Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
A1
D2
C2
12
Teatro Greco
A1
Activities, Courses & Tours
D2
Parco Archeologico
della Neapolis
( 093 16 50 68; Viale Paradiso; adult/reduced €10/free-€5; 9am-6pm Apr-Oct, 9am-4pm Nov-Mar)
For the
classicist, Syracuse's real attraction is this archaeological park, with its pearly white, 5th-
the rock above the city. This theatre saw the last tragedies of Aeschylus (including
The
Persians
), which were first performed here in his presence. In late spring it is brought to
life again with an annual season of classical theatre.
Archeologico della Neapolis)
, deep, precipitous limestone quarries out of which the stone for the
ancient city was extracted. These quarries, riddled with catacombs and filled with citrus
and magnolia trees, are where the 7000 survivors of the war between Syracuse and Athens
Parco Archeologico della Neapolis, Latomia del Paradiso)
, a grotto 23m by 3m deep, was named by
Caravaggio after the tyrant, who is said to have used the almost perfect acoustics of the
quarry to eavesdrop on his prisoners.
Back outside this area you'll find the entrance to the 2nd-century
Anfiteatro Romano
OFFLINE MAP
GOOGLE MAP
, originally used for gladiatorial combats and horse races. The
Spaniards, little interested in archaeology, largely destroyed the site in the 16th century,
using it as a quarry to build Ortygia's city walls. West of the amphitheatre is the 3rd-
lithic sacrificial altar to Heron II where up to 450 oxen could be killed at one time.
ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE
