Botanical Garden of the University of Catania
This post is also available in:
Italiano (Italian)
The Botanical Garden of the University of Catania is a green lung in the very heart of the city. Founded in 1858 by the Benedictine monk Francesco Tornabene Roccaforte – the holder of the chair of Botany at the Royal University of Catania, the garden was expanded in 1865 with a new area dedicated to the cultivation of Sicilian spontaneous species. Then, it was further enlarged but suffered some appalling destruction during the Second World War.
Today, what’s left of the garden still retains its original XIX-century layout and has regained its remarkable historical, scientific, and educational heritage.
The whole complex covers about 4 acres at 246 ft above sea level; the plants grow on soil of partly volcanic origin from the very Roman era. Shaded by Eucalyptus citriodore, whose leaves smell like lemon, the garden is divided into a “Hortus Generalis” (3.2 acres), with formal or Italian style, and a “Hortus Siculus” (0.7 acres).
The collections
Catania Botanical Garden hosts about 2.000 species, mainly belonging to the Cactaceae, Euphorbiaceae and Aizoaceae families, including Astrophytum capricorne, and, inside the greenhouse, the small Mammillaria zeilmanniana, as well as several species belonging to the genera Matucana, Lithops and Gibbaeum spp.
Another important collection is that of palms, consisting of about 100 specimens belonging to 80 species.
The “Hortus Siculus” is home to the endemisms of the Sicilian flora, including Salix gussonei, Celtis aetnensis, Zelkova sicula, Centaurea tauromenitana, Anthemis ismelia, Paleocyanus crassifolius, Cremnophyton lanfrancoi, and Darniella melitensis.
The squill collection is also quite interesting, also featuring the Sicilian Scilla, Scilla dimartinoi and Scilla cupani.
Worth enjoying in Catania
Among many local treats, there are “Pasta alla Norma”, “arancini” (snacks consisting of a ball of rice coated with bread crumbs and then deep-fried) with meat sauce and pistachio, crepes stuffed with ricotta or anchovies, “scacciata” (stuffed flat bread) with “tuma” (a typical Sicilian cheese) and anchovies, “mauro” (crunchy seaweed offered with salt and squeezed lemon), roasted artichokes, and “Arrusti e mangia” (a typical and frugal way of eating roasted meat on the go).
Among the desserts, there are lemon slush with different flavors and served with soft and warm pastries, “cannoli” with ricotta cheese, and olivette di Sant’Agata.
This post is also available in:
Italiano (Italian)
Contatti
Via Longo 19 - Catania(CT)
095 43091
orto.scuola@yahoo.it
http://www.dipbot.unict.it/orto-botanico/
Altre info
Biglietto 4 euro, se in coppia 3 euro a persona. Attività per le scolaresche, biglietto 3 euro ad alunno. Gratuito per diversamente abili e studenti universitari
Tutta la settimana, apertura domenicale solo su prenotazioni gruppi
Da lunedì a venerdì 9.30 – 13.30 e 15,30 – 18.30
