PIAZZA DANTE

Piazza Dante Alighieri is an area in the historic center of Catania, which can be accessed via Gesualdo Clementi from the north-east and via Mascali from the Antico Corso. On the north-west side of the square is the imposing church of San Nicolò l'Arena, which has an exedra in front of it, from the center of which via Gesuiti starts, parallel further south of via Clementi. On the south-east side there is access to the former Benedictine Monastery, annexed to the Church and today the university seat of the Department of Humanities, while in the center of the southern part of the square there are the Remains of the Acropolis Baths, whose archaeological excavations date back to 1981; on the same site further south there is a flower bed with a fountain. In ancient times it was called "Laggu / Chianu de 'Benedettini" or "d''a Cipriana".