Our GPS is having connectivity issues, we think the car’s plug-in is at fault. It will not work and then suddenly, it comes on. Today, we just had to wing it with my gigantic and unwieldy map, which I fight with every day as it is huge. The map will likely be destroyed by the time I am through with it. So, we just drove straight ahead from our parking spot on the road in Modica and ended up on a really interesting road through the country heading to Siracusa.
If I were to live here, I would live in a casa in the country among the olive groves, it is beautiful. Our secondary road kept trying to lead us to the autostrada, the big highway that goes to Siracusa. But we stayed on the secondary road and it was a great route. When we got to Siracusa, I relied on the google map I printed to get us to a parking area. Then we took off on foot to the archaeological park.
The Archaeological Park
Roman Amphitheatre
Likely dates to the 1st century AD. It was partially hollowed out of the hillside, the plan is the usual Roman oval, there was a corridor running around the outside which afforded access to the gladiators and wild animals.
Greek Theatre
Early Greek theatres were simply a hillside which provided seating and a tent served as the backdrop. All theatres that exist today were built after the time of Alexander the Great. The seating area was in a horseshoe shape around the orchestra which is a raised platform. The seating was cut into the rock of the hillside. At the back of the orchestra is the scene building.
The theatre in Siracusa is the largest in Sicily. Have a look at the siting of this theatre, the ancients would have had views from the theatre to the sea. Archaeological evidence suggests the first theatre was constructed of wood and dates to the 6th century BC. The theatre was subsequently enlarged and could seat more than 15,000. The Greeks staged theatre productions but the Romans altered the theatre to hold gladiator games. In the summer months the locals hold Greek productions in the ancient theatre.
Ear of Dionysius
Legend tells us that the tyrant Dionysius used the cavern as a prison and could listen to his prisoners because the acoustics were so clear. This is near to an ancient quarry where the slaves worked. It is really fascinating, the cavern is deep and it amplifies every sound. On the walls are the chisel marks from the tools of the slaves that worked the quarry.
The Island of Ortigia
There was a market underway when we reached Ortigia. They sell absolutely huge cauliflower and broccoli and all types of fruit and vegetables that are in season. The fish sellers had an enormous table of fish on crushed ice. It was a pretty interesting market with lots of great food for sale.
The Temple of Apollo - 600 BC
You will have to go back to the post on Paestum to read about the Temple of Apollo, the first peripteral (surrounded by a colonnade) Greek temple built in the west. Recall that the columns were massive and closely spaced to support the superstructure. Well, Greek gods, are they ever squat and close together. All that is left of the poor old Temple of Apollo are two intact columns, part of the cella walls and the stylobate.
The Temple of Athena - 480 BC
The Temple of Athena was built by the tyrant Gelon after the defeat of the Carthaginians at the Battle of Himera. Gelon brought back thousands of slaves and put them to work building the temple. It was magnificent, the statue of Athena was made of marble but her hands, feet, face and weapons were made of gold. The temple doors were inlaid with ivory and gold and the cella walls were richly painted.
So what are we doing inside the Duomo or Cathedral? The Byzantines built a church right into the temple and cut arches into the cella walls. The once freestanding Doric columns are trapped in the church walls, looking as though they would like to break free. During the Arab rule of Sicily, it became a Great Mosque, the Normans raised the height of the roof while adding clerestory windows and side chapels. The Spanish added the ceiling of chestnut.
The horrendous baroque facade was added in the 1700's, but the baroque interior was stripped out between 1909 and 1927. We will talk more about baroque architecture tomorrow. Anyway, the most interesting architectural elements of the Duomo are the Doric columns, simple and grand and really showing up the more modern elements. Okay, Greek temple freak bias declared, but you must admit, that ostentatious rabble of a facade is stunningly gross.
Piazza Duomo
The Fountain of Artemis
Narrow Lane on Ortigia
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