Santa Caterina Rampart

The terrace dedicated to Santa Caterina is the Saint Remy Rampart northern extention, from which is possible to enjoy one among several breath-taking panoramic views offered by the district of Castello. It is easily reachable by a panoramic elevator from Viale regina Elena.

From the majestic terrace Umberto I, a flight of steps leads to Santa Caterina Rampart.

Since Middle Ages, when it housed a curtain wall provided with two towers, the area had a defensive function. The construction of the bastion dates back to the 16th century, when the site was known with different names, including the one of Terraple de la Fontana Bona, due to the presence of a fountain. As time passed, the latter was mentioned also as Fontana di Santa Caterina, owing its name to the namesake church and annexed convent erected in the 18th century in the environs.

However, the traces of human presence in this part of the town are definitely more ancient and date back to the Roman Age, as the archaeologists have recently discovered. To be more precise, it is assumed that, starting from the Republican Period, it housed a building of unknown function and later a graveyard. Eventually, it was completely filled of waste materials, a precious source for contemporary scholars as it is ascribable to a wide portion of our history, from Roman Times up to the 19th century, when the area was heavily modified to allow the construction of the Saint Remy Rampart nearby.