FIRST FLOOR. The steps to the left lead to the Sala Arăba, which
contains Arabian and Arab-Norman antiquities found in Sicily
(door-frame from the Martorana monastery, earthenware vase from
Mazzara) and early Arabian objects from Cairo. The Corridoio di
Ponente contains painted female figures (4th–3rd cent. B. C.), similar
to the terracottas of Tanagra. Beyond the cloisters is the room of the
ancient bronzes, among which we note a fountain-group of Hercules and
the Cerynæan hind, from Pompeii, and a ram marvellously lifelike. Next
come two rooms on the left with Greek vases. From the corridor on the
opposite side we enter the Gabinetto di Numismatica, an admirable
collection of the ancient coins of Sicily and of antique trinkets. The
last room contains gorgeous church vestments.
On the SECOND FLOOR is the Gallery of Pictures, chiefly by Sicilian
masters (_Pietro Novelli_ and others); a small winged altar-piece by
_Jan Mabuse_ (1501?), a gem of Netherlandish art, should, however, be
noted.
From the Museum the Via della Bara leads to the W. to the PIAZZA
GIUSEPPE VERDI (Pl. D, 3), in which rises the _Teatro Massimo_ or
_Vittorio Emanuele_, the largest in Italy.—At the N. end of the Via
Maqueda (p. 149) is the old Porta Maqueda (Pl. D, E, 3), whence the Via
Ruggiero Settimo leads into the broad—
VIA DELLA LIBERTÀ (Pl. F, G, 3, 2), a fashionable evening promenade,
ending at the pretty _Giardino Inglese_ (Pl. G, H, 2).
The MARINA, officially named _Foro Umberto Primo_ (Pl. C, B, 6), which
begins at the _Porta Felice_ (Pl. C, 5, 6; p. 149), near the harbour,
affords a superb walk and is a favourite resort on summer evenings after
6 (music at 9).
At the S. end of the Marina lies the *=Villa Giulia= or _Flora_ (Pl. A,
B, 6), one of the most beautiful public gardens in Italy, where the
blossoming trees diffuse their fragrance in spring far around. It is
adjoined on the W. by the *_Botanic Garden_ (Pl. A, B, 6; gardener 25–50
c.), almost vying with the famous Jardin d’Essai at Algiers (p. 232).
A visit to *=Monte Pellegrino= (1968 ft.), the ancient _Heirkte_, a bare
limestone hill to the N. of Palermo, should not be omitted in clear
weather. (Tramway No. 4 to _Falde_, near the S. foot of the hill, see p.
147; donkey, ordered in the town beforehand, with attendant, 4 fr.)
The zigzag path, visible from the town, ascends in about 1½ hr. from the
Punta di Bersaglio, 5 min. to the N. of Falde, to the _Grotto of St.
Rosalia_ (d. about 1170), which has been well described by Goethe. Near
it are a cottage, where bread and wine may be obtained (bargaining
advisable), and the restaurant _Argos-Eden_ (open only on Sun.).
A steep footpath ascends thence in ½ hr. to the _Telégrafo_, the
signal-station on the summit, where we enjoy a *View of the beautiful
basin of Palermo, of the indented N. coast of Sicily, and of the Lipari
Islands (p. 146). To the E., beyond the Madoníe (p. 146) and the distant
Nebrodian Mts., towers Mt. Ætna.
MONREALE (tramway No. 9 and carr., see pp. 147, 148) is reached from the
Porta Nuova (Pl. B, 1; p. 150) by the Corso Calatafími. Beyond (3 M.)
_La Rocca_ the road ascends to the (¾ hr.) top of the ‘royal hill’ (1148
ft.). The town of =Monreale= (Restaur. Savoy, Eden; pop. 24,000) owes
its origin to a Benedictine abbey, founded by William II. (1174), and to
the famous cathedral (1174–89) built here as the seat of the second
archbishopric in the island.
The **_Cathedral_ is a Norman Romanesque basilica consisting of nave,
aisles, and three apses, 335 ft. long and 131 ft. wide. Externally the
choir end of the church, with its Arabian pointed arches and mosaic
decoration, is particularly fine. The magnificent main portal, flanked
in northern style with two square towers, has two admirable bronze doors
by ‘Bonannus Civis Pisanus’ (1186). The doors of the side-portal are by
Barisano. The pointed arches of the nave rest on granite columns, and
all the walls are lavishly decorated with glass mosaics. The roof (172
steps; verger, who shows the chapels also, 50–75 c.) commands a splendid
view.
Of the Benedictine monastery nothing is now left except the
*_Cloisters_, the pointed arches of which are adorned with mosaics and
borne by 216 columns in pairs, remarkable for the variety of their
capitals and for the inlaid ornamentation of their shafts (date ca.
1200). Entrance (1 fr.) from the Piazza del Duomo by the side-door to
the left. The custodian shows also the garden of the monastery, where we
have a charming view of Palermo.
See also _Baedeker’s Southern Italy_.
* * * * *
Pursuing our VOYAGE TO TUNIS we soon obtain a fine view of the bold
limestone rocks of _Monte Pellegrino_ (p. 151). We next pass the
beautiful _Bay of Mondello_ and the _Cape Gallo_ and steer to the W.,
away from the Sicilian coast and the _Gulf of Castellammare_. That
spacious gulf is bounded on the E. by the _Punta di Raisi_, a spur of
_Monte Orso_ (2900 ft.), and on the W. by the mountains of _San Vito_
(_Monte Sparagio_ and others).
Beyond _Cape San Vito_ (lighthouse) appear to the _S.W. Monte San
Giuliano_ (see below) and the _Ægadean Islands_. The French steamers
bound for Tunis direct pass near these islands; first _Lévanzo_ (951
ft.; ancient _Phorbantia_), beyond which to the S. is _Favignana_ (1070
ft.; ancient _Ægusa_), the largest of the group; then _Marittimo_
(ancient _Hiera_), with _Monte Falcone_ (2245 ft.).
