Chiesa di Santa Caterina d'Alessandria (Church of St. Catherine d'Alessandria), Taormina

Discover the remarkable Church of Saint Catherine d’Alessandria, a Baroque jewel that spans centuries of history. Standing atop the remnants of a Roman Odeon and an earlier Greek temple, it embodies the many layers of civilization that have shaped Taormina.

Constructed in the first half of the 17th century, the church was built on the ruins of the Roman Odeon, which itself partially destroyed a southern colonnade of a Greek temple, likely dedicated to Aphrodite. After decades of neglect, it underwent careful restoration and reopened for worship on November 25, 1977.

The façade presents a stunning example of Sicilian Baroque, adorned with pink Taormina marble around the portal and pale Syracuse stone framing the windows and doorways. A niche above the entrance houses a finely carved statuette of Saint Catherine by Paolo Greco, dating to 1705.

Inside, you'll find a single nave with richly preserved art and archaeological remnants. The main altar features a lavish marble mensa and a dramatic painting of Saint Catherine’s Martyrdom by Jacopo Vignerio. Beneath the floor lies a crypt once used to lay to rest Taormina’s notables and aristocrats-a space uncovered during 1970s restorations, alongside visible Greek-Roman wall ruins safeguarded behind railings.