Sicily possesses an immeasurable artistic and architectonic patrimony. Very important is the particular shape that assumed the baroque architecture on the island, in the centuries XVII and XVIII. In particolar way after the reconstruction that had place in several sicialian cities and countries, after the terrible earthquake of 1693.

This type of Baroque, finds its maximum expression in buildings erected from the Church or aristocratic palaces.

Some of the main characteristics of this particular style are:

• Grotesque Masks and putti that support the balconies or serve from decorations
• Balconies in wrought iron and jealousies panciute
• External Scales in the nobiliari palaces
• Bugnato decorated with sculptures of leaves and shells
• Created games of light from the decorations in lava stone

One of the cities mainly damaged from the earthquake of 1693, was Catania. It entire was redesigned and reconstructed. Gian Batiste Vaccarini was the architect who more engaged to giving a new face to the city, taking advantage of the lava stone of the Etna.

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