The Italian steamer coming from Naples rounds _Monte San Giuliano_ (2464
ft.), a solitary mass of Jurassic rock, the ancient _Eryx_, famed for
its temple of Venus Erycina, and highly revered by all the Mediterranean
peoples, and next calls at—
=Trápani= (Grand-Hôtel, on the quay; landing or embarkation, without
baggage, 60 c.; Brit. vice-consul, G. Marino), the ancient _Drepana_
(from _drepanon_, a sickle), so called from the form of the peninsula.
Down to the first Punic war this was merely the port of the ancient
_Eryx_, but it is now a thriving commercial place (pop. 38,000). The
chief export is the sea-salt yielded by the extensive evaporation
grounds on the W. coast, towards Marsala. The coral-fishery also is an
important industry.
The Naples steamer next passes through the strait between the islands of
_Levanzo_ and _Favignana_ (see above) and the flat W. coast of Sicily,
and then steers to the S.W. through the _Straits of Pantelleria_ (p.
396), between Favignana and the _Isola Grande_, towards _Cape Bon_
(Arabic _Râs Addar_, the Roman _Promontorium Mercurii_), the E. boundary
of the _Bay of Tunis_ (p. 129). High up on this bold headland stands a
lighthouse (410 ft.), visible for 32 M. around, one of the most
important landmarks for mariners between Gibraltar and Egypt. Beyond the
cape rises _Jebel Abiod_ (1273 ft.), with its semaphore. The islands to
the W. are _Zembretta_ and _Zembra_ or _Jamur_ (1420 ft.; the ancient
_Ægimurus_).
The great quarries near _El-Aouaria_ (the ancient _Aquilaria_), between
Cape Bon and the _Râs el-Ahmar_ (318 ft.) yielded the Phœnicians the
material for building Carthage. We next pass the _Anse de Thonaire_,
with its important tunny-fishery (Ital. _tonnara_), and the _Râs
al-Fortas_.
The steamers usually enter the _Inner Bay of Tunis_ and _Lake Bahira_ in
the early morning. _Tunis_, see p. 329.
The ITALIAN CARGO-STEAMERS (p. 146) first touch at _Castellammare del
Golfo_, then proceed to _Trapani_ (see above), where they spend the
night. They next pass _Favignana_ (see above), _Isola Grande_, the
lagoon of _Lo Stagnone_, and _Capo Boeo_ or _Lilibeo_, the W.
extremity of Sicily.
=Marsála= (Albergo Centrale; Leone; Stella d’Italia; landing or
embarkation 60 c.; with heavy baggage 1½ fr.; Brit. vice-consul, Chas.
F. Gray; pop. 58,000) is a busy trading town, well known for its fiery
wines. It occupies the site of _Lilybaeum_, the chief fortress of
Carthage in Sicily. The modern name is of Moorish origin (_Marsa-Ali_,
harbour of Ali).
Skirting the monotonous S.W. coast of Sicily the vessel next calls at
=Mazzara del Vallo= (Alb. Centrale; Alb. Stella; Brit. vice-consul, O.
Favara), founded as _Mazara_ by the Greeks of Selinus, but destroyed
along with its mother-city by the Carthaginians in 409 B. C.
Beyond Mazzara we pass the _Punta di Granítola_, the _Râs el-Belât_ of
the Moors, who in 827 began their victorious progress through the
island, and the broad bay of _Selinunte_ (_Selinus_), where the
grandest ruined temples in Europe are situated. Beyond _Cape San
Marco_ we come to—
=Sciacca= (Nuova Italia; pop. 25,000), a seaport situated on a steep
hill, 262 ft. above the sea, with its mouldering castles of mediæval
nobility. The name was originally Arabic, _Shâkkah_. In ancient times
it was called _Thermae Selinuntiae_, from the already famous
vapour-baths in the caverns at the foot of _Monte San Calógero_ (1272
ft.) and the hot salt-springs (132° Fahr.).
The steamer next steers to the W.S.W. through the _Straits of
Pantelleria_ (p. 396), at a little distance from the shallows where
the volcanic _Isola Ferdinandea_, 4–5 M. in circumference, rose from
the sea with a crater, on 18th July, 1831, but disappeared on 12th
Jan., 1832.
On the margin of the shallower water, in a great submarine basin 3900
ft. deep, lies the island of =Pantelleria=, also belonging to Italy.
Its chief town, off which the steamer anchors for some hours, is on
the N.W. side. This volcanic island, 32 sq. M. in area, culminates in
an extinct crater 2743 ft. in height, while numerous ‘fumaroli’, or
smoking and steaming fissures, and hot mineral springs testify to a
continuous volcanic activity. This was further indicated by a
submarine eruption which occurred in 1891, within 3 M. of the island
to the N.W.
The steamer afterwards rounds _Cape Bon_ (p. 153) and follows the same
course to Tunis as the larger passenger steamers.
27. From Naples to Syracuse (_Malta_, _Tunis_, _Tripoli_) viâ Messina
and Catania.
FROM NAPLES TO MESSINA (204 M.). =1.= Steamers of the _Ferrovie dello
Stato_ (Line D), leave Naples Sun. evening, arr. at Messina Mon.
morning (at Reggio at noon; returning from Reggio same afternoon and
from Messina same evening); fares 22 fr. 85, 14 fr. 70 c.—=2.=
_Società Nazionale_: =a.= Line XX (Linea Circolare, see pp. 134, 142),
dep. from Naples Sat. aft., arr. at Messina Sun. morning (returning
from Messina Wed. aft.); =b.= Line V (Genoa-Alexandria; p. 134), dep.
from Naples Thurs. aft., arr. at Messina Frid. morning (returning from
Messina Sun. evening); fares by these two lines 22 fr. 85, 14 fr. 70
c.; c. Lines X & XI, fortnightly from Naples viâ Palermo (comp. p.
146) to Messina (fares 50 fr. 10, 33 fr. 40 c.).
FROM NAPLES TO CATANIA (258 M.), the Linea Circolare (see below); also
the _North German Lloyd_ (Mediterranean-Levant; RR. 23, 24) every
second Mon. (from Catania Tues.) in 16 hrs.; fare 36 or 24 marks.
