Tourism in Syracuse, Italy - Piazza Duomo, Siracusa

THE ISLAND OF ORTIGIA

TOURISM IN SYRACUSE, SICILY

The Piazza Duomo in Syracuse.

Piazza Duomo, in the center of the island of Ortigia, is considered to be one of the most beautiful baroque piazzas in Sicily.

A careful restoration, completed recently, has further enhanced this large space, surrounded by ancient noble palaces and church fronts, among which the Duomo obviously stands out.

A stroll in this elegant and airy piazza – in which there are bars offering small tables where one can sit and have a taste of the magical atmosphere of the area – allows one to admire:

Palazzo Beneventano dal Bosco (which hosted the English admiral Horatio Nelson during the time of the Napoleonic Wars, as well as King Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies), a baroque reworking (1788) of a 14th-century palace. The whimsical and theatrical late-baroque courtyard, paved in paving and cobble stones, is considered among the most beautiful of Syracuse.

Palazzo Beneventano del Bosco.

Palazzo Senatorio (1633), City Hall.
Under this building the remains of an ionic Greek temple of the 6th century B.C. (the Artemision) were found, which one can visit for free by joining one of the tours that a municipal employee organizes, accompanying the tourists, every 20 or 30 minutes.

Artemision - Siracusa

The atmosphere underground is very impressive.
A room on the left of the entrance of the building contains a small Antiquarium with reconstructions of the temple below.

At the end of the courtyard, behind a protective glass cover, an 18th century carriage in the baroque style, richly carved and gilded, is on display (free admission).

The Duomo
(See the dedicated page.)

The Archbishop’s Palace of 1681 and its hanging gardens (not open to the public).

Piazza Duomo. From left to right: The Duomo, the Archbishop’s Palace,
and the façade of Santa Lucia alla Badia.

The entrance to the Hypogeum.
(See the dedicated page.)

The façade of the church of Santa Lucia alla Badia, also baroque with rococo elements (open occasionally for concerts and art exhibitions), is crossed by a long balcony, which itself is enclosed by high wrought iron railings, through which the cloistered nuns could observe the ceremonies in the piazza.

The church of S. Lucia alla Badia - Siracusa

The corner of Palazzo Borgia Impellizzeri (1760).
It has a vast and splendid, visually striking, rococo courtyard, which is newly renovated.

The building of the former Medagliere of the Archeological Museum, containing masterpieces of Greek coins of Syracuse, that are currently (2011) in the process of being transferred to the Regional Archeological Museum "Paolo Orsi".

From the piazza, given its very central location, it’s easy to reach any point on the island, perhaps in search of bars, restaurants, or specialty shops, many of which are in the surrounding streets.

How to reach the Piazza Duomo from the Algilà Ortigia Charme Hotel.
One finds the Piazza Duomo 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
No major architectural barriers are present.

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