Syracuse Cathedral — Attraction in Syracuse

The Syracuse Cathedral (Duomo di Siracusa) is a breathtaking fusion of ancient history, architectural grandeur, and spiritual significance, making it one of the most striking landmarks in Sicily. Located on the island of Ortygia, the cathedral stands in the heart of Piazza Duomo, its majestic Baroque façade drawing the eye with its elegant curves and detailed stonework. What sets the Syracuse Cathedral apart is its deep historical roots. Originally built as a Greek temple dedicated to Athena in the 5th century BCE, the structure was later transformed into a Christian basilica. Remarkably, the original Doric columns from the ancient temple are still visible, embedded in the cathedral's walls, offering visitors a tangible connection to the building's ancient past. The juxtaposition of Greek, Byzantine, Norman, and Baroque elements gives the cathedral a unique architectural character, symbolizing the layers of history that have shaped Syracuse. Inside, the cathedral is equally impressive. The high vaulted ceilings, richly adorned altars, and intricate frescoes create a sense of awe and reverence. The blend of ancient and modern features is most evident in the nave, where the massive Greek columns stand in contrast to the more recent Baroque décor. The cathedral also houses relics of Saint Lucy, the patron saint of Syracuse, adding to its religious importance. The Piazza Duomo, surrounding the cathedral, enhances the experience with its elegant palaces and lively atmosphere. In the evening, when the square is illuminated, the cathedral takes on a magical quality, becoming the focal point of Ortygia’s social and cultural life. Visiting the Syracuse Cathedral is not just an architectural or historical experience, but also a deeply spiritual one. It beautifully embodies the history and soul of Syracuse, making it a must-see for anyone...

The Syracusans trapped the Athenian armada in the great harbour, destroyed it, and imprisoned its fighting men in the quarries, where they died in thousands, excepting those who could recite verses of Aeschylus, who were released. Poetry, myth and engineering are the constituents of the lovely, quiet drama that is Syracuse. When visitors say 'Syracuse' today they are thinking of Ortygia, the little island, now bridged to the mainland, which guards and almost closes the mouth of the great harbour. Here you will find the spring of Arethusa, where fresh water surfaces in the salt sea. Here is the cathedral, one of the great wonders of southern Europe (Sicily hoards several of them) where a Greek temple became a Roman temple which became a mosque which became a Norman cathedral. Outside is one of the loveliest piazzas in Italy, more a long triangle than a square, where a bowed slope of paving, baroque palaces, the levant wind, the cathedral front and Syracuse's heavenly sun combine to make perhaps the most perfect coffee-drinking spot in the world. Narrow alleys criss-cross the little island, from quayside to seawall. In the summer, platforms of scaffolding and planks are erected on the seaward side where young and old swim and sunbathe. They are a mixture: locals, students and visitors; but Ortygia has that trick, like firelight or wonderful food, which makes all men and women feel at home. You feel a long way from the rest of Europe in Syracuse, but simultaneously, strangely, as if you have found its soul. Pictured: Syracuse...

The cathedral started out as a Greek temple, one of the oldest known Doric monuments, built at the behest of the Syracusian tyrant Gelon in the V century BCE to thank the goddess Athena for a victory over the Carthaginians at Imera in 480 BCE. You can still see the columns of the old temple, encompassed into the side walls during the Byzantine transformation of the building.

Over subsequent centuries, the holy monument was turned into a Byzantine church (VI century) when they created the three naves, hiding the space between the columns and adding eight arches along the walls of the ancient cell. In the VII century Bishop Zosimo made it his Cathedral, and moved there from the basilica of San Giovanni at the catacombs. During the IX century, under Arab rule, the building was probably used as a mosque while, in the XII century, it reverted to being a Christian place of worship when it became a Norman church. This is when a new façade was built and the walls of the nave were made higher to accommodate windows to illuminate the interior. The multi-coloured marble floor is especially interesting. Renovated in the late 1800s, the ancient heraldic shield of Syracuse graces its centre.

Il terribile terremoto del 1693 distrusse la facciata normanna e il campanile che non fu mai più ricostruito. Il rifacimento post-terremoto è rappresentato dalla costruzione della facciata nuova, realizzata nella prima metà del Settecento sul disegno dell’architetto palermitano...