FROM MESSINA TO SYRACUSE (93 M.), only the Linea Circolare, dep. from
Messina Sun. morning, arr. at Reggio same morning, at Catania Sun.
afternoon, at Syracuse Mon. evening (returning from Syracuse Tues.
forenoon, from Catania Tues. midnight, and leaving Messina for Naples
on Wed. aft.). This steamer may be overtaken at Syracuse if we go by
train from Messina to Syracuse (comp. p. 158), in which case there
will be time to spend a night at Taormina and see the sunset and
sunrise. At Syracuse a drive through the old town should not be
omitted (comp. p. 162).
_Naples_, see p. 135. Steering across the bay towards the _Peninsula of
Sorrento_, we enjoy a delightful retrospect of _Mt. Vesuvius_ and the
hills around Naples. Farther on we admire the bold rocky N. coast of the
island of _Capri_.
After 1¼ hr. we pass through the _Bocca Piccola_, a strait 3 M. in
breadth, between the huge cliffs of _Lo Capo_, the N.E. point of Capri,
and the _Punta di Campanella_ (154 ft.; lighthouse), the extremity of
the peninsula of Sorrento.
[Illustration: MESSINA]
The steamboat now proceeds to the S.S.E. towards the straits of Messina.
We have a fine view, in passing, of the _Punta Tragara_, the S.E.
headland of Capri, with the cliffs of the _Faraglioni_, and of the
precipitous _Monte Soláro_ (1920 ft.), the highest hill in the island.
On our left lies the broad _Gulf of Salerno_, with the bays of
_Positano_ and _Amalfi_ on the S. side of the peninsula of Sorrento.
Conspicuous among the Neapolitan Apennines are the spurs of _Monte
Stella_ (3708 ft.) with the _Punta Licosa_, and of _Monte Bulgheria_
(4016 ft.) with _Cape Palinuro_ (lighthouse).
At length, far off the coast of _Calabria_, we sight to the S. the
volcanic _Lipari_ or _Æolian Islands_, the ancient _Liparaeae_ or
_Æoliae_. We pass close to _Strómboli_, the _Strongyle_ of the Greeks,
which the ancients regarded as the seat of Æolus, god of the winds. This
island culminates in a peak (3038 ft.) with a crater on its N. side,
often shrouded in smoke, which is one of the few constantly active
volcanoes in Europe. To the S.W. we descry in clear weather _Panária_
(1381 ft.), with its archipelago of smaller islands; _Lípari_, the
largest of the group with _Monte Sant’Angelo_ (1955 ft.); and _Vulcano_
with its ever smoking crater (1638 ft.).
Off _Cape Vaticano_ (lighthouse), a spur of the Calabrian coast-hills
between the bays of _Sant’Eufemia_ and _Gioia_, we sight the N. coast of
Sicily, with the _Monti Peloritani_, the _Myconius Mons_ or _Mons
Neptuni_ of the Romans, overtopped by _Mt. Ætna_ (p. 159). On the
Calabrian coast, near the strait which was the chief scene of the
earthquake of 1908 (p. 156), appear the ruins of the little town of
_Palmi_, halfway up _Monte Elia_ (1900 ft.; a famous point of view), and
those of _Bagnara_ and of _Scilla_ with its castle-rock.
The *Voyage through the _Straits of Messina_ (Faro or Stretto di
Messina), the _Fretum Siculum_ of antiquity, is one of the most
beautiful in the Mediterranean. Both banks are luxuriantly fertile,
shaded with palms, and yielding oranges, pomegranates, and prickly
pears. The Calabrian coast, thickly studded with villages, partly in
ruins, culminates in _Montalto_ (5424 ft.), the highest peak of the
wooded _Aspromonte_, the ancient _Sila_, while we survey the Sicilian
coast as far as _Mt. Ætna_. The narrowest part of the straits, 2 M., is
between the _Punta del Faro_ (p. 158) and the _Punta Pezzo_, where they
are entered from the _Tyrrhenian Sea_; between Messina and Villa San
Giovanni (p. 159) they are 4½ M., and between _Capo di Scaletta_ (p.
158) and the _Punta di Péllaro_ (p. 159) in the _Ionian Sea_ 8¾ M. wide.
The currents which sweep past the headland of Scilla (see above) and
cause strong eddies near the harbour of Messina, sometimes augmented by
gales, gave rise at a very early period to the legend of Scylla and
Charybdis, and Homer has described Scylla as a roaring, all-devouring
sea-monster.
We pass the lighthouses of the Punta del Faro and the Punta di Pezzo.
Nearing the _Harbour of Messina_, in a bay formed by a sickle-shaped
peninsula, we survey the ruins of the city on the green slopes of the
Monti Peloritani (p. 155), whose fissured peaks tower above the sea of
houses, once so picturesque.
The central point of the earthquake of Messina (28th Dec., 1908), caused
by dislocation or subsidence, was the strait and the W. slope of
Aspromonte (p. 155). The first terrific shock at 5 a.m. was followed
almost immediately by a great tidal wave caused by a submarine
earthquake, and aggravating the calamity in the lower parts of the coast
towns and villages. The effects of the earthquake were disastrous also
in Calabria as far to the N. as Cosenza, and in Sicily as far to the S.
as Pachino (near Cape Passero; p. 411). At Messina the sea-wave rose to
a height of 8–9 ft., at Reggio 11½ ft., and at Giardini and Riposto
19½–20 ft. The area of the seismic disturbance extended to the N.E. to
Pizzo on the bay of Sant’Eufemia (p. 155), to the E. to the mouth of the
Amendolea, near Cape Spartivento and the small town of Ferruzzano, the
scene of the earthquake of 1907, and to the S. to Riposto (p. 158). It
was estimated that 96,000 persons lost their lives. The value of the
buildings destroyed amounted to about 6,500,000_l._
* * * * *
=Messina.=—ARRIVAL. Landing or embarkation 1 fr., or without baggage
50 c., but bargain advisable. Passengers are landed at the quay
(Approdo Ferry-boats) adjoining the old Stazione Porto, where, in
connection with the express from Naples (steam-ferry from Villa San
Giovanni), express trains to Catania and Palermo are in waiting.
