightened, a scientist, a poet, a philosopher and a despotic prince as well. He died in 1250 and was buried in the Cathedral of Palermo, in “his Sicily”, up to his own express desire.

Frederic II (Împărat al Sfântului Imperiu Roman de naţiune germană), universal cunoscut drept „Minunea Lumii” a fost încoronat rege al Siciliei în 1198: era un savant, poet, filozof şi un despot luminat. A murit în 1250 şi a fost înmormântat conform dorinţei sale exprese „în Sicilia lui” în catedrala din Palermo.

The Emperor never lived in the castle. Yet, between the end of the XIV century  and the beginning  of the XV century it became official residence of various kings and their courts, under both the Anjou’s and the Aragonese families

Born in 1719, Ignazio Paternò Castello, the Prince of Biscari, was responsible for the archaeological excavations at Castrogiovanni, Centurie and Camarina. Many of the Classical finds in the museum come from the private collection of this celebrated personality.

Statuia prinţului Biscari. O mare parte din exponatele Muzeului Civic provin din colecţia particulară a acestuia

The building is a large complex with a central court, each side of which is about 50 meters long, its walls are made of lava stone and are 2,50 meters thick.Castelul are o curte interioară cu laturile de cca 50 metri lungime, iar zidurile din lavă au o grosime de circa 2,5 metri

Throughout the centuries the castle was transformed and restructured, during the XVI century it was surrounded with city walls and it was further fortified in the XVII century.

De-a lungul secolelor castelul a fost transformat şi restructurat, în secolul XVI a fost înconjurat cu ziduri de apărare şi a fost apoi fortificat în secolul XVII

Inside, it hosts the Biscari’s, Asmundo’s  and Benedictines’ collections, besides a rich picture-gallery where most of the artworks are donations from  private collectors from Catania.

Muzeul a fost creat din trei colecţii importante: colecţia prinţului Biscari, cea a Benedictinilor şi cea a contelui Asmundo. Muzeul are de asemenea o importantă galerie de pictură, formată din donaţiile cetăţenilor oraşului.

Ignazio Paternò Castello, the Prince of Biscari

Attic Janiform Rhyton Pygmi

Lekythos attico a fig nere (510s aC)

Mosaico romano (Utere feliciter), sec. IV d.C

Mosaico romano (Utere feliciter), sec. IV d.C

Ancient Roman mosaic (4st century AD) representing putti diplaying the inscription "VTERE / FELICITER", which could be freely translated as "Enjoy life”

Sarcofago romano Ulisse e Polifemo (sec._III)

Sec. VI a.C. : Testa di Kouros

Statua di Eracle, arte romana del sec. II d.C.

A colossal torso from an Ancient Roman statue. 1st century AD

Cratere attico con scena di Simposio, 400-390 aC

Sant'Onofrio di Bernazzano, particolare Sant'Onofrio di Bernazzano, particolare

Santa Lucia, particolare della tempera su tavola di autore ignoto siciliano del XV secolo La Vergine in trono col bambino di Antonello De Saliba

Il Pantocratore, la Vergine e San Giovanni di ignoto maestro bizantino

Testa di Redentore su fondo oro

Ultima cena di Luis de Morales

Caravaggio, Flagellation,

PIETRO NOVELLI, San Cristoforo, 1637Deesis

PAOLO GERACI, 1627Natività con i Santi Lorenzo e Francesco

MATTHIAS STOMER, Cristo Deriso, 1640

La vergine in trono tra San Nicola e San Spiridione

Adorazione dei magi di Simone de Wobreck

Ambito Meridionale, Rebecca al pozzo, sec. XVIIAmbito napoletano, Mosè e la caduta della manna, sec. XVII

Antonino Gandolfo (1841 - 1910)

Ritratto della Regina Elena

Giuseppe Gandolfo

Portrait of his sister-in-law, Anna Brancaleone by Giuseppe Gandolfo, 1823

Portrait of his niece, Clementina by Giuseppe Gandolfo (detail)

"To have seen Italy without having seen Sicily is not to have seen Italy at all, for Sicily is the clue to everything." Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Arrivederci CataniaArrivederci Catania

Sound: Antonina Sergi - Ninna nanna Musica de peliculas - El Padrino ( preludio y siciliana)

Text & pictures: InternetCopyright: All the images belong to their authors.

Arangement: Sanda Foişoreanuwww.slideshare.net/michaelasanda