Siracusa Peculiarities

The Cathedral
Was built by bishop Zosimo in the 7th century over the great Temple of Athens (5th century BC) and was the first Christian church in Europe. The first Christian church worldwide is the one of Antiochia (Turkey).

Fountain of Arethusa, very close to the seaside
The Legend of Arethusa: Arethusa ran from a suitor, Alpheus, a river god, making her way to the isle of Ortygia. She called on Artemis, who helped her by changing her into a fountain. Undaunted, Alpheus diverted his river underground, mingling his waters with hers.

Archimedes
Was an ancient Greek mathematician, physicist, engineer, astronomer, and philosopher. He is credited with many inventions and discoveries, some of which we still use today, like his Archimedes screw. He was famous for his compound pulley, a system of pulleys used to lift heavy loads such as ships. He made several war machines for his patron and friend Hiero II. He did a lot of work in geometry, which included finding the surface areas and volumes of solids accurately. The work that has made Archimedes famous is his theory of floating bodies. He laid down the laws of flotation and developed the famous Archimedes principle.

Sicilian Puppet-show
The Opera dei Pupi is a theatrical show, the protagonists of which are rather special marionettes, known as Pupi, typical of Sicilianstorytellers. The Pupi are richly decorated and sculpted with a wooden structure and carry real armour.

Sicilian Puppet

Sicilian Puppets

Saint Lucy of Syracuse
Saint Lucy was a rich young Christian martyr who is venerated as a Saint by Catholic and Orthodox Christians and is also the patron of Siracusa (Syracuse). Every year, on the 13th December, a religious procession accompanies the silver 1600s statue of the saint, which contains, in a golden case in its chest, some fragments of the Saint's ribs. The procession begins at the Cathedral on the island of Ortygia. The statue, preceded by a group of pilgrims with votive candles, is transported by devotees to the mainland, to the Basilica of Saint Lucyat the Sepulchre, where it remains on show for the following eight days. On the 20th of December it is carried back to the Cathedral in the midst of fireworks and candles.