HOTELS (inquiries should be made as to prices), all with the exception
of the Excelsior built of wood and very fair. _Gr.-Hôt. Regina Elena_,
Viale Roosevelt, to the E. of Viale San Martino, in an open situation
commanding fine views, to be opened in 1911; _Grand-Hôtel_, R. 4½–5,
B. 1¼ fr.; _Excelsior_, R. 4–10, B. 1½ fr.; _Belvedere_, R. 2½–3½ fr.,
these three in the Viale San Martino; _Venezia_, Piazza Cavallotti.
CAB per drive 60 (with luggage 80) c., at night 1 fr.; by time, 2 fr.
for the first hour, and 1 fr. 50 c. for each addit. hour; to the Punta
del Faro 6–7 fr.
POST OFFICE, Viale San Martino.—TELEGRAPH OFFICE in the piazza of the
chief station.
TOURIST AGENCY. _Mrs. Pearce_, Via Primo Settembre, opposite the
railway-station.
BRITISH VICE-CONSUL, _J. B. Heynes_.
The town of _Messina_ was like Reggio completely destroyed by the
earthquake of 1908 (comp. above) and has now only 80,000 inhab. as
against 110,000 in 1908. Notwithstanding this catastrophe it was finally
decided in autumn 1909 to rebuild the town on its former site. Its
harbour, one of the best in the Mediterranean, the third in importance
in Sicily, sustained no damage and has even now a very brisk trade
(1908: 3589 vessels of 2,598,647 tons burden; 1910: 3148 vessels of
2,050,733 tons burden). The great charm of Messina consists in the
beauty of its environs and the views they afford, particularly of the
Calabrian coast by evening light.
Originally named _Zancle_ (_i.e._ sickle), Messina was one of the
earliest of the Greek colonies in Sicily, having been founded about
730 B.C. Early in the 5th cent. it was occupied by new colonists from
the Messenian Reggio (p. 159) and called _Messana_. From the earliest
times the Messenians took a leading part in almost all the political
agitations in the island. In 228 the Mamertines, disbanded mercenaries
of Agathocles (p. 163), treacherously seized the town and soon
afterwards invoked the aid of the Romans against Hannibal, thus
directly giving rise to the first Punic war. For a time Messina
enjoyed the special favour of the Romans, and even of Verres, the
notorious proconsul, but when it became the naval base of Pompey, in
36 B.C., it was plundered by the soldiers of Octavian. From the period
of the Crusades, by which Sicily was partly affected, date the
privileges which made Messina a kind of free city and the seat of the
Sicilian opposition to foreign domination. The failure of its war
against Spain (1672–8), notwithstanding the help of French troops sent
by Louis XIV. and two naval victories won by Admiral Duquesne over the
Spanish-Dutch fleet under De Ruyter (1676), caused the downfall of the
city. Terrible pestilences (the plague in 1740 and cholera in 1854),
severe earthquakes (in 1783 and 1894), and the bombardment of the town
by the Neapolitan fleet (in 1818) had already seriously injured
Messina prior to its recent appalling calamity.
The ruins extend along the shore to the N., from the ‘sickle’ of the
harbour and the citadel, to the _Giardino a Mare_, under whose
plane-trees is a _Camp_ for the destitute. The _Citadel_ itself, with
its broad moats and its bastions, is still standing.
On the Marina or Corso Vittorio Emanuele (formerly called also _La
Palazzata_) are still seen several palatial façades, interrupted by
archways and passages leading to the parallel Via Garibaldi. These are
mostly relics of a uniform row of palaces, erected after the earthquake
of 1783. Opposite the ruined Palazzo Municipale rises the _Neptune
Fountain_, by Montorsoli, a pupil of Michael Angelo (1557), with a
colossal statue of Neptune between Scylla and Charybdis.
Beyond the Via Garibaldi lies the Piazza del Duomo, with the almost
intact _Orion Fountain_ by Montorsoli (1547–51), a point which may be
reached direct from the Dogana by the Via Primo Settembre. The
_Cathedral_ (la Matrice), founded by the Normans in 1098, is now, with
the exception of the choir niche, a mass of ruins. The short Via
Università degli Studi led to the S.E. from this piazza to the
_University_, now also destroyed.
A few paces to the S. of the University, in the coast-plain called the
_Mosella_, between the _Torrente Portalegni_ and the _Torrente Zaera_,
and beyond the ruins of the new quarters of the town, lies the main
_Camp_ of wooden barracks for the homeless, flanking the Viale San
Martino.
A good survey of the ruins, as well as a superb view of the straits,
is obtained from the old =Forte Castellaccio=, which, along with the
modern forts, the barracks of the mountain-artillery, and the
powder-magazine, has escaped destruction. The way to it (35–40 min.)
is up the Torrente Portalegni close to ruined houses; we then skirt
the Botanic Garden, cross the Piazza Venti Settembre occupied by
barracks, and ascend straight on the steep Via Castellaccio.
The beautiful EXCURSION TO THE PUNTA DEL FARO (cab, see p. 156; bargain
advisable) affords a good survey of the devastated environs. The road
leads from the Giardino a Mare (p. 157) and the camp called _Villaggio
Regina Elena_, along the foot of the hills, past luxuriant orchards, and
through the ruined fishing-villages of _Salvatore dei Greci_,
_Paradiso_, and _Pace_; it then skirts two lagoons, the _Pantano
Grande_, or _Lago di Ganzirri_, below the ruins of _Faro Superiore_, a
village famed for its wine, and the _Pantano Piccolo_. On the _Punta del
Faro_ or _Capo Peloro_ (once _Promontorium Pelorum_), the N.E. point of
Sicily, are the ruins of the fishing-village of _Faro_ or _Torre del
Faro_, and near it the quite intact =Lighthouse= (200 steps; keeper 50
c.), which commands a splendid *View of the Lipari Islands and the
Calabrian coast as far as Cape Vaticano (comp. p. 155).
