Monastero della Santissima Trinità, building in Catania, Sicily, Italy

The Monastero della Santissima Trinità is a monastery in Catania built in the Sicilian Baroque style, featuring large stone walls, arched doorways, and a church with a curved facade and tall columns. The structure includes cloisters surrounding a central courtyard, an oval-shaped interior space with a rectangular altar area, and rooms decorated with refined stucco work and paintings.

Founded in 1349 by donations from the noblewoman Cesarea Augusta, the monastery first stood on the Luminaria, where the Palazzo dell'Università now rises. In 1554 the original seat closed and the community moved in 1566 to the new buildings on this site. The 1693 Val di Noto earthquake killed 28 of its 34 nuns, yet the central location secured its rebuilding under Alonzo Di Benedetto, then Giovanni Battista Vaccarini from 1735 and Francesco Battaglia. Closed in 1866 by the laws confiscating church property, it later housed a girls' boarding school and from 1923 a liceo.

The monastery served as a center of religious life in Catania for centuries, housing nuns who followed strict daily routines and spiritual practices. It held an important place in the city's faith traditions and hosted yearly celebrations and gatherings that connected the local community to its spiritual heritage.

The monastery is located in central Catania on Via Vittorio Emanuele, near Piazza Dante, and is easy to reach on foot. Today it houses a high school and is partly occupied by local police, so visitor access to certain areas may be limited, and it is best to check opening hours before your visit.

In 1669 lava from Etna surrounded the monastery on 8 March from the south and on 30 April from the north, yet the building was left undamaged. The 1693 Val di Noto earthquake was far worse: 28 of the 34 nuns died, over 80 percent of the community.