Ortigia Tour
Yesterday, I went on a tour of Ortigia with Scott Burgess. He brought us around Ortigia and explained the history of lots of buildings to us. Scott is my Plato teacher. I think he’s from London, but he’s pretty hardcore. Heard that he laid into Case and John for not attending the tour.
First, he brought us to the Castello Maniace, which was built circa 1232 by Frederick II of Germany. The keep is 51 square meters with corner towers. The fort was built at the very tip of Ortigia. The stone of the castello was later utilized to build defenses around the island.
He then brought us to Fonte Aretusa. It was the freshwater fountain that provided water to the native Sicles and early colonists. Aretusa is a river nymph that loved the river god Alpheus, and where they were reunited, the freshwater fountain was created. I’m not quite sure if this is correct, but at least that’s how I remember it. The source of water in the fountain is an underground river, and it is home to white ducks, big fish (I think catfish), and sometimes even rats. I highly doubt the water is fresh anymore.
We then went on to Piazza Duomo, which is the cultural center of Siracusa, and it always has been for the past 2700 years. It is the highest point of Ortigia, where sacred buildings, altars, and public buildings all stood. On the ground are lines of darker stone that contrast with the lighter stone around it. These lines outline the buildings found underneath the piazza, probably buildings of the native Sicles or the Greeks.
The actual Duomo of Siracusa comes from a long series of modifications. The original structure was a Greek Doric temple dated about 480-470 BC and built by the tyrant Gelon to celebrate the victory of the Sicilian Greeks over the Carthaginians in the Battle of Himera in 480 BC. It was dedicated to the goddess Athena, who was supposedly born on the island of Ortigia.
The building was then transformed into a Christian Basilica in the 7th century AD by Bishop Zosimo. The columns were filled in to make a solid building, and cella were cut into arches. The invading Muslims transformed it into a mosque, adding their own artistic details, and it was later transformed back into a church in 1093 by the Normans.
The façade of the church was destroyed in the earthquake of 1693 (same year as the founding of W&M!) It was rebuilt with a Baroque façade between 1728 and 1753 by architect Andrew Palma. Supposedly it was just recently pressure washed, so it’s very clean.
We then visited the Temple of Apollo, which is the earliest Greek Doric Temple in Sicily and one of the first in the entire Greek world. It is dated to circa 600-575 BC. The work of eastern Greek architects, it is the only element of Greek architecture signed by the builders. The columns rise to a height of approximately 8m and weigh 40 tons each.
Alright, I’m sitting in the living room, and this one commercial for sun block just came on. It features a woman sitting on the beach without a top on. Lovely. I’m hoping she’s saying that she needs extra sun block because someone stole her top.
Today was interesting. The lecture on gestures was cancelled, so I was a bit bummed about that. I was really looking forward to it, especially seeing as Mario was giving the lectures. Mario is really fun, teaching us curse words and letting us listen to music. Lots of fun.
We’re about to go out for granita tonight.
First, he brought us to the Castello Maniace, which was built circa 1232 by Frederick II of Germany. The keep is 51 square meters with corner towers. The fort was built at the very tip of Ortigia. The stone of the castello was later utilized to build defenses around the island.
He then brought us to Fonte Aretusa. It was the freshwater fountain that provided water to the native Sicles and early colonists. Aretusa is a river nymph that loved the river god Alpheus, and where they were reunited, the freshwater fountain was created. I’m not quite sure if this is correct, but at least that’s how I remember it. The source of water in the fountain is an underground river, and it is home to white ducks, big fish (I think catfish), and sometimes even rats. I highly doubt the water is fresh anymore.
We then went on to Piazza Duomo, which is the cultural center of Siracusa, and it always has been for the past 2700 years. It is the highest point of Ortigia, where sacred buildings, altars, and public buildings all stood. On the ground are lines of darker stone that contrast with the lighter stone around it. These lines outline the buildings found underneath the piazza, probably buildings of the native Sicles or the Greeks.
The actual Duomo of Siracusa comes from a long series of modifications. The original structure was a Greek Doric temple dated about 480-470 BC and built by the tyrant Gelon to celebrate the victory of the Sicilian Greeks over the Carthaginians in the Battle of Himera in 480 BC. It was dedicated to the goddess Athena, who was supposedly born on the island of Ortigia.
The building was then transformed into a Christian Basilica in the 7th century AD by Bishop Zosimo. The columns were filled in to make a solid building, and cella were cut into arches. The invading Muslims transformed it into a mosque, adding their own artistic details, and it was later transformed back into a church in 1093 by the Normans.
The façade of the church was destroyed in the earthquake of 1693 (same year as the founding of W&M!) It was rebuilt with a Baroque façade between 1728 and 1753 by architect Andrew Palma. Supposedly it was just recently pressure washed, so it’s very clean.
We then visited the Temple of Apollo, which is the earliest Greek Doric Temple in Sicily and one of the first in the entire Greek world. It is dated to circa 600-575 BC. The work of eastern Greek architects, it is the only element of Greek architecture signed by the builders. The columns rise to a height of approximately 8m and weigh 40 tons each.
Alright, I’m sitting in the living room, and this one commercial for sun block just came on. It features a woman sitting on the beach without a top on. Lovely. I’m hoping she’s saying that she needs extra sun block because someone stole her top.
Today was interesting. The lecture on gestures was cancelled, so I was a bit bummed about that. I was really looking forward to it, especially seeing as Mario was giving the lectures. Mario is really fun, teaching us curse words and letting us listen to music. Lots of fun.
We’re about to go out for granita tonight.
posted by Chelsea at
5:11 AM
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