Monastero delle Benedettine

Top choice in Catania

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The Monastero delle Benedettine covers two adjacent sites: a Benedictine convent and the Chiesa di San Benedetto. Top billing goes to the church, built between 1704 and 1713 and adorned with splendid stucco, marble and a late-18th-century altar made of Sicilian jasper. Standout artworks include Giovanni Tuccari's glorious ceiling frescoes and a graphic depiction of St Agatha being tortured in front of a curious sultan.

A cumulative ticket (€9) is available and includes a one-hour guided tour of the nearby Monastero dei Benedettini di San Nicolò l'Arena, one of Europe's largest monastic complexes.

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