Siracusa, Sicily, Italy
Sunrise brought a sunny day and a clear view of Mount Etna away in the distance, before sailing into port for our day’s exploration of Siracusa. The city possibly took its name from the ‘Suraca,’ the local marshes.
Our morning was spent amongst the important archaeological remains. We explored the tranquil gardens of the ‘Latomia del Paradiso’, the ‘Paradise Quarry,’ that served as a prison for the enslaved Athenians following a failed attack on the Siracusa in 413. Five thousand Athenians were taken as political prisoners and forced to extract limestone deep underground. Their lives were terrible, forced to stay underground, unable to escape.
A short distance away we saw the 5th Century theatre, one of the most complete Greek theatres to survive. It was built to offer spectacular views of the sea behind, with a cooling sea breeze for the citizens as they watched their tragedies played out under the hot sun. This design contrasted with the elliptical shape of the Roman Amphitheatre, the third largest in Italy.
After a well-earned siesta, we walked into the Old Town of Ortigia, the original settlement of Siracusa. Being a leisurely Sunday afternoon, we strolled the narrow streets amongst the locals, admiring the complete mixture of architectural styles, from Greek, through Roman to Baroque. The Cathedral brought all this together for us, formerly a Greek temple, adopted by Christians in 640, restyled by Normans and later with a Baroque style facade. A truly fascinating sight!
Sunrise brought a sunny day and a clear view of Mount Etna away in the distance, before sailing into port for our day’s exploration of Siracusa. The city possibly took its name from the ‘Suraca,’ the local marshes.
Our morning was spent amongst the important archaeological remains. We explored the tranquil gardens of the ‘Latomia del Paradiso’, the ‘Paradise Quarry,’ that served as a prison for the enslaved Athenians following a failed attack on the Siracusa in 413. Five thousand Athenians were taken as political prisoners and forced to extract limestone deep underground. Their lives were terrible, forced to stay underground, unable to escape.
A short distance away we saw the 5th Century theatre, one of the most complete Greek theatres to survive. It was built to offer spectacular views of the sea behind, with a cooling sea breeze for the citizens as they watched their tragedies played out under the hot sun. This design contrasted with the elliptical shape of the Roman Amphitheatre, the third largest in Italy.
After a well-earned siesta, we walked into the Old Town of Ortigia, the original settlement of Siracusa. Being a leisurely Sunday afternoon, we strolled the narrow streets amongst the locals, admiring the complete mixture of architectural styles, from Greek, through Roman to Baroque. The Cathedral brought all this together for us, formerly a Greek temple, adopted by Christians in 640, restyled by Normans and later with a Baroque style facade. A truly fascinating sight!
