Timeline of Catania

Prior to 18th century

• 729 BCE – Catina founded by Naxians.
• 476 BCE – Hiero I of Syracuse expels residents to Leontini; settlement renamed "Aetna".
• 461 BCE – Settlement named "Catina" again.
• 403 BCE – Catina taken by forces of Dionysius I of Syracuse.
• 263 BCE – Catina taken by Roman forces during the First Punic War.
• 122 BCE –.
• 2nd C. CE – Amphitheatre of Catania
• 251 CE – Lava stream threatens the town.
• 535 CE – Belisarius of the Byzantine Empire takes Sicily.
• 4th–5th C. CE – Roman Catholic diocese of Catania active.
• 902 CE – Catania "sacked by the Saracens" during the Muslim conquest of Sicily.
• 1090 – Catania Cathedral founded.
• 1169 – February: 1169 Sicily earthquake.
• 1194 – Catania sacked by forces of Henry VI, Holy Roman Emperor.
• 1232 – Political unrest.
• 1239 – Castello Ursino ordered to be constructed by Emperor Frederick II, King of Sicily.
• 1282 – War of the Sicilian Vespers.
• 1296 – "Parliament at Catania elected Frederick of Aragon king of Sicily."
• 1350 – Castello Ursino built.
• 1435 – "Social unrest."
• 1434 – University of Catania opens.
• 1647 – Political unrest.
• 1669 – 1669 Etna eruption causes destruction in region near city.
• 1687 – construction begins.
• 1693 – January: 1693 Sicily earthquake causes much destruction in city.

18th–19th centuries

• 1709 – Palazzo Tezzano construction begins.
• 1713 – San Benedetto church built.
• 1737 – Fontana dell'Elefante installed in the Piazza del Duomo.
• 1755 – University Library established.
• 1817 – February: Earthquake.
• 1824 – formed.
• 1843 – Catania provincial archives established.
• 1858 – Orto Botanico dell'Università di Catania established.
• 1862 – August: Catania "held by Garibaldi."
• 1866
• * established.
• * Catania Centrale railway station inaugurated.
• 1869 – opens.
• 1871 – Population: 84,397.
• 1876 – Observatory established.
• 1881 – Population: 100,417.
• 1882 – erected in the Piazza Stesicoro.
• 1883 – Giardino Bellini opens.
• 1890 – Teatro Massimo Bellini opens.

20th century

• 1905 – begins operating.
• 1908 – Calcio Catania football club formed.
• 1911 – Population: 210,703.
• 1915 – begins operating.
• 1929 – Calcio Catania founded.
• 1930 – opens.
• 1931 – established.
• 1937 – Stadio Cibali opens.
• 1943 – July: City bombed in the Allied invasion of Sicily during World War II.
• 1944 – 14 December: Palazzo degli Elefanti burns down.
• 1945 – La Sicilia newspaper begins publication.
• 1949
• * established.
• * begins operating.
• 1954 – opens.
• 1957 – neighborhood.
• 1958 – Teatro Stabile di Catania founded.
• 1963 – State Archive of Catania active.
• 1969 – Teatro Verga built.
• 1971
• * City divided into 26 administrative units.
• * Population: 400,048.
• 1978 – City reorganized into 17 administrative units.
• 1988 – Enzo Bianco becomes mayor.
• 1995 – City reorganized into 10 administrative units: Barriera-Canalicchio, Borgo-Sanzio, Centro-San Cristoforo-Angeli Custodi, Monte Po-Nesima, Ognina-Picanello-Stazione, San Giorgio-Librino,, San Giuseppe La Rena-Zia Lisa,, and Trappeto-Cibali.
• 1997 – PalaCatania arena opens.
• 1998 – Mercati Generali nightclub in business near city.
• 1999 – Catania Metro begins operating.
• 2000 – Umberto Scapagnini becomes mayor.

21st century

• 2007 – Catania–Fontanarossa Airport new terminal opens.
• 2012 – 28 October: Sicilian regional election, 2012 held.
• 2013
• * City reorganized into six administrative units: Borgo Sanzio, Centro San Giovanni Galermo-Trappeto-Cibali, Centro Storico, Monte Po-Nesima-San Leone-Rapisardi, Picanello-Ognina-Barriera-Canalicchio, and San Giorgio-Librino-San Giuseppe La Rena-Zia Lisa-Villaggio Sant'Agata.
• * Population: 290,678 city; 1,077,113 province.

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