Catania metro station becomes an art gallery with Biscari collection

The Fontana metro station in Catania, opened on July 22, 2024, along the new Nesima–Monte Po line, has been transformed into an art gallery. The Galleria Fontana, inaugurated with the station, will display works from the Biscari Collection, housed at the Museo Civico Castello Ursino. The first exhibition, 'Fermate d’arte, dal museo alla metropolitana,' features statues, busts, and mosaic fragments from the Domitilla Catacombs. Future displays will include other artworks from the museum's collection. The project is part of the broader 'Fermate d’Arte' initiative, supported by Catania mayor Enrico Trantino and Ferrovia Circumetnea director Salvo Fiore. The exhibition was curated by the city's Culture Directorate, led by Paolo Di Caro, with Valentina Noto (head of Castello Ursino), Salvo Persano, and the museum team. The Museo Civico Castello Ursino, built by Frederick II of Swabia between 1239 and 1240, has housed civic collections since 1934, including the Biscari Collection assembled by Ignazio Paternò Castello, Prince of Biscari, with artifacts from excavations in Catania, Camarina, and purchases in Naples, Rome, and Florence.