Guide to Siracusa

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When folding the sheet, we would suggest placing pressure with your fingers on the side to be folded, so that it might open up, but if you want to permanently remedy this problem, 1 2 it is enough to apply a very small amount of glue. THESIRACUSA CITY GUIDE © Netplan - Internet solutions for tourism © Netplan - Internet solutions for tourism © 2005 Netplan srl. All rights reserved. © Netplan - Internet solutions for tourism All material on this document is © Netplan. THE SIRACUSA CITY GUIDE 1 Summary THINGS TO KNOW 3 History and culture THINGS TO SEE 4 Churches and Museums 5 Historical buildings and monuments 6 Places and charm THINGS TO TRY 7 Eating and drinking 8 Shopping 9 Hotels and lodgings THINGS TO EXPERIENCE 10 Events 11 La Dolce Vita ITINERARIES 12 A special day 14 Trip outside the city: Noto 15 The Vendicari reserve © Netplan - Internet solutions for tourism THE SIRACUSA CITY GUIDE / THINGS TO KNOW 3 4 THE SIRACUSA CITY GUIDE / THINGS TO SEE History and culture Churches and Museums lost its independence and liberty after it was was the Cathedral of Siracusa for a long conquered by the Roman Empire. Siracusa period. Only the remains of the columns now fell under Roman rule in 212 B.C., in spite of remain from the original building. The church the strong contribution made to their battles underwent several changes over the centuries by the war inventions created by the famous and the main façade was completely rebuilt Archimedes. This was the beginning of the in Baroque style after the 1693 earthquake. city’s decline. It is possible to enter the San Giovanni Catacombs from the church. When the Roman Empire fell in 476 A.D., the city was at the mercy of other populations: The most interesting museums for discovering in 493 was sacked by the Goths and then in this city’s history and culture. 535 A.D. it was conquered by Belisarius and annexed to the Byzantine Empire. Papyrus Museum In 878 the Arabs took over a large part of The area of Siracusa is the only one in Italy Eastern Sicily including Siracusa, and the city where papyrus grows and for this reason stayed in their hands for about 2 centuries. there just has to be a museum dedicated to this rare plant in the city. The museum The Byzantines took over from the Arabs contains ancient papyruses, some of them for a brief period (1038) but they were dating back to the 15th century B.C. It is also soon replaced by the Normans (1081), who possible to see many objects made from this Siracusa: Greek Theater managed to hold onto power for more than Siracusa: Duomo plant, and a collection of materials that were a century. once used by the Egyptian scribes. Siracusa was founded by Greek colonies In 1209 the Swabians ruled by Frederick II Baroque masterpieces that stand on the in 734 B.C. The city grew at a rapid rate, took over the city. After the Swabians it was remains of ancient temples and churches. Bellomo Regional Museum giving life to a series of internal conflicts and the turn of the Spanish who occupied the This museum is situated in the heart of creating the ideal atmosphere for tyranny. city in the 14th century and built several The “Duomo” (Cathedral) Ortigia, in Palazzo Bellomo, and houses In 485 B.C. Gerone, the first tyrant of fortresses and defense walls around the city. The cathedral in Siracusa was built in Ortigia several works of medieval and modern art Siracusa came to power. Through his policy on top of the remains of a Doric temple including the famous painting by Caravaggio of conquests and victories, the importance A tremendous earthquake shook the East that dated back to the 5th century B.C. The entitled “Seppellimento di Santa Lucia”. of Siracusa grew, making the city strong and of Sicily in 1693, including Siracusa and the building contains influences from various famous as a ruling power. In spite of these other cities in the Val di Noto area. The city cultures within its wall: Greek, Byzantine, Regional Archeological Museum conquests, however, the Siracusa people was completely rebuilt in the early decades of Arabic and Norman. The main façade was This important museum houses some rebelled against tyranny and drove out his the eighteenth century and thus became one rebuilt in Baroque style after the earthquake interesting archeological finds and various successor, the tyrant Gerone, and then set up of the best examples of the Sicilian Baroque in 1693. works of art including pottery, theater masks, a democracy (466 B.C.). style together with the nearby Noto. marble and other decorations, that bear Church of Santa Lucia witness to the pre-history and proto-history After fighting and beating the Athens fleet Between 1800 and 1900, Siracusa enjoyed This church stands on the sight where, so of Sicily. The most ancient objects date back (413 B.C.), Siracusa then had to defend itself a period of economic, urban and cultural the legend goes, Siracusa’s patron saint to the Paleolithic, Neolithic and Bronze ages. against the expansionist ambitions of another expansion, greatly helped by the fact that it was martyred. The church was built in the city, the powerful Carthage. The city placed was annexed to the Kingdom of Italy (1870). Byzantine period (6th century A.D.) but the itself under the protection of the tyrant Church underwent several changes, especially Dionysius in order to survive and he then after the earthquake. It is possible to admire began a plan to fortify the city, which was the wooden ceiling with painted beams inside completed by his successors. the building. Under the reign of Ierone II (269-215 B.C.) Siracusa enjoyed a period of peace and Church of San Giovanni splendor, that was the last before the city This church was built in the 6th century and © Netplan - Internet solutions for tourism © Netplan - Internet solutions for tourism THE SIRACUSA CITY GUIDE / THINGS TO SEE 5 6 THE SIRACUSA CITY GUIDE / THINGS TO SEE Historical buildings and monuments Places and charm Orecchio di Dioniso Aretusa Fountain This is a deep cave about 65 meters deep, 11 This is one of the city’s greatest tourist meters wide and 23 meters high. It is famous attractions. Over the centuries it inspired for its special acoustics, which are due to poets and writers such as Virgil and Ovid, the acute angle-shape of the ceiling that André Gide and Gabriele D’Annunzio, is similar in shape to the outer ear, hence fascinated by the legend that is linked to this its name “Orecchio” which means “Ear”. It place. The story goes that Alpheus, son of has unbelievable acoustic powers: a sound Oceanus, fell madly in love with the nymph produced inside the cave is amplified up to Aretusa, the Goddess Artemides’ handmaid. 16 times. The nymph did not share his feelings. To save her, Artemides turned her into a water source Grotta dei Cordari but Zeus also turned Alpheus into a river, This grotto is called in this manner as this was allowing him to meet up with Aretusa. the place where the “cordari” (rope makers) carried out their work for centuries, making Neapolis Archeological Park use of the humid atmosphere so they could This park covers about 240,000 square meters twist the ropes more easily. This grotto is of land and has a large number of Greek extremely pretty and is covered with musk and Roman monuments inside it. These and ferns inside. include the Roman amphitheater, the Greek Theater, the Ara di Ierone and the Latomia Siracusa: Castello di Eurialo Castello Maniace Siracusa: Fountain of Diana del Paradiso. This castle was built by Frederick II of Swabia. Manmade and natural wonders that have Its imposing structure stands on a far point of All the most charming places in Siracusa to survived to bear witness to such a glorious Ortigia overlooking the sea and owes its name discover as you walk around the city. past to the Byzantine general who conquered Syracuse around 1000. Isle of Ortigia Greek Theater This is the oldest part of Siracusa, a charming This wonderful theater was hewn into the Castello di Eurialo place to discover by walking round its typical rock of Colle Temenite around the 5th This fortress was built on the Elisoli plateau lanes and where most of the museums and century B.C. It is the largest in Sicily and is around 400 B.C. by Dionysius the Old to historical buildings can be found: still one of the main hubs of cultural life in defend the city from the Carthaginians.

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