FROM MESSINA TO SYRACUSE, 115 M., railway in 6¼–7 hrs.; fares 22 fr.
60, 15 fr. 85, 10 fr. 25 c. (journey may be broken once; to
_Giardini-Taormina_, 30½ M., in 1½–2 hrs.). The quick trains start
from Messina harbour (comp. p. 156); the morning train, which runs to
Syracuse harbour, has a dining-car (déj. 2½ fr.). The train skirts the
coast, affording fine views; it crosses the stony channels of several
_torrenti_ or _flumare_, which are generally dry, and pierces a number
of headlands by means of tunnels.
7½ M. _Galati_; 12 M. _Scaletta Zanclea_, with a picturesque castle,
not far from the _Capo di Scaletta_; 15½ M. _Alì_, with sulphur-baths.
Beyond the (23 M.) beautiful cape of _Sant’ Alessio_, with a deserted
castle, we sight the headland of Taormina.
30½ M. _Giardini-Taormina_. The village of Giardini lies in a small
bay, in a malarious region, 1¼ M. beyond the _Capo di Taormina_.
Taormina is reached by road (3 M.), by a bridle-path, or by a steep
footpath. (Diligence 1 fr.; down, 50 c.; carr. according to number of
party, 2–5 fr.; heavy luggage had better be left at the station.)
=Taormina= (673 ft.; San Domenico Palace Hotel, Hotel Castello a Mare,
Timeo, International, Villa San Pancrazio, Metropole, all often
crowded from 15th Jan. to April and closed in summer; plainer, San
Giorgio, Victoria, Naumachia, etc.; Brit. vice-cons., Dr. S.
Cacciola-Cartella; pop. 4000), the ancient _Tauromenium_, a highly
picturesque little town, lies on the S.E. spurs of _Monte Venere_
(2900 ft.), and is overlooked by a ruined _Castle_ (1300 ft.) and by
the village of _Mola_ (2083 ft.). Its chief attraction is the
*_Ancient Theatre_, at the E. end of the town, which is open daily
till dusk. Originally Greek it was entirely remodelled in the Roman
period. The spectators’ area (_cavea_), almost wholly hewn in the
rock, is 357 ft. in diameter, and the _orchestra_ (seats for persons
of distinction) 115 ft.; the stage (_pulpitum_) is particularly well
preserved. The *View from the site of the theatre is one of the most
beautiful in Italy, especially in the morning, when the sun rises
above Calabria or, in winter, from the sea, imparting a rosy hue to
the snowy peak of Mt. Ætna (p. 159), and gilding the rocky heights
beyond the theatre.
Between Taormina and Catania the train crosses a number of the
lava-streams descending from Mt. Ætna. On the northmost of these, near
_Schisò_, between the bay of Giardini and the mouth of the _Alcántara_
(Arabic al-kántara, the bridge), lay Naxos, founded in 735 B. C., the
oldest Greek colony in Sicily.
41 M. _Giarre-Riposto_, the station for the country-town of _Giarre_
and for the seaport of _Riposto_ which has a brisk trade in wine. It
is also the starting-point of the railway round the W. side of Mt.
Ætna (‘Ferrovia Circumetnéa’; 68½ M. in length).
51 M. _Acireale_ (525 ft.; Sicil. _Iaci_), a wealthy country-town
built on several lava-streams and much frequented as a bathing-place
on account of its mineral springs (sulphur, salt, and iodine).—Near
(55½ M.) _Aci Castello_ we perceive on the left in the sea seven
cliffs of columnar basalt, the _Scogli de’ Ciclopi_ or Islands of
Cyclops, the rocks which according to Greek myth the blinded
Polyphemus hurled after the crafty Ulysses.
59½ M. =Catania=, see p. 160.
Running inland the train enters the _Piana di Catania_, the plain of
the rivers _Simeto_ and _Gornalunga_, which is often flooded in
winter. This was the region of the _Laestrygonian Fields_ of
antiquity, extolled by Cicero as the ‘uberrima Siciliæ pars’, and
still the granary of the island. To the right, beyond the _Monti
Cartina_, in a malarious district lies the _Lago di Lentini_, the
largest lake in Sicily. On the left, beyond (77½ M.) _Lentini_, Greek
_Leontinoi_, is the swampy lagoon _Pantano di Carlentini_. We pass
numerous salt-works and snow-white pyramids of sea-salt.
94 M. _Augusta_ (the ancient _Xiphonia_), a seaport with 16,000
inhab., lies in a site similar to that of Syracuse, on the N. margin
of the _Bay of Megara_, which is bounded by the headlands of _Santa
Croce_ and _Santa Panagia_ (p. 162). 98½ M. _Mégara Iblea_, not far
from the site of the Greek colony of _Megara Hyblea_. On the left is
the _Penisola Magnisi_, the ancient _Thapsos_, on the N. side of which
lay the fleet of the Athenians during their expedition against
Syracuse (p. 163).
The train passes the small bay of _Trogilos_, where the fleet of
Marcellus once anchored (p. 163), and a tunny-fishery (tonnara), runs
through a cutting, and skirts the limestone plateau near Cape Santa
Panagia. To the left we have a fine view of the sea and the modern
town, and at length reach the (115 M.) harbour-station of _Syracuse_
(p. 162).
* * * * *
FROM MESSINA TO (8 M.) REGGIO, a delightful trip, especially by morning
light, either by one of the steamers mentioned at p. 154 or by one of
the ferry-boats (comp. p. 156). To the left, nearly opposite Messina, is
the little town of _Villa San Giovanni_ (p. 155), now in ruins, as are
also the villages of _Catona_, _Gallico_, _Archi_, and others farther to
the S.
=Reggio= (Alb. Veneto-Trentino, a temporary hotel-restaurant), before
the earthquake of 1908 a town of 35,000 inhab., called _Reggio Calabria_
to distinguish it from Reggio in the Emilia, lies at the W. base of the
_Aspromonte_ (p. 155). The ancient _Rhegium_, originally a Eubœan
colony, but occupied by new Messenian settlers in 723 B.C., has been
destroyed eight times in war and twice by earthquakes (1783 and 1908).
