Siracusa (Sicily), Italy Photo Gallery
Looking towards Ortigia part of Siracusa from the ship.
The Castello Maniace is a citadel and castle constructed between 1232 and 1240 AD.
These are old Roman ruins on this pretty street.
We have seen beautiful oleander trees all over this area of the world starting in Petra. The flowers we have seen are either white or different shades of pink, and this plant is poisonous.
Temple of Apollo-Dating to the 6th century B.C., this temple is one of the most ancient Doric temples in Sicily.
Diana's Fountain-The fountain highlights the figure of Diana with bow and dog, the attributes of the goddess of hunting, protectress of Ortigia, which is the part of Siracusa we explored.
We like getting off the beaten trail and getting slightly lost wandering around on these ancient streets.
I love all the different doors that you see!
What a fun table setting!
What a candy store! Brian was looking for black licorice and found some in this shop.
The Cathedral of Siracusa, formally Metropolitan Cathedral of the Most Holy Nativity of Mary.
In the 6th century BC this site held the Temple of Athena. In the 7th century AD they built a cathedral using some of the previous structure. In 878 AD it was converted into a mosque and back to a Christian church in 1085 AD.
A detail on the outside of the cathedral. There are so many details all over the church.
Here's another detail over the door.
The battered Doric columns of the original temple were incorporated in the walls of the current church.
Looking to the front of the church.
This is some of the tile work from when it was a mosque. The marble basin is from the 12th-13th century.
One of the details inside the cathedral.
A beautiful painting in the dome and the "Last Supper" in three stained glass windows.
One of the stained glass windows on the side.
Looking on the side towards the ancient columns and "newer" columns.
In the Piazza Duomo looking towards Church of St. Lucia alla Badia. On the left is a bomb shelter that's now a memorial to those who lost their lives when the Allies attacked.
The Piazza Duomo in Syracuse is the centerpiece of a remarkable city and its sand-colored monuments perfectly reflect the sense of Sicilian warmth.
Ortigia was the mythological home of Arethusa, a chaste nymph who, while fleeing a river god, was transformed by Artemis into a spring, traversed underground and appeared here as the Fountain of Arethusa, thus providing water for the city.
Arethusa Beach.
Sometimes you see things that you have never seen at the local market, like piles of olives, capers, and sweetened fruit slices.
Filleting a swordfish.
More capers and sweetened fruit slices.
Anyone want some squid or a stingray?
To end our day we visited the Archimede & Leonardo da Vinci Museum. Archimedes, the famous mathematician, physicist, engineer, astronomer, and inventor was from this city.
We weren't allowed to take photos in the museum except here in the mirror infinity room.
How will they get under that bridge?
Everyone duck and drop the top.
They made it.