ITALY: Ortigia was a Greek Epicentre in Sicily

Ortigia was the original settlement of Ancient Syracuse, founded by Greek colonists in the 8th century BCE. 

 

The island is small at 1 sq km.

At one time the city was one of the most powerful cities in the Greek world.

Over the centuries it became an important center in not only the Greek world, but also the Roman, Byzantine, Arab, Norman and Spanish worlds.

Today, traces of these eras are still visible in the architecture and layout of the city.

Located at the entrance to Ortigia is the ruins of the Temple of Apollo, built by the Greeks in the 6th century B.C. It is one of the oldest Doric temples in Sicily. 

It was transformed into a Christian church in the Byzantine period (6th century AD), a mosque in the Arab era (9th century AD), and a Christian basilica once more under the Normans (11th century AD).

 

 

Then Charles V in the 16th century AD, during Spanish rule, used it as a quarry for fortifications. (“Used as a quarry” can be translated to “ransacked to build new buildings.”)  So now there is really nothing particularly exciting to see. 

Duomo di Siracusa (Cathedral of Syracuse) is a Baroque cathedral.

It was built over the remains of a Greek temple to Athena. The ancient columns are now integrated into its walls, blending pagan, Christian, and Baroque architectural styles into one sacred monument.

 The cathedral is in the Piazza Duomo, surrounded by grand palaces and another church.

In the evenings we saw tango dancers performing in the palazzo, which gave it an elegant atmosphere.

Castello Maniace is a 13th-century fortress built by Frederick II at the southern tip of the island. Constructed between 1232 and 1240 the castle was named after the Byzantine general George Maniakes, who reclaimed Syracuse from Arab control in 1038.

Over the centuries, Castello Maniace has served various roles, including a royal residence, a prison, and a military stronghold.

In front of the Maniace Castle is the winged sculpture “Ikaria” by the Polish sculptor Igor Mitoraj. (Icarus, the one from Greek mythology. You might recall Icarus had wings of wax and his father told him not to get to close to the sun because the wings would melt. But, well, you know where that went.)

There is a seawall that encircles the island and you can walk the entire way around. 

If you're up early in the morning you can catch the sun rising over the water in the east, and, in the evening you can watch the sun setting over the water in the west. We had some wonderful sunsets. Sunrises.... well, ahem....

We took a boat trip around the island.

 

 

We didn't have the heart to tell John he wasn't really steering the boat.

When the sun goes down the lighting in the city is very pretty.

Many thanks to Maggie and Mathew who flew in from London to explore Ortigia and eastern Sicily with us.

 

 

We had a great time with you.