Its last disaster was most appalling in the upper quarters. Along the
shore and in the piazzas the survivors are now living in huts. The
_Strada Reggio Campi_ above the town offers a beautiful view especially
towards evening.
On the VOYAGE TO CATANIA we enjoy a splendid view of the whole of the
straits as far as the _Punta del Faro_ (p. 158), and later of the coast
of Calabria from the _Punta di Pellaro_ (p. 155) to the _Capo dell’
Armi_. On the Sicilian coast rise the _Monti Peloritani_ (p. 155) and
the majestic _Mt. Ætna_ (10,958 ft.; Ital. _Etna_), the highest volcano
in Europe, with its countless minor craters and the great _Valle del
Bove_, the remains of the enormous oldest crater, 3 M. broad, bounded by
rocky slopes of 1900–3900 ft. in height. The view is specially striking
beyond _Taormina_ (p. 158), and we obtain also a good idea of the volume
and the direction of the old lava-streams. After sixteen years’
quiescence fresh flows of lava were emitted in the Valle del Bove in
1908 and from the volcano’s S. slope in 1910.
Beyond _Acireale_ (p. 158) and _Cape Molini_, the N. limit of the broad
_Bay of Catania_, we sight the _Scogli de’ Ciclopi_ (p. 159). As we
enter the harbour of _Catania_ we have a fine view of the S. side of
Ætna.
* * * * *
=Catania.=—ARRIVAL. The steamers anchor in the _Nuovo Porto_ (Pl. F,
G, 6), whence passengers are rowed (60 c.; with baggage 1 fr.) to the
_Dogana_ (Pl. F, G, 5) in the _Porto Vecchio_, a harbour very much
contracted by the lava-stream of 1669 (see below).
HOTELS. *_Grande Bretagne_ (Pl. a; F, 4), Via Lincoln, R. 3½–6, B. 1½,
déj. 3½, D. 5½ fr.; *_Bristol & du Globe_ (Pl. c; E, 4), Via Santa
Maria del Rosario, R. 3½–6 B. 1½ déj. 3, D. 4½ fr.; _Centrale Europa_
(Pl. d; E, 5), cor. of the Piazza del Duomo and Via Raddusa, R. 2½–4,
omn. ¾ fr., well spoken of; and others.
RESTAURANTS. _Marconi_, Piazza Università 15, good; _Savoia_, Via
Marletta 15, behind the Municipio.—_Caffè Tricomi_, Via Stesicoro
Etnea 30; _Caffè Amato_, Via Stesicoro Etnea 151.—_Birreria Svizzera_,
Via Stesicoro Etnea 139 (déj. 2½, D. 3 fr.), music in the evening,
good.
STEAMBOAT AGENTS. _Società Nazionale_, Piazza Duca di Genova 18 (Pl.
F, 5); _North German Lloyd_, Munzone, Mineo, & Co., same piazza, No.
3.
BRITISH VICE-CONSUL, _W. A. Franck_.—POST & TELEGRAPH OFFICE (Pl. E,
4), Via Manzoni.—ENGLISH CHURCH SERVICES.
TRAMWAYS. The chief line is from the railway-station (Stazione Sicula;
Pl. H, 4) through Corso Vittorio Emanuele to the Piazza del Duomo (Pl.
E, 5); then to the N. through Via Stesicoro Etnea to the ‘Ingresso’ of
Villa Bellini (Pl. E, 2) and Piazza Gioeni.—CAB 40 (at night 50) c.
per drive; first hour 1½ fr. (two-horse 2 fr. 30 c.).
_Catania_, a wealthy town of 162,000 inhab., the largest in Sicily after
Palermo, the seat of a university, a bishop, and a natural science
academy, has lately become the chief outlet for the products of the
island, especially those of the extremely fertile environs. _Katana_,
founded like Naxos by Eubœans, about 729 B. C., became famous as the
home of _Charondas_, the framer of the earliest Greek code of law (about
640). In the Athenian and Syracusan war (p. 163) it formed the Athenian
base of attack. Katana was one of the first places in Sicily occupied by
the Romans, and under their sway became one of the most populous towns
in the island. In the middle ages it vied for a time with Palermo and
Messina as a favourite residence of the Aragon sovereigns. It has
repeatedly suffered severely from the eruptions of Mt. Ætna (especially
in 122 B. C. and in 1669) and from earthquakes (1169 and 1693), and the
present town has been built almost entirely since 1693.
From the Porto Vecchio, into which falls the brook _Amenana_ after
passing through the lava under the town, we walk through the _Peschería_
(fish and provision market) to the—
[Illustration: CATANIA]
[Illustration: CATANIA]
_Cathedral_ (Pl. E, 5; visible from the sea), begun by the Norman Roger
I. with materials from the ancient theatre (p. 161), but almost entirely
destroyed by the earthquake of 1169. In the choir repose the Aragon
sovereigns of the 14th cent.; in the right side-apse are treasured the
remains of St. Agatha, who, like St. Rosalia (p. 152), was one of the
most famous saints of Sicily, and whose veil is said to have diverted
the lava-stream of 1669 (Pl. B, 1–3) from the city at a point near the
Benedictine monastery (see below). Opposite, on the right, is the
monument of the viceroy Acuña (d. 1494), quite Spanish in style. By the
second pillar on the right is the tomb of Vinc. Bellini, the composer, a
native of Catania (1802–35).
