Things to do in Melilli Italy – what to see attractions and activities

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.

Fort Garcia was built in 1567 by the Spanish Viceroy Don F.Garcia de Toledo. It is located inside the port, near the seaplane area and the Hangar Park. During the Kingdom of Italy it was under the military administration of the Royal Navy and served mainly as a warehouse.

The Fort of Vittoria stands in the municipality of Augusta, in the province of Syracuse in Sicily. It dates back to 1300 and was built by Frederick II of Swabia, who was the Duke of Swabia until 1132. Until 1950 it was used by the Navy. At the center of the fort is an ancient Norman tower. It is currently open to the public.

The Tower of Avalos was built in 1570 by Viceroy Don Francisco Fernandez Avalos de Aquino. It is located on the island that is located in the Ionian Sea, in Sicily. Officially it is part of the municipality of Augusta in the province of Syracuse in Sicily. The Tower and the Lantern were demolished in 1678 by the French, in 1681 it was rebuilt. The tower of Avalos has a height of 26 m. It was used by the Navy as a port control zone until the 1970s. It belongs to medieval times.

There is no precise news of the castle due to the earthquake that destroyed it entirely in 1693. It is certain, however, that the fortress belongs to the Norman age, and over the centuries it was owned by several families. Today we don't find any trace of the building. It was a quadrangular construction, with rooms under the ground, and a tower also quadrangular, with windows embellished with battlements to the Guelph. The only documentations that we can still find today are a pictorial representation and an oil fresco on canvas. Lately, the municipality has decided to act and restructure it.

The Swabian Castle of Augusta dates back to medieval times, and is located on the highest point of the small peninsula near the city of Augsburg. The building has a remarkable historical and architectural value, and offers a beautiful view of the sea. It is currently open to the public and is well preserved.

Around 1640, during the major works of strengthening the Piazzaforte to defend from the ground, the isthmus was cut by creating two moats, from that moment this area was called “the cut”. In place of the isthmus, three rivels were built in 1682 in military architecture: Quintana, Sant'Anna and Santo Stefano. The only one that still exists today is the Rivellino Quintana, placed on an artificial islet of a triangular shape built at the same time as the fortification of the city.

The Greek colony of Megara Hyblaea, founded by the megarese in 728 BC, was razed to the ground twice, in 483 BC by Gelone, tyrant of Gela, and, in 213 BC, by the Romans. The necropolis is located outside the walls, leaning against the oldest city. One of the characteristics of the site is based on the fact that you can still read the various phases of life in the city, starting from the archaic remains that the buildings of the Hellenistic period have overlapped. Most of Megara's archaeological heritage is now kept in the P. Orsi museum in Syracuse.

The castle of Bruscoli was erected by Giovanni Çabastida between 1462 and 1467. It has historical and architectural value for the area of Brucoli, a hamlet of the municipality of Augusta, in the province of Syracuse. The fortress had the function of protecting and guarding the Gulf of the Sea. The building is currently open to the public.

The Castle of Eurialo was built between 402 and 397 BC, at the behest of Dionysius I and is located on the terrace of the Epipoli district, not far from Syracuse. The Castle was intended to protect the city from sieges and enemy attacks. The structure is special because it was followed by several galleries that used to move troops from one point of the castle to another without being seen by enemies.

The Mother Church: a jewel set in the heart of the city of Carlentini. This is the best definition for describing the beauty and majesty of this Church.

The Municipal Palace of Carlentini is undoubtedly the most beautiful civil building in the Carlentina city. It is located in Piazza Armando Diaz. Built at the beginning of the 19th century in neoclassical forms, the Municipal Palace was modified and embellished in 1876 at the expense of the Coomendator Carmelo Scavonetto (who then held the post of Mayor of the town) . The City Hall of Carlentini suffered serious damage due to the earthquake of 13 December 1990, but after years of restoration, it returned functional again.

The towers of Carlentini date back to the sixteenth century and are defensive fortifications that were built by the Spaniards. Unfortunately, the construction of these buildings has not been completed. Also for this reason, only parts of the structure are visible today. The towers are located in the historic center, incorporated with the rest of today's buildings.

The Tonnara di Santa Panagia was built in the eighteenth century, after the earthquake of 1693, although its origins date back to 1100. In the second half of the twentieth century, it became inactive after fishing for tuna was introduced through flying nets and the proposition of various chemical industries in the nearby area. Unfortunately, today the tonnara is in a deteriorating condition, even though projects have been set up for its restructuring.

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 Cordari Cave is located in the Latomia del Paradiso in Syracuse and is so called because it has been used by string builders during the centuries. Its structure has thin pillars of natural stone likely to be excavated by men in remote times.

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 Latomia of Santa Venera is located in the eastern part of the Neapolis park in Syracuse. It is assumed that Latomy was excavated as early as the 5th century BC, and used until Roman times. For a long time it was transformed into a garden with a sub tropical vegetation. The Latomia of Santa Venera together with the other Latomies located in the Neapolis park represent one of the most fascinating places in Syracuse.

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.

The Sanctuary was built as a reminder of the miraculous tearing of a plaster painting depicting the Immaculate Heart of Mary, placed in the bedside of the residence of the Iannuso spouses. Construction began in 1966, under the direction of the architects Michel Andrault and Pierre Parat, following the winning of the international competition for the construction of the sanctuary. Work was completed in 1994, and the splendid building was inaugurated by John Paul II.

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.

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.