“Even though it appears incomplete in the north side of the large church, the Monastery of San Nicolò l’Arena, for its vastness is held to be second in Europe only after the one in Mafra Portugal”. Especially during 1700 the huge heritage, the close links with the local aristocracy from which originated the largest part of the monks, and a considerable cultural prestige granted a role of prominence far beyond the territory around Catania. Obliged destination of travellers who were impressed by the hospitality, art collections and the sumptuous standard of life of the monks, the monastery appeared as a royal palace raised on the large area leaning on the western city walls (with no gates in the portion between the ramparts of the Infetti and Tindaro) and was exerting its influence on both the religious and the civil life, ruling beyond the borders of the large boundary wall enclosing it on the other sides emphazing the sense of authonomy, the indisputed economic power and its character of ‘city within the city’, especially with the relation to the popular districts next to it”. By quoting the words of Vito Librando (Notizie storiche sul monstero di San Nicolò l’Arena, 1988) we meant to introduce our short description of this sumptuous monumental complex which, from 1977, has been assigned to the University of Catania, to house the Faculty of Literature and Philosophy. Today, compatibly with the activities which take place in the university departments, it is possible to visit part of it, allowing to figure the grandiosity and magnificence of the whole. Entering from Piazza Dante, one is immediately seduced by the decorative exuberance of the façades and of the balconies. Again, Vito Librando explains that “in 1703 the first contact for the engraving of the façade was concluded: these were completed shortly after twenty years and decorated with ‘scartocci’ figures, mascarons, cupids, plentiful fruits of a lively imaginative repertoire, a sample of a baroque style without equal, still tributary to the manieristic tradition widespread and persisting all over eastern Sicily”. Inside the monastery can be visited: the long corridors (overlooking the cloisters), the large dining hall and the cells of the monks.
The wonder of travellers
P. Brydone visiting Catania in 1770, describes the monumental complex of the Benedectine monks in these terms: “As I crossed the main gate my surprise was ever increased: I had a façade before me almost equal to the one of Versailles, a solemn white marble staircase and a magnificient frame as it was a royal estate. I had never heard the kings of Sicily had a palace in Catania yet I could not find any other possible explanation for what I had before my eyes. I rushed back home to share the discovery with my friends and I found them in company of the clergyman Recupero, who had come on purpose to lead us there and to enjoy our surprise and astonishment.
Later he told us that the palace was nothing else than a convent of fat benedectine monks, who wanted to assure themselves a paradise in this world, if not in the other”.
When Charles Didier from Geneve visited Catania (1829) he was deeply impressed by the luxury and the wordliness in a place that was thought for prayer and penance. “The apartment of the monks – he reports – is more suitable to wordly individuals. The monk welcomed me in an elegant room, almost pretensious, largen curtains of white and yellow muslin created a very gallant atmosphere; a Venus voluptously lied down next to a Virgin surrounded by saints gave to that ‘salotto’ an aspect a bit too profane”.
A temple for Culture
A wing of the monastery is occupied by the collected libraries (Civica and Ursino Recupero) one of the richest and most important cultural institutions of the city. One of the most meaningful rooms is the splendid Vaccarini Hall, where the book collection of the Benedectines still maintains its original placing.
The hall gets its light from large oval windows, the walls are embellished by beautiful two-storey wooden shelves, the vault is painted in fresco with allegories of the Fede (faith) and Virtù (virtue), the floor is in neapolitan majolica of 1700.
copyright Giuseppe Maimone Publisher