t View from the top of the vast Greek Amphitheatre of Siracusa
For three centuries, from around 500 BC, Siracusa was the most powerful city in the Mediterranean, birthplace of Archimedes and home to Pythagoras and Plato. The city’s history, from prehistoric populations through to the introduction of Baroque architecture, is still clearly visible. Most of the relics of ancient Siracusa lie in the bustling mainland city, notably the Greek Theatre, the archaeological museum and the Roman catacombs.
t View from the top of the vast Greek Amphitheatre of Siracusa
Experience Sicily
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The Neapolis Archaeological Zone was established in 1955 with the aim of grouping the antiquities of Siracusa within one site, for an uninterrupted tour of the city’s remote past.
Built during the early years of the Roman Empire, the amphitheatre, with an outer diameter of 140 by 119 m (459 by 390 ft), is only slightly smaller than the Arena in Verona. Beneath the tiers were corridors through which the gladiators and wild beasts entered the arena.
Beyond are the massive foundations of the Altar of Hieron II. Dedicated to Zeus, it was used for public sacrifices in which as many as 400 bulls were put to death at one time.
Built in the 5th century BC, this is one of the most important examples of ancient theatre architecture anywhere. Throughout May and June the theatre still hosts an annual festival of Greek drama.
A huge hollow separates the theatre area and the southern section of the site. This is the area of the Latomie – stone quarries – from which the architects of ancient Siracusa extracted millions of cubic metres of stone for building. The enormous caves carved out by the quarries were used as prisons. The Ear of Dionysius (Orecchio di Dioniso) is one of the most impressive. The artist Caravaggio – who had himself recently escaped from prison in Malta – reputedly coined the cave’s nickname when taken to see the quarries here.
t Demeter and seated Kore statue, Museo Archeologico Regionale
Sicily’s finest archaeological collection is a fabulous showcase of antiquities from Greek and Roman Siracusa, Megara Hyblaea, Thapsos and the Greek colonies of Sicily’s southeast. Highlights include reconstructions of ancient Greek temples, the fossilized skeletons of two indigenous Sicilian dwarf elephants and various sculptures, including the Venus Landolina, a Roman copy of a Greek statue showing Venus emerging from the sea.
t Church above the Catacombs of San Giovanni Evangelista
This underground complex, dating to the 4th century AD, housed hundreds of loculi, or rooms, used to bury the followers of the new Christian religion in Roman times. The main gallery of the catacombs leads to a series of chapels.
On a hill overlooking the city, this castle is an impressive work of ancient Greek military architecture. It was built by Dionysius the Elder in 402 BC to defend Siracusa against attack. The fortress was protected by two rock-cut moats, a tower and a keep.