The Fountain of the Elephant

The Fountain of the Elephant

An elephant of lavic stone adorns the monumental fountain in Duomo Square, master piece of the architect Gianbattista Vaccarini, realized in the year 1736. It is a real mix of different cultures. In fact the elephant is from Roman or Byzantine epoch and brings on its back an Egyptian obelisk with a singular hexagonal plan.

Some historians report that the elephant, elevated to symbol of the city, in origin was object of cult in a temple of oriental rituals in town. With the advent of the Christianity, turned upside down from its altar, it was carried outside the walls where it remained there for more centuries.

In the second half of VIII century, one of the most famous wizard, Eliodoro (who with its spells transformed the men in beasts and made to appear present the far things), tried to bring back the idol to the honors of a time. Sentenced to death Eliodoro, thanks to its diabolic powers, succeeded to escape from the hands of the executioner. He was made to carry by the Spirits to Costantinopoli and, with the same speed, to bring back to Catania. The people tricked from such prodigy, rendered almost divine honors to him.

The Eliodoro wizard, according the popular tradition, used that elephant for its fastest travels from Catania to Costantinopoli and viceversa, walking with it during the night. This ancient pachyderm, for the people magical instrument to the service of the Eliodoro wizard, "came led back in city by the fathers Benedictines of the Monastero di S. Agata and placed in order to adorn an ancient arc or door, said exactly of Liodoro".

In the year 1508, the elephant was placed on the high prospect of the old Palace of City. After the earthquake of 1693, the elephant lay down newly in abandonment until, in the year 1727, the Dutch Filippo d' Orville, finding itself of passage from Catania, sped up that it lifted up again, together with the Egyptian obelisk that now surmount it.