ITS25 MC – Apollo‘s Temple and Maniace’s Castle

Students visit two highlights of Syracuse and walked all around with informations given by the Italian students.

Apollo’s Temple: 

The fascinating ruins of one of the first temples built by the Greeks  (early 6th century BC). A dedication to Apollo is engraved on the top step on the eastern side. The remains of the columns (6 on the short sides and 17 on the long ones), squat and close together, bear witness to the archaic architecture of the temple, built in the characteristic yellowish local stone, known as “giurgiulena”, At the beginning of the 20th century, the remains of the Temple of Apollo saw the light of day again in the context of the city, without a frame to define them. In fact, on weekday mornings, a typical city market is held just behind the temple that we visited. Terracotta from the structure is preserved in the Museo Archeologico Regionale Paolo Orsi, along with fragments of the gutter, the acroteria, and some roof tiles, first produced in Sicily.

Manaice’s Castle:

The Castello Maniace is a citadel and castle situated at the far point of the Ortygia island promontory, It bears the name of George Maniakes, the Byzantine general who besieged and took the city in 1038. Originally, one could only enter the castle over a bridge spanning a moat (now filled). A feature of the castle is the decorated portal. Today the castle is open to public and is a local tourist attraction in Syracuse.

The first fort was built here in 1038 by George Maniakes, a Greek general and later the Catepan of Italy, after he captured Syracuse from the Arabs on behalf of the Emperor Michael IV. Frederick II, as King of Sicily, had his architect Riccardo da Lentini rebuild it in 1232–1240. King Peter III of Aragon resided here with his family in 1288. From 1305 to 1536 the castle was used as residence by numerous queens of Sicily. In the 15th century it was used as a prison. In the following century it was included in the fortification defending the harbour and the city. A huge explosion damaged it in 1704, after which it was renovated and adapted to the use of guns.

Students listen a speaking English guide who explains the history of this location: burials since roman periode, presence of chapels inside, of basilica ruins close to catacombs, welcome of refugees during second war two... It was the occasion to discover a part of Syracusa's History: death place in roman, then christian civilisation.