caltagirone
Province: Catania
Tradition: Majolica, artistic terracotta, and nativity scenes
Places to visit: Ceramics Museum, Staircase of Santa Maria del Monte, San Francesco Bridge, Piazza Umberto I
Experiences: Stroll among historic workshops, monumental ceramics, and artistic nativity scenes
The tradition of Caltagirone ceramics has its roots in a thousand-year history that has accompanied the evolution of the city through the centuries, making it one of the most important centers of ceramic production in the Mediterranean.
The 18th century represents the period of greatest splendor for Caltagirone ceramics. It was during this phase that the distinctive characteristics of the celebrated 18th-century majolica of Caltagirone were established, recognizable by its extraordinary chromatic richness and elaborate plastic decorations that embellished artifacts intended for both everyday use and the decoration of the most prestigious buildings.
Alongside the production of majolica, the working of terracotta for architectural furnishings assumed particular importance between the late 19th century and the early decades of the 20th century. In this sector, the historic Vella factory distinguished itself, playing a leading role in numerous works that still characterize the face of the city today.
The Vella manufactory is responsible for elegant balconies, refined garden furnishings, decorative elements for facades, and some of the most significant family chapels in the monumental city cemetery, designed by architect G.B. Nicastro. The works created in floral style testify to the dialogue between ceramic art and the architecture of the era.
This extraordinary artistic season was also favored by the work of Luigi Sturzo, mayor of Caltagirone, who promoted the urban renewal of the city by involving important architects and professionals. The collaboration between master ceramists and designers helped transform ceramics into one of the most representative elements of Caltagirone’s architectural and cultural identity.
Even today, walking through the streets of the historic center, it is possible to admire the testimonies of this centuries-old tradition that continues to make Caltagirone one of the international capitals of artistic ceramics.
With the progressive decline of traditional majolica production, a new and original art form developed in Caltagirone that was destined to gain fame well beyond the borders of Sicily: that of the figurinai (figurine makers).
The pioneer of this tradition was Giacomo Bongiovanni, considered the founder of an artistic school that revolutionized the technique of creating terracotta figurines. His works, modeled with great mastery and covered with thin sheets of the same clay, depicted scenes of daily life, trades, customs, and popular characters, transforming ceramics into an extraordinary instrument for narrating the Sicilian peasant world.
The tradition of figurines and artistic nativity scenes was subsequently passed down and enriched by numerous masters. Among these, Giuseppe Vaccaro, Bongiovanni’s nephew, Giacomo Azzolina, Francesco Bonanno, Father Benedetto Papale, author of precious miniature nativity scenes, and Salvatore Morretta, celebrated for having represented the traditional costumes of the Sicilian countryside with great accuracy, distinguished themselves.
Even in more recent times, this important artistic heritage has been carried forward by masters such as Giacomo Vaccaro, Giuseppe’s son, his son-in-law Salvatore Scuto, and Giuseppe Nicastro, helping to keep alive a tradition that still today represents one of the most fascinating and defining aspects of Caltagirone’s ceramic art.
Caltagirone figurines and nativity scenes continue to be appreciated for their ability to narrate the history, culture, and daily life of Sicily through the universal language of art.
The cultural value of Caltagirone’s ceramic tradition received important institutional recognition on January 25, 2006, when Caltagirone Ceramics and the Art of Nativity Scenes were included in the Book of Knowledge of the Register of Intangible Heritage of Sicily (REIS) at number 22.
This prestigious recognition testifies to the importance of a heritage made not only of works and artifacts, but above all of knowledge, techniques, and skills passed down from generation to generation. The working of ceramics and the art of nativity scenes represent one of the most authentic expressions of the city’s cultural identity, capable of narrating the history, creativity, and traditions of the Caltagirone community.
Thanks to this extraordinary intangible heritage, Caltagirone continues today to be recognized as one of the principal centers of Italian and Mediterranean artistic ceramics, keeping alive an ancient knowledge that constitutes a cultural resource of international value.
Tourist Route
Caltagirone is an extraordinary city, where art, history, and tradition intertwine in every street and every corner of the historic center. Rich in monuments, churches, palaces, and artisan workshops, it offers visitors a cultural heritage so vast that it is impossible to discover it entirely in a single day.
The best way to visit it is to let yourself be guided by curiosity, strolling among alleyways, staircases, and evocative slopes that lead to the discovery of the numerous workshops of master ceramists, custodians of a tradition that for centuries has made the city famous throughout the world.
An essential stop is the Caltagirone Ceramics Museum, which preserves precious testimonies of the artistic and productive evolution of local ceramics, from its origins to contemporary expressions. After visiting the museum, the route can continue toward the majestic Church of San Pietro, one of the most fascinating religious buildings in the city. Its distinctive Gothic style and imposing architecture contribute to creating an evocative and richly charming atmosphere. From here, one reaches the Church of San Francesco di Paola, which houses important works of art and numerous treasures from religious buildings damaged or destroyed by earthquakes that have affected Sicily over the centuries.
Not far away is the celebrated Tondo Vecchio, one of the city’s most appreciated panoramic viewpoints. From this natural terrace, the view sweeps over hills, valleys, and landscapes that narrate the most authentic soul of the Sicilian interior. Continuing along the route, one reaches the magnificent San Francesco Bridge, completed in 1665 to connect two of the three hills on which Caltagirone stands. Characterized by five elegant arches and embellished with relief ceramic decorations, it represents one of the most significant architectural works of the city and a testimony to the profound connection between ceramic art and the urban landscape.
Visiting Caltagirone means immersing oneself in a place where ceramics is not merely an artisan tradition, but a living element that characterizes the history, architecture, and very identity of the city. Continuing beyond the San Francesco Bridge and walking along Via Roma, one reaches the very central Piazza Umberto I, one of the most elegant and representative urban spaces in the city. The square is overlooked by some of Caltagirone’s most prestigious historic buildings, including the Monte delle Prestanze, the Palazzo Crescimanno d’Albafiorita, and the Palazzo Libertini di San Marco, testimonies to the economic and cultural importance that the city has held over the centuries.
From here, the eye is inevitably drawn to Caltagirone’s most celebrated symbol: the magnificent Staircase of Santa Maria del Monte. Built in 1606, this extraordinary architectural work connects the oldest part of the city with the upper quarter, extending for over 130 meters through 142 steps entirely decorated with precious polychrome ceramic tiles. Each riser tells a different page of the history and ceramic art of the area, transforming the staircase into a true open-air museum and one of the most photographed and recognizable places in Sicily.
Dominating the top of the staircase is the evocative Church of Santa Maria del Monte, which has always been particularly dear to the Caltagirone community. Inside is preserved a precious sacred image, the object of profound popular devotion, which helps make this place one of the most significant points of the city’s religious and cultural heritage. The Staircase of Santa Maria del Monte today represents the symbol of the encounter between art, faith, and ceramic tradition, perfectly embodying the identity of Caltagirone and the indissoluble bond between the city and its thousand-year history.