Cathedral of Syracuse, Syracuse (must see)

The Syracuse Cathedral stands at the center of Cathedral Square in the historic district of Ortigia, one of the most striking historic settings in Syracuse. The cathedral forms part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, which recognizes the Baroque cities rebuilt after the destructive 1693 Sicily earthquake. What makes the building especially remarkable is that it incorporates the structure of an ancient Greek temple dedicated to Athena, constructed in the 5th century BCE during the height of Greek Syracuse.

From the square, look at the cathedral’s elegant Baroque façade, completed in the 18th century during the rebuilding of the city. At the top stands a statue of the Virgin Mary, while on the upper level you can see statues of Saint Marcian on the left and Saint Lucy on the right. At street level, framing the entrance, stand the figures of Saint Peter on the left and Saint Paul on the right. These sculptures were created by the Sicilian artist Ignazio Marabitti, and they form part of the carefully balanced design of the façade.

Once inside, the massive Doric columns of the ancient Temple of Athena immediately become the main highlight of the cathedral. These enormous stone columns still stand in their original positions along the sides of the building. When the temple was converted into a Christian church in the 7th century, the spaces between the columns were filled with masonry, transforming the open temple into a basilica while preserving its original structural framework. The same columns can also be seen outside along the northern wall on Minerva Street, where the large Doric column drums project from the later medieval walls.

Walking through the main nave, notice the marble floor decorated with geometric patterns. Parts of this floor date back to 1444, while other sections were added during renovations in the late eighteenth century. In the center of the nave a large arch frames a wooden crucifix from the twentieth century. At the far end stands the Baroque presbytery and high altar, which rests on a remarkable historical element: a table made from a large stone block taken from the entablature of the ancient Greek temple, which collapsed during the earthquake of 1693. Standing here, you are literally looking at pieces of the original temple that once stood on this site more than 2,400 years ago, reused as part of the modern day cathedral.