Maybe for my understanding about Siracusa, a town, I learn ahead siracusa sicily of time, I discover a gentle and cultivated sensation when I step onto the old city location of Ortiga Island.
This small town, with a population of less than thirty thousand, lies in the southeast of Sicily. It is divided into two parts of which the old part is on Ortiga Island and the other part is in the peninsula location. Ortiga Island has appealing history and misconceptions although it is little like a sparrow. I wonder where my gentle and cultivated sensation about the town originates from. I stroll along the east coast of the matronly Ortiga Island. In the road junction, it is the "Archimedes Street" when turn right.
Over two thousand years earlier, Siracusa, as one of city-states of the ancient Greece, was figured out to change Greece which was a culture city then. As a matter of reality, not only did it defeat Greece in military affairs, but likewise it used itself to construct a classy society. As an outcome, you can hear some stories here about Plato and so on. The native-born Archimedes ran in the street, naked and screaming out with "Eureka", after he discovered the physics law. As time flies, the street pattern today is so various from that of the age-old Greece.
Going on to the south, I want to check out a beautiful and unfortunate legend. The Aretusa spring and the green and lush pond are by the blue Mediterranean Sea. The fairy of Aretusa is a maid who serves the hunt goddess of Artemis. She is liked by Achelous highly. Aretusa flees to Ortiga and requests Artemission to turn her into this pond in order to dodge the Achelous. The Achelous hesitates to quit. He changes the course of the river and immit the pond from the underground.
After saying goodbye to Aretusa, I kip down an alleyway for the first time and go towards the Piazza Duomo. The most important Catholic Church of Ortiga and a museum are on the piazza. The vision prior to me advises me of a woman-- Monica Bellucci who becomes popular for the movie "Malena". This film is shot on the Piazza. The film director shows individuals the life rhythm of this Piazza by proficient switches of camera lens. Likewise, the stunning and sad legends are siracusa connected by this movie.
Sparkling versus a background of the Ionian Sea, it's not difficult to right away identify the appeal of Siracusa. A location much preferred by societies from the Greeks to Muslims to the Romans to the Byzantine Empire, Siracusa is no less a destination today. Ancient, beautiful, and interesting, even 3000 years later on the intrigue of this city established by the ancient Greeks hasn't decreased one bit, despite the season.
December may not be beach season and even boast the very best weather condition Sicily has to offer, however that definitely implies a drop in costs and cost savings for the tourist. With the remarkable history all around and holiday festivals swinging into action, this is actually a great time of year to head south.
The ancient structures can make for days of home entertainment alone, and what that does not cover, the natural appeal and incredible food is sure to complete. The Greeks and Romans left numerous things of intrigue and appeal that even today never stop working to captivate, an extremely significant one being the Theatre, popular for having one of the largest cavea the ancient Greeks ever developed, all 67 rows of it. Though not much of the Theatre stays, the structure itself was adapted by the Romans to fit the needs of their circus, and the Theatre is still utilized today. Close-by are the old stone quarries once used as jails, the most famous of which is the guy made limestone cavern, the Orecchio Di Dionisio ("Ear of Dionysius"). So called by Caravaggio, legend has it that the cave was called for Dionysius the Autocrat instead of the god. Due to the ideal noise circulation inside the cavern, Dionysius supposedly had the ability to discover a lot of his detainees tricks merely by eavesdropping in the ideal spots. Other variations inform that the cavern was carved on function in this acoustically advantageous shape so regarding enhance the screams of prisoners being tortured within. Today the expression "ear of Dionysius" describes a sort of ear trumpet, or is used to refer to political eavesdropping.
Another point of historic and even mythological interest is the Fountain of Arethusa on Ortygia Island. Arethusa was a nymph who allegedly utilized the spot as a hideout from the desire of Alpheus. Contribute to this the Temple of Apollo which later was utilized both as a church by the Byzantines and a mosque by the Muslims, the Roman Amphitheatre, and the Temple of Zeus (simply outside Siracusa), and one can see how the concentration of history here is absolutely nothing short of awe motivating.
Other structures of note include the cathedral, developed on Ortygia Island over the Temple of Athens by Zosimo, and naturally the Byzantine Basilica of Santa Lucia, built where she was martyred in 303 A.D. Beneath the Catacombs of Santa Lucia still remain.
In truth, Santa Lucia is revered throughout Europe, and particularly in Italy, where December 13th is her banquet day and is usually celebrated all over the nation. Being her home, Santa Lucia is celebrated with unique fervor in Siracusa. After being gone to by a vision of Saint Agatha and the incredible recovery of her ill mom, Santa Lucia selected to remain a virgin and disperse her dowry to the bad rather. Enraged at the possibility of losing both bride and money, her pagan fiancé knocked her to the authorities as a Christian and was sentenced to be deflowered in a whorehouse if she would pass by the wedding bed. According to the Christian tale, the guards in charge of taking her away found her so filled with God's strength that she would neither burn nor be moved by a group of oxen, and hence they were forced to stab her in the throat, but not prior to gouging out her eyes with a fork as she passed away. December 13th was chosen as the day of her feast because according to the Julian calendar it was the longest night of the year, and Lucia, being a name significance light, is now the tutelary saint of the blind. In Siracusa her feast day is marked by a parade carrying the saint to her church where she rests till December 20th when a similar parade returns her to her crypt. Fireworks over the harbor, tourists, pilgrims, this is a vacation not to miss out on.