Paternò, Medieval commune in eastern Sicily, Italy
Paternò is a commune in the Metropolitan City of Catania in eastern Sicily. It sits on a hill on the southwestern slope of Mount Etna and overlooks the Simeto valley.
The site once held Hybla Major, a Siculian settlement known during Greek times for its dream interpretation temple. The Norman conquest brought the castle in 1072, which was rebuilt in the 14th century.
The name comes from the Latin "Paternionis", referring to a Roman settler. The medieval core shows Norman arches and narrow lanes leading to small squares where locals gather in the evening.
State roads connect the commune to surrounding towns. The Circumetnea narrow-gauge railway stops here on its loop around the volcano.
Silver treasures unearthed in 1909 count among the most important finds from the region and now rest in Berlin's Old Museum. The discovery included several vessels and ornamental objects from antiquity.
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