LAYERS OF HISTORY - SIRACUSE CATHEDRAL

 A GORGEOUS SICILIAN LAYER CAKE!!

SYRACUSE CATHEDRAL - A STUNNING ARCHITECTURAL GEM

One of the things that makes Sicily so interesting is the tangible "on the ground" evidence of layers of settlement by different civilisations over the millenia. In the middle of the island of Ortygia where the historic core of Siracuse lies, there's a building that took my breath away when I first saw it two years ago - Siracuse Cathedral. Here, before ones eyes, is a building where layers of Sicilian history are visible in the clearest of ways. 

The origins of a building on the site go way back in to the pre-historical period but the present building can be traced back to to the 5th century BC during the time Sicily was occupied by Greek settlers. Here a huge temple dedicated to Athena was erected in the Doric architectural style with 14 columns on each of the long sides and 6 columns on the front and back. The size and quality of the temple give an indication of how important Ortygia was as a commerical and cultural centre in Magna Graecia (Greater Greece). 

The present cathedral church dates from the 7th century AD and what's remarkable is that the columns of the original temple were incorporated in to the new structure. These ancient columns can now be seen both outside and inside the church. 

In 878AD, during the Moorish occupation of Sicily, the christian church was converted to a mosque and some alterations were made to the church. On the outside the side elevations show ornamental crenellations near the parapet which are of moorish origin. 

In 1085 the church reverted to a christian one again when the Norman Roger I of Sicily captured Siracuse. Norman elements seen in the church today are the nave roof and the mosaics in the apses of the church.

In 1693 Sicily was shaken by a massive earthquake and the church was damaged. A rebuild took place between 1725 and 1753 and this also involved the refacing of the front elevation to designs by the architect Andrea Palma. Not surprisingly a modern Baroque style was chosen and this is the elevation that now fronts the square.

Since 2005 the cathedral has been a key feature of the Syracuse World Heritage site. If I was visiting Sicily for the first time and only given an opportunity to study a single building in depth - this would be the one!! 

All the photographs were taken by me in February 2020.

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