Tourism in Syracuse, Sicily

THE ISLAND OF ORTIGIA

The Hypogeum of Piazza del Duomo in Syracuse.

The limestone that exists in and around Syracuse is relatively soft and easy to cut.
This feature made it practical and economical to dig cisterns, aqueducts, and catacombs, and, at the same time, to extract building stone. Stone quarries have been found not only on the margins of the ancient Greek city but even directly on the island of Ortigia itself.
The ground beneath Syracuse, after millennia of mining, is thus crossed by a dense network of passages and tunnels, many of which are extremely impressive.

The Hypogeum of the Piazza Duomo, the entrance to which opens at the foot of the garden of the Archbishop's Palace (ticket required for visit), is one such tunnel, combining stone quarries and cisterns (that of the Archbishop is enormous and quite atmospheric).
During World War II, the network of passages was turned into a refuge from the Allied bombing unleashed upon the city (the armistice between Italy and the Allies was signed in Cassìbile, just outside Syracuse), and a series of moving images of the time, projected on site, documents the historical episode.

The size of the Hypogeum is modest (at least in comparison with the city's other underground cavities), as is the ticket price. And the environment, full of echoes, shadows and penumbrae, and the sounds of dripping water, is full of charm, and in summer it is also an oasis of welcome cool air.
For these reasons, a visit is certainly recommended to anyone who is willing to set aside ten minutes of time otherwise spent visiting the city.

The Hypogeum under Piazza Duomo in Syracuse,
with the benches added during its transformation
into an air raid shelter.

Since the exit leads not onto Piazza Duomo, but rather onto the seashore, it is advisable to visit the underground as the last stage of a tour around Piazza Duomo, perhaps then onward to the Fountain of Arethusa and the Aquarium.

The ancient cistern in the courtyard of the Palace of the Archbishop of Syracuse (seen from inside).

One of the tunnels of the Hypogeum
of Piazza Duomo in Syracuse.

How to reach the Hypogeum of Piazza Duomo from the Algilà Ortigia Charme Hotel.
Piazza Duomo is just a few hundred meters from the Hotel Algilà.
It is therefore advisable to make the journey on foot through the streets of baroque Syracuse.

Visitor Information.
The Hypogeum is open Monday to Friday from 9:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays from 7:00 p.m.-10:30 p.m.
The ticket costs € 2, and reduced-price tickets are € 1.
The descent to the Hypogeum of Piazza Duomo is only possible through a staircase leading underground; there is no elevator.
A visit is therefore not possible for those who have difficulty walking, nor is it recommended for people suffering from claustrophobia, given the absence of any visible opening to the outside.

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