Syracuse

Shortly after the foundation of the city, it began to bloom and became an important colony of the Great Greece (Magna Graecia) . In antiquity, the city consisted of five cities: Ortygia, Achradina, Tyche, Epipolae and Neapolis. The Syracusans successfully defended the city from enemy raids until 212 BC, when the city fell into the hands of the Romans. After the disintegration of the Roman Empire, the city suffered from attacks of the Francs and Vandals. In 878, the city was conquered by the Arabs and thus lost its political importance. In the 11th century, the city was gained by the Aragonese people, who brought the city back its prestige. During the Second World War, Syracuse served as a naval port for the British fleet, the Royal Navy. Today, Syracuse is an important tourist and trade center of Sicily . .

Historical monuments

The city attracts visitors especially to the archaeological findings of ancient Syracuse. At the archaeological site in the New Town, you can see two ancient theaters, one Greek and one Roman. The Greek theater was built in the 5th century BC on the slopes of the mountain Temenite. During the Roman reign, the theater was enlarged and is one of the biggest ones of its kind. However, it was seriously damaged during the construction of the city's fortifications in the 16th century. The Roman amphitheater comes from the 1st century BC and has the same ground plane as the Roman Colosseum . Another ancient well-preserved monument is the ancient altar of Hiero II from the 3rd century BC. The Old Town of Syracuse is situated on the Ortigia Island and is surrounded by fortifying walls. It is connected with the mainland, i.e. the New Town, by two bridges. There are many baroque monuments at the square del Duomo. There is a unique cathedral, originally a Greek temple of the goddess Athena from the 5th century. In the 18th century, a new baroque building was built upon the place of the Greek temple. The characteristic elements of the original ancient temple are still visible in the walls. Another big attraction is the pilgrimage church Santuario della Madonna delle Lacrime, which dominates the city Syracuse with its 74-meters high tower. Inside, you can see the painting of Madonna that reputedly shed tears in 1953.

Museums

The most visited museum is the Museo Archeeologico Regionale Paolo Orsi, where ancient artifacts from the surrounding region are stored.

Beaches

The city beach is not very good for swimming. However, there are two beautiful beaches with white sand nearly 15 km from the city, Spiaggia Fontane Bianche di Siracusa and Spiaggia Punta Asparano di Siracusa. There is a tourist complex at the latter one.

Sport

Syracuse offers many activities for water sports fans. The surrounding sea is perfect for diving and the vicinity of the Maddalena Peninsula is surfers' paradise.

GPS: 37.0671290069, 15.2866172791  Edit

Population: 124453  Edit

Foundation (year): -734  Edit

	Syracuse and Necropolis of Pantalica 1 km	Add to the plan
	Spiaggia di Zuccara Beaches, 23.5 km	Add to the plan

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