Archaeological Sites Country of Siracusa

Its design and architect makes the tourists marvel. It is one of the monuments, which the Greeks and Romans built. The monument was exclusively used for classic dramas during the ancient times. The wild animals slaughtered criminals and slaves here and most gladiatorial fights contested here.

The oldest temple in Sicily has been made in the Byzantine era as a church. Then it was used as a a mosque, and later again as a a Christian church and in modern times as a military barracks.

Erected in the Imperial Age in the 3rd - 4th century AD of the amphitheater you can see only the bases, the stripping perpetrated over the centuries completely destroyed the upward part. Elliptical in shape, the external diameters measure mt- 140 x 119, the amphitheater is one of the greatest buildings of the existing genre.

The Catacomb St. John the Evangelista is one of the most special archaeological sites in Syracuse, and dates back between 315 and 360 A.D. The atmosphere of the places of the Catacomb is immense and full of mystery and curiosity. From all the catacombs present in Syracuse, the catacomb St. John the Evangelista is the most easily visited.

Latomia del Paradiso is located near the Syracuse Greek theatre and is the most famous among the latomies of Syracuse. It is bare and vertical walls where different vegetations of oranges, palm trees and prickly pears unfold. Its peculiarity lies in being the place where the cave stands called “The Ear of Dionysus” that the tyrant had made up to act as a prison and listen to the conversations of the prisoners.

The Latomy of the Capuchins is located on the eastern border of the Greek Pentapoli in Syracuse, constituting one of the most beautiful and ancient places in the Sicilian city. The name comes from its function as a quarry that over the centuries has provided construction material for the whole Syracuse city. Instead, the name of the Capuchins is given to her, since the University of Syracuse, in 1582, gave it to the friars minor of St. Francis to build a fortified convent in the area above, with the intent of defend the coast from pirates.

The Syracuse Forum is located at one of the busy intersections of the city. The Forum was known, until 1910, as the 'Square of Weapons'. Inside you can visit the temple dedicated to Zeus. Currently, the Forum is under restoration, with the aim of restoring the splendor of the past.

The Ancient Arsenal was a shipyard of the Greek age, where the merchant and war boats of the Syracuse fleet were manufactured and adjusted. In this building the majestic ship 'Siracosia' was built, which served as both a warship and a merchant. The ship was donated to Ptolemy of Egypt by Heron II as a sign of gratitude as an ally. The arsenal structure could contain more than three hundred ships.

Castelluccio di Noto is an archaeological site located in Syracuse. The site was discovered by Paolo Orsi and resembles a necropolis of over 200 artificial grotticella tombs. From this site come ceramic materials, bronze artifacts and 2 tomb hatches that have been exhibited at the “Paolo Orsi” museum in Syracuse.

These are the remains of a Roman Villa from the 4th century AD. The excavations have brought to light the remains of an ancient dwelling with an area of 6000 square meters. It is located on the right bank of the Tellaro River, and since 2008, following a long renovation process, it is open to the public. Behind the Villa you can admire the beautiful vineyards, where even today the traditional grapes of the territory are cultivated.

The Dolmen di Avola or the so-called Dolmen di Ciancio, named so in honor of Prof. Archaeologist Salvatore Ciancio, is located in the municipality of Avola in the province of Syracuse in Sicily. The dolmen is a prehistoric single room building. The Dolmen of Acola was realized from the 5th millennium BC to the end of the III millennium BC. It belongs to the Neolithic Age. It is located a few kilometers from the center of Avola. It was built with stones of three or four vertical legs that support one or more horizontal slabs. It was discovered in 1961.

The Greek city Megara Hublea (Iblea) is located within the municipal territory of Augusta, north of Syracuse in Sicily. It was built in 729 BC by Megaresi, a Greek colony. It was demolished in 483 BC by the tyrant of Gela, and in 213 BC by the Romans. It has a location directly overlooking the sea. Today there are the ruins of the Greek city including the remains of the Hellenistic Sanctuary, the Hellenistic Temple, the Hellenistic Baths and the Heroon, the Western fortifications and finally the metallurgical workshop.