Cappella Bonajuto, Byzantine chapel in Civita district, Catania, Italy.
Cappella Bonajuto is an early medieval chapel located below street level in Catania's old quarter, now housed within a later Baroque palace. The interior follows a Greek cross layout with three apses and a central dome that rise above the rectangular foundation.
The chapel was built between the 6th and 9th centuries during Sicily's Byzantine period, when Eastern influences shaped local architecture. It survived the devastating 1693 earthquake that collapsed much of Catania's cityscape.
The chapel reflects the religious mixing that happened in medieval Sicily, where different traditions left their mark on local faith practices. You can see this blend in the way the space was built and decorated for worship.
You enter the chapel by descending roughly 2 meters below street level through an indoor staircase, stepping into a sunken space beneath the city. The chapel is small and intimate, so plan a brief visit and check opening hours in advance since access is limited to certain days and times.
The chapel preserves a rare triple-chamber layout from the early medieval period, a design pattern found in very few places across Europe. This arrangement of three distinct spaces grouped around a central point reveals how prayer and worship were organized in this distant era.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
