Siracusa, (Syracuse) Sicily
This ancient Sicilian city is a great stop on any tour of Sicily. The mixing and intermixing of so many cultures is evident everywhere here.
The settlement dates from 734 BC, and at one point, Siracusa was the largest city in the world! Due to its location and importance, it was fought over countless times and has been ruled by many different conquerors.
The historical center is the island of Ortigia. Here you find a maze of ancient streets and passageways, ideal for just “getting lost.” Not so ideal to drive in as I found out on my way to my hotel. But, once parked, you forget the car and just walk everywhere.
One of the highlights of a visit here are the famous catacombs under the Basilica di San Giovanni. The early 3rd century Christians “repurposed” some still earlier Greek aqueducts and water cisterns and made the whole underground area a burial chamber. It is huge! They could “house” over 10,000 bodies at any one point! Unfortunately, I was not allowed to photograph inside the catacombs, so you will just need to go there yourself to see them!
Talk about recycling/re-purposing; look at my photos below of the Siracusa Duomo. Looks totally Baroque until you look closer. It was a complete makeover of a 5th century BC Greek temple to Athena. The giant Doric columns are clearly visible inside and out. It later served as a mosque when the Arabs ruled the city, and then back to a church in the time of the Normans.
Most of what you do see all around now is Baroque from the 18th century due to the near total destruction of the area in the 1693 earthquake. But as you look at any of it, you know that there are layers and layers of older history under everything you see.
Oreccio di Dionisio. The ear of Dionysius
Inside the “ear.” Known for its perfect acoustics, it got a test that morning. This is a high school field trip, about 100 of them. They burst out into what I assume was the school song. It was deafening, but fun to watch.
wagon ruts from an entrance to the Teatro Greco, 2,500 years old.
Teatro Greco, 5th century BC. And still in use today. They are preparing for the spring season of classic Greek plays.
The nearby Roman amphitheater, 3rd largest in the Roman empire when built. Most of it was taken away by the Spanish and used for building walls during the Middle ages.
I am a sucker for ancient columns laying around.
Here is a classic example of the dichotomy of Italy. A very religious country, home of the pope, and all of those birth control rules, and here on the street is a condom machine! Lots of choices! Imagine this in the US. Well, I am sure it is illegal as the purchasing age cannot be controlled.
Just sitting there, a different color of the same Magis table that I own. Maybe I should put mine outside?
A windy morning, shot from my room’s roof top deck.
OK, I talked about driving issues in Ortigia. Somehow I got onto this “street.” About where the man is, there was a parked motorbike. Very fortunately, he came out to move it, or I would have had to back up for 500′ or so. They live with this sort of thing every day and all seem pretty cool about it.
The main street in the ancient Jewish quarter. Giudecca essentially means of the Jews. In 1492, they were given the choice of forced conversion to Christianity, or expulsion from Sicily.
Baroque palazzo’s with their ornate balconies.
Lovely tree lined street
The Duomo cathedral of Ortigia.
Masterful recycling/repurposing. The Duomo is build within the ancient Greek temple that was there first. See the giant Greek columns?
Here are the columns from the inside. 2500 years old, and still used.
A scene in the piazza del Duomo.
Right in the middle of Ortigia, the ruins of the Greek Temple of Apollo.