12 Aug The best wedding photo locations in Caltagirone
Caltagirone, the colorful capital of ceramics.
Are you thinking of getting married in Caltagirone?
Without a doubt, there are many possibilities for a special wedding here and that’s why I’ve decided to inspire you today.
Caltagirone is a town about 70 km southwest of Catania.
The name Caltagirone comes from the Arabic “qal’at-al-ghiran“, which means the rock with the caves.
Caltagirone has long been famous for the production of pottery. The Orientals brought the art of polychrome glazed ceramics to the town.
Under the rule of Norman and Hohenstaufen kings, Caltagirone became one of the main centers of Sicily ceramic manufacturing, especially terracotta wares and majolica.
Arabs, Byzantines, and Normans ruled this part of the island for about 2000 years.
They introduced the technique of crockery and majolica glazing, which from Caltagirone spread all over Sicily and in the rest of Italy.
Like other Baroque cities in the Noto Valley (Ragusa, Noto, Modica), a strong earthquake destroyed Caltagirone in 1693. Then it was rebuilt in a distinctly Baroque style.
SICILIAN CERAMICS
This small town is the home of Sicilian ceramics and has a wealth of handicraft shops selling handcrafted objects, such as the typical Teste di Moro, which is now the symbol of the island.
Light blue, red, yellow, and green are the main colors of Caltagirone’s beautiful ceramics; the artists decorate them with volutes, flowers, and geometric patterns.
Caltagirone is also famous for its rich clay or handmade nativity scene works of various materials, so much that the Museo dei Presepi Tradizionali exhibition has collected many of them.
During Christmas, there is an exhibition of the most exquisite terracotta nativity scenes. In these works of art, the artisans paid great attention to the depiction of details and daily scenes of the Sicilian tradition.
For your destination wedding in Sicily, you can use ceramic vases, jugs, plates, mugs, jars, statuettes, and tiles as gifts for guests.
Tiles are also available in a variety of styles.
The colorful majolica tiles reproduce 19th-century motifs and you can use them as place card holders on elegant tables.
Let me show you the special places, it will be clearly seen the ideal landscapes for a memorable wedding photo session in Caltagirone.
THE BEST WEDDING PHOTO LOCATIONS IN CALTAGIRONE
Santa Maria del Monte Stairway
Who has never heard or even seen a picture of the staircase of Santa Maria del Monte in Caltagirone? The imposing stair of Saint Mary is the most famous sight in the town.
The flight of steps was built in 1608 to link the seat of religious power – the Cathedral – with that of civic power, the Palazzo Senatorio.
The polychrome tiles, decorating the risers of these 142 steps, tell the history of the city and its potters from Arab times till today.
They form a metaphor of the climb, step after step, from the depths of historical memory to the self-awareness of today.
In May, the local artisans deck it with flowers. The following month, during the feast of the Patron, they illuminate it with thousands of oil lamps put inside cups of colored paper, all set out following a precise design.
Ideal location to take wedding photos in Caltagirone.
Giardino della Villa
Alongside via Roma, you can find some of the maximum exciting buildings, with many examples of majolica decorations. At the start of the street, there is the beautiful ‘Villa Comunale – the Town Park – with its small theatre.
Giovanni Battista Basile designed the park in the mid-1800s. Inside, the long balustrade and the bandstand are the ideal landscape for a memorable wedding photo session.
You can get lost in a series of shaded pathways which open out into secluded spaces with ceramic sculptures, figures, and fountains.
In the most impressive open area, there is a delightful bandstand with Moorish-looking elements and glazed panels of majolica.
SOME INTERESTING PLACES WORTH HAVING THE CEREMONY ARE:
-the Chiesa di Gesù for the eight statues in its façade, portraying saints and the Madonna and Child
-the 12th century Chiesa di Santa Maria del Monte
-the Renaissance Chiesa dei Cappuccini, which is completely made of white stone, housing a noteworthy treasure and a picture gallery
-the town hall Palazzo dell’Aquila.
The local population used the majolica from Caltagirone to decorate churches and palaces.
The Gothic facade of the Chiesa di San Pietro represents a brilliant instance of this use. Likewise, the facade of the Museo Della Ceramica. This museum preserves about 2.500 exhibits, from the 4th millennium BC to the contemporary age.
Since ancient times, the centuries-old art of pottery-making has been part of the history of Caltagirone and has made it well-known everywhere in the world.
Here’s how generations of craftsmen and artists have followed on from one another each interpreting in their own original way the ability of the potter to create shape and color.
Special thanks to @francesco rimmaudo for the beautiful cover picture.
By and large, your wedding photos should reflect your own personal style. A great location makes a statement about who you are, and the life you will lead together.
Caltagirone is the city with some of the best wedding photo locations in the inland center.
For this reason, it offers countless possibilities which will add to your photos a bit of an artistic vibe.