Sicily - Southern Italy - page 393

4 Catacombe di San Giovanni B1

5 Latomia del Paradiso A1

6 Museo del Papiro C1

7 Orecchio di Dionisio A1

8 Parco Archeologico della Neapolis A1

Eating

9 Jonico-a Rutta 'e Ciauli D1

10 Red Moon D3

Drinking & Nightlife

11 Bar Zen D1

Sights

Ortygia

Duomo
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(Piazza del Duomo; 8am-7pm) Built on the skeleton of a 5th-century BC Greek temple whose
Doric columns are still visible underneath, Syracuse's cathedral was converted into a
church when the island was evangelised by St Paul. Its most striking feature is the
columned facade (1728-53), added by Andrea Palma after the church was damaged in the
1693 earthquake.
The original temple, dedicated to Athena, was renowned throughout the Mediterranean,
in part thanks to Cicero, who visited Ortygia in the 1st century BC. Its roof was crowned
by a golden statue of Athena that served as a beacon to sailors at sea (nowadays replaced
by a statue of the Virgin Mary). In the baptistry, look out for a 13th-century Norman font,
adorned by seven bronze lions.

CATHEDRAL