Acireale Cathedral Church

Address: Cattedrale di Maria Santissima Annunziata, Piazza Duomo, 98071 Acireale CT, Italy

Acireale Cathedral (the cathedral of Acireale) is the principal Roman Catholic church in Acireale, Sicily, and the seat of the local diocese. Much of the present building reflects post-1693 earthquake reconstruction.

Located on the town’s Piazza Duomo, the cathedral displays Baroque and later neoclassical elements on its exterior and interior. The church contains altarpieces and liturgical furnishings from the 17th and 18th centuries and is a focal point for civic and religious events in Acireale.

The medieval church on the site was heavily damaged by the 1693 Val di Noto earthquake and underwent substantial rebuilding in the 18th century, followed by later modifications. It has served as the town’s main church and diocesan seat since the modern diocese was established.

The cathedral stands in central Acireale in the Province of Catania on Sicily’s eastern coast, within walking distance of the town’s historic centre and the Ionian shore.

• Diocesan seat: The cathedral is the episcopal seat of the Diocese of Acireale and occupies the town’s principal square.

What to See#

• Piazza Duomo: Sits directly on Acireale’s main square, the Piazza Duomo, which frames the church and is the civic heart of the town.

Acireale Cathedral is in Acireale town center, a short bus or taxi ride from Catania (approximately 25-40 minutes). Regional buses serve Acireale from Catania and other Sicilian towns.

• Attend a weekday service to hear the cathedral bells and organ when liturgically used.
• Inspect the baroque façade details closely - the carved stonework and polychrome marbles reward careful looking.
• Combine the visit with a walk through Acireale's town center for its ceramic shops and pastry cafés.