The square in front of Taormina’s cathedral may have an obvious name - Piazza Duomo - but its primary decoration is a bit of an eyebrow-raiser.

The Duomo and the piazza are just off Taormina’s main street, the Corso Umberto I. The Duomo dates from the 13th century, although the main doorway was rebuilt in the 1630s. That’s also when the Baroque-style fountain was placed in the center of the Piazza del Duomo. The fountain was added to the square in 1635, and at the very top is a sculpture representing Taormina’s city symbol.

The symbol of Taormina is a centaur - half man, half horse - but for some reason the statue atop the fountain in the Piazza del Duomo isn’t a straightforward centaur. Not only is the figure female rather than male, it also only has two legs (the back two) rather than four. No one knows why the centaur isn’t quite “normal,” but the people of Taormina have adopted the statue as the town symbol.

Besides the fortified-looking Duomo, other buildings on the Piazza del Duomo include the Palazzo Ciampoli (now a hotel), the 15th century Floresta House, and the 17th century Palazzo Municipale - Taormina’s town hall.