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Militello in Val di Catania

Description

Militello in Val di Catania is a town in the province of Catania, set among the hills of the Iblei Mountains. The place name derives from the latin expression "Militum Tellus", meaning "land of soldiers", because, according to tradition, the town was founded by the Roman consul Marcellus, during the siege of Syracuse in 214 b.C..
It was probably a Byzanthine hamlet, conquered by the Arabs and, during the feudal period, it passed under the control of the Barresi family and, subsequently, of the Branciforte one. It is a town in late-baroque style and together with the other towns of the Val di Noto, is declared by UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Mother Church, dedicated to San Nicolò and Santissimo Salvatore, was rebuilt after the earthquake of 1693 and is characterised by a beautiful XX century dome, XVIII century stuccoes and paintings and a Baroque style crux. Sidewise there is the Museum of San Nicolò, beholding numerous artworks and sacred furniture of the XVI century.
The Church of San Benedetto is located in Piazza Municipio and was realised in 1623 by the Catania architect valeriano De Franchis. Inside it is possible to admire a valuable wooden choir with episodes from the life of the Saint and a painting by Giovanni Battista Baldanza jr.
We also mention the Oratory of Santa Maria della Catena, with a coffered ceiling and golden baroque style stuccoes, the Church of Sant'Antonio di Padova, the Church of San Francesco d'Assisi, with paintings by Filippo Paladini, the Church of Santa Maria la Vetere, in late-gothic style, the Church of Santa Maria della Valle (1722), with a massive belltower and a painting attributed by Andrea Della Robbia, and the patrician palaces (Palazzo Baldanza, Palazzo Baldanza-Denaro, Palazzo Majorana, Palazzo Reforgiato, Palazzo Rametta Reburdone).

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