Roman Theatre of Catania
Teatro romano di Catania
A 2nd-century Roman theatre wedged between old city houses, seating about 7,000, with a small music hall called the Odeon beside it and well-preserved lava-stone steps.
The Roman Theatre of Catania was built in the 2nd century AD on top of an earlier Greek theatre and could once hold about 7,000 spectators. For centuries residents built homes on top of it, and it was not cleared until modern times, so today it is tightly surrounded by old city houses. Entering from the Via Vittorio Emanuele gives a delightful sense of discovering a ruin in the middle of the city. The seats are built of lava stone, and water flows through some of the underground passages. Beside it stands the Odeon, a small semicircular music hall. Admission is about €6, and it is a 5-minute walk from the cathedral square.
Opening hours
About 9:00 am–7:00 pm (closed or shorter hours on Mon)
Nearby sights
- Museo Civico Belliniano
- Via dei Crociferi
- La Pescheria, Catania
- Piazza del Duomo & Elephant Fountain, Catania
- Terme Achilliane
- Castello Ursino
- Via Etnea
- Badia di Sant'Agata