The centrepiece of Piazza Archimede in Ortigia, Siracusa and by far the most romantic of statues on the island. This sculpture from 1907 sits at the top of the modern Corso Matteoti shopping street and is quiet an unexpected find. The beauty of this water fountain and statue of Diana draws one to stop and really take in the atmosphere of the piazza - Piazza Archemede. This is not a piazza to be walked through only but instead to be a gateway to Sicilian life, it oozes both the simplicity of the town along with the complexities of Italy. The Fountain of Diana is surrounded by cafes, or bars as they are know in Italy, along with the main government office and Bank of Sicily where local workers and citizens go about their daily lives, along with the piazza being the centre point for two of the main roads - Via Roma and Via Meastranza - making this spot a 'people watching' haven. Italian men in fine cut suits, ladies in elegant heals, Vespas with helmet-free teenagers and fruit and vegetable deliveries - it's all to be seen and heard here, Italy at its finest in such a small space.
The cafe of choice has to be Bar Archimede, not only because of the wide range of typical Sicilian sweets and savouries but for the fact that form the outdoor seating area the view of the Fountain of Diana is glorious but the hidden secret is that from this position looking down Corso Matteoti one can see Mount Etna, the active volcano, in the horizon.
Simply stunning on a clear day - which is almost always.
The Fountain of Diana was commissioned by Siracusa and the works awarded to sculptor Giulio Moschetti after a recent construction of Proserpina Fountain in Catania, Sicily. Ten months later from the commission in 1906 and for only 19,000 Lira, this stunning fountain was completed.
Diana, a Greek goddess and protector of Ortigia, stands tall with her hunting icons, a bow and a dog. She stands above Aretusa and Alfeo, the other Greek characters featured in the fountain. The magnificence of the fountain is heightened even further with the presence of four handsome titans and two powerful horses striding out of the water.
Make time to stop and take in the atmosphere here. An aperitivo, a gelato, a coffee or a cake (Cassata featured in the image is a typical Sicilian, ricotta filled cake - like you have never eaten before), it is not important, but will definitely be a place held in your memory for ever. An evening walk here is even more breathtaking, with the twinkle of lights in the old windows surrounding the Fountain of Diana and the lights that shine up the statue. It's not the Trevi Fountain in Rome and coins are not to be thrown in but you will wish that you return one day...