In the PIAZZA DEL DUOMO rises a fountain with an antique elephant in
lava, bearing an Egyptian obelisk of granite. Past its N. side runs the
CORSO VITTORIO EMANUELE, with the Piazza dei Martiri and the statue of
St. Agatha at its E. end (Pl. G, 5). We follow the Corso to the W. to
the Via Sant’Agostino, by the church of that name (Pl. D, 5), and here
turn to the N. past the entirely altered Roman _Odeum_ (comp. p. 349) to
the Via del Teatro Greco. Here, near the corner on the right, at No. 37,
is the entrance to the—
_Ancient Theatre_ (Pl. D, 4, 5; custodian at No. 33; fee 50 c.), once a
fine structure, but now so buried in lava that some parts of it can be
explored only by candle-light. The foundations alone date from the Greek
period.—In the Piazza Dante, a little to the N.W., is the suppressed
Benedictine monastery of—
_San Nicolò_ (Pl. C, D, 4), or _San Benedetto_, dating in its present
form from the early 18th cent., with an imposing baroque church. The
extensive buildings now contain barracks, a school, the civic museum,
the library, and the observatory. The church-tower (entr. through the
portal to the S. of the façade; gratuity) commands a panoramic *View of
the town, Mt. Ætna, and the Sicilian and Calabrian coasts, which is
finest before 9 a.m.
At the Piazza Dante begins the VIA LINCOLN (Pl. D-F, 4), the second
great thoroughfare of the town running W. to E., partly hewn through the
lava-stream of 1669. This street is crossed by the—
VIA STESICORO ETNEA (Pl. E, 5–1), which intersects the whole town, from
the Piazza del Duomo (see above) to the N. end. Here rise the chief
public buildings of Catania, the _Municipio_ (Pl. E, 5), the
_University_, and the _Prefettura_ (Pl. E, 4).
Farther to the N. is the Piazza Stesicoro; on its left side is the
church of _San Cárcere_ (Pl. E, 3), with an interesting Norman portal
brought from the cathedral. Close by the N. part of a _Roman
Amphitheatre_ has been laid bare (greater diameter 138, smaller 116
yds.); the unusually large arena (77 by 55 yds.) is second only to that
of the Colosseum (94 by 59 yds.).
Still farther to the N., on the left, is the entrance to the _Villa
Bellini_ (Pl. E, 2), a public park with fine views.
After returning to the Porto Vecchio we may follow the Via Scuto to the
picturesque _Castello Ursino_ (Pl. D, 6), dating from the time of Emp.
Frederick II. (after 1239). The quarter to the E. of the castle is
almost the only relic of the old town.
* * * * *
On the VOYAGE TO SYRACUSE the steamer proceeds to the S.E. at some
distance from the _Piana di Catania_ (p. 159), affording a splendid view
astern of Mt. Ætna, and passes _Capo Campolato_, _Capo Santa Croce_ (p.
159), and the _Bay of Megara_.
As we enter the _Bay of Syracuse_, bounded on the N. by the plateau of
_Capo Santa Panagia_ (p. 159), and on the S.E. by the low _Penisola
della Maddalena_ (177 ft.), the ancient _Plemmyrion_, we obtain an
excellent idea of the site of the present island-city, and of the vast
extent of the ancient city on the mainland to the N.W., stretching up
the hill to the village of _Belvedere_ (p. 166).
The entrance to the inner bay of the _Porto Grande_, now much choked
with sand, between the lighthouse at the end of the island and that of
the peninsula, behind the cliff of _La Galera_, is only 1312 yds.
across. In the swampy and in summer malarious plain on the W. bank of
the harbour are the mouths of the rivers _Anăpo_ and _Ciani_, the
ancient _Anapos_ and _Kyane_.
=Syracuse.=—ARRIVAL BY SEA. The steamers anchor near the landing-place
at the Porta Marina (_Scalo_; comp. Map). Landing or embarkation 50
c., with baggage 1 fr.
RAILWAY STATIONS. The Central Station (_Stazione_, see Map) is on the
Floridia road (p. 165), 1 M. to the N.W. of the town. The expresses
run down to the _Stazione Porto_.
HOTELS (advisable to ask charges beforehand). *_Grand-Hôt. Villa
Politi_ (_V. P._ on the Map), on the mainland, near and in the Latomia
dei Cappuccini (p. 165), with beautiful garden and fine views, R. 4–8,
B. 1½, déj. 3½, D. 5, pens. 10–16, omn. 1½ fr; *_Hôt. des Etrangers_
(formerly _Casa Politi_), near the Arethusa Fountain, similar charges;
*_Grand-Hôtel_, Piazza Mazzini, close to the busy harbour, similar
charges.—Second-class: _Alb. Roma_, Via Roma 64, R. 1¾–3 fr., well
spoken of; _Alb. Firenze_, Via Roma 73, R. from 1½ fr; _Alb. Cavour_,
Via Savoia, behind the Dogana, R. 1½–3 fr.; these three with
restaurants (Ital. cuisine).
CAFÉ. _Croce di Savoia_, Piazza del Duomo.
CABS. (Night fares from ½ hr. after sunset till sunrise. Fares should
be ascertained before starting.) Per drive in the town (incl.
harbour-station) 40 c., with pair 1 fr., at night 70 c. or 1½ fr.; to
or from chief station 65 c. or 1½ fr., at night 90 c. or 1 fr. 90 c.
(luggage over 25 kilos or 55 lbs. 25, over 50 kilos or 1 cwt. 50 c.);
first hour 1½ or 2½ fr., each addit. ½ hr. 60 c. or 1½ fr.—For a long
drive it is best to choose one’s own vehicle in the Piazza del Duomo.
For an afternoon (noon till ½ hr. after sundown) 5 or 10 fr., whole
day 10 or 20 fr. Cheaper fares may generally be agreed upon out of the
season.
STEAMBOAT AGENTS.—_Società Nazionale_, Via Ruggiero Settimo 38, close
to the Dogana; _Hungarian Adria Co._, also _Lloyd’s Agents_, Gaet.
Bozzanca & Figlio.
BRITISH VICE-CONSUL, _Joseph Lobb_.—POST & TELEGRAPH OFFICE, Via Roma.
ENGLISH CHURCH SERVICE in winter.
[Illustration: SIRACUSA E CONTORNI.]
