UNIVERSITY SQUARE

The square, located on Via Etnea a few meters from the Cathedral, has existed since the last glimpse of the 18th century, that is, since construction began on the building that houses the university campus. The University of Catania, the oldest in Sicily, was founded in 1434 by King Alfonso the Magnanimous. The first seat of the University was in Piazza Duomo in a building near the Palazzo dei Chierici. In 1696, after the disastrous earthquake 3 years earlier, with the help of architects, Francesco e  Antonino Battaglia and Giovanni Battista Vaccarini, construction of the University building began. Also designed by Giovan Battista Vaccarini in 1738 and 1743 , two other wings of the scenic square were built: the palace of S. Giuliano and the Gioeni palace, commissioned by the Paternò family marquises of San Giuliano the first and by Duke Gioeni D'Angió the second. In the 20th century the palace  S. Giuliano was the site of a theater and a Hotel. Today the latter along with the University s palace house university institutions and offices, one is home to the rectorate and the other to administrative bodies. To the south the square is bordered by the Elephants Palace, and to the northwest by the La Piana Palace. In 1957 the sculptors Mimì Maria Lazzaro and Domenico Tudisco, created the 4 bronze lampposts in the square that interpret 4 popular Sicilian legends:Gammazita, the Paladin Uzeta, the Pii brothers and Colapesce.