[Illustration: PORTO GRANDE]
ONE DAY. The chief sights in the modern town are the Cathedral, the
Museum, and the Arethusa Fountain (p. 164). The greater part of the
day should be devoted to the ancient town. The most interesting places
there (the Euryelus excepted) may be visited by carriage in 3–4 hrs.:
Latomia dei Cappuccini (p. 165), Catacombs of San Giovanni (p. 165),
Amphitheatre (p. 166), Hiero’s Altar (p. 166), Greek Theatre (p. 166;
best towards sunset for the sake of the view). Walkers should ferry
direct from the Prigioni in the town to the N. bank of the Porto
Piccolo (10 c.).
_Syracuse_, Ital. _Siracusa_, the most populous town in Sicily in
ancient times, and indeed the most important of all the Hellenic cities,
now a mere shadow of its glorious past, with 27,000 inhab. only, lies on
an island separated from the mainland by a narrow strait. It was founded
under the name of _Syracusae_ by Corinthians, in 734 B. C., on the
island then called _Ortygia_, where a Phœnician settlement had perhaps
already existed. Endless party conflicts between the nobles and the
townspeople led in 485 to the intervention of the tyrant _Gelon_ of
Gela, who made Syracuse his residence. In alliance with _Theron_ of
Acragas (Girgenti) he defeated the Carthaginians at the battle of Himera
in 480, the same year in which the victory of Salamis (p. 506) saved the
mother-country from destruction. The Syracusans thereafter gradually
extended their sway over the greater part of Sicily till the year 415
when to their dismay the Athenians, instigated by Alcibiades, intervened
in Sicilian politics, and with the aid of the neighbouring towns of
Catana and Leontinoi (p. 159) proceeded to besiege the city. In 413 the
might of Athens was for ever shattered before the walls of Syracuse, but
the dread of being attacked anew by the Carthaginians induced the
Syracusans to entrust their government to the tyrant _Dionysius I._
(406–367), next to the Persian monarchs the most powerful prince of his
age, who refortified and embellished the city. The tyrant _Agathocles_
(317–289) conducted a brilliant expedition against Carthage, but without
permanent success. The last phase of the glory of Syracuse was witnessed
in the long reign of _Hiero II._ (275–216). As the Syracusans, after his
death, allied themselves with Hannibal, their city was besieged by
_Marcellus_ in 214–212, and after its capture was sacked and destroyed.
Since then it has never again taken any part in political life, but in
spite of its downfall it is still one of the most interesting places in
the whole of Sicily, while the beauty of its environs is hardly less
fascinating than the monuments of its glorious past.
a. The Modern Town.
From the harbour-station (p. 162) the broad Corso Umberto Primo (p. 165)
crosses the strait to the island on which lies the MODERN TOWN, whose
narrow winding streets are still of mediæval type. A pleasant walk, with
a view of Mt. Ætna, is by the _Foro Vittorio Emanuele Secondo_ and
_Passeggio Aretusa_, leading from the Piazza Mazzini and the
landing-place (p. 162) along the harbour.
In the grounds at the S. end of the promenade is a statue of the famous
mathematician _Archimedes_, who defended his native city against
Marcellus. Near it is the _Fontana Aretusa_, enclosed by papyrus-shrubs.
From this point the Via Maniace leads to the S.E. to the _Castello
Maniace_, a Hohenstaufen castle at the S. end of the island, completed
under Emp. Frederick II. in 1239, but now modernized. To the N. of the
Fontana lies the Piazza del Duomo.
The =Cathedral= is built into a Doric temple, probably of _Minerva_, the
beauty of which was extolled by Cicero in his oration against Verres (p.
157). It stood on a basement of three steps, about 61 yds. long and 24
yds. broad. The ancient columns with their entablature still project on
the N. side, and in the interior nineteen columns also are visible.
The =Archæological Museum=, opposite the cathedral, to the N.W.,
contains valuable antiquities, mostly Sicilian, from the earliest ages
down to the Christian period. Adm. on week-days, Oct.–June 9–3,
July-Sept. 8–2, 1 fr.; Sun. (not all rooms accessible) 10–2, free.
GROUND FLOOR. In Room I, Early-Christian inscriptions and the
sarcophagus of Adelfia (5th cent.) from the catacombs of San Giovanni
(p. 165). In Rooms III-V, Greek inscriptions, sarcophagi, cinerary
urns, and architectural fragments. Room VI. Earthenware sarcophagi
from Gela (6–5th cent. B. C.), Hellenistic and Roman sculptures. Room
VII. Chiefly Greek sculptures. In Room VIII, a fine Venus Anadyomene
(Hellenistic).
The STAIRCASE and FIRST FLOOR (Rooms XI and XVII-XIX) contain the
ancient historical collection, showing the progress of Sicilian
culture from the pre-Greek period (from the 15th cent.) down to the
5th cent. B. C.—Rooms XII, XIII. Greek vases from Sicily and Lower
Italy, archaic bronzes and coins from ancient Sicily. Rooms XIV-XVI.
Terracottas.
The mediæval and modern collections of the Museum are to be
transferred to the _Palazzo Bellomo_, a building of the 15th cent., in
the Via Capodieci running to the E. from the Fontana Aretusa.
The Via Cavour leads to the N. from the Piazza del Duomo to the Via
Diana, where on the left are the ruins of the so-called _Temple of
Diana_ (keys at the barber’s opposite; fee 30 c.), but now believed to
have been dedicated to _Apollo_. This is one of the most curious of
Greek temples. In front stood two rows of six columns each. The
side-walls were of unusual length and were each probably flanked by
nineteen columns.
b. The Ancient City.
Long before the Athenian campaign (p. 163) ANCIENT SYRACUSE had extended
her boundaries far beyond her island of _Ortygia_ and across the high
plateau to the N. to the bay of Trogilos and the present tonnara near
Cape Santa Panagia (p. 159). The earliest extension consisted in the
_Achradina_, the smaller half of which lay between the great harbour and
the plateau, while the larger half occupied the E. margin of the latter,
and was enclosed by a wall whose ruins still exist. Adjoining the
Achradina on the W. were the _Neapolis_, or new city, on a terrace above
the great harbour, and the quarter named _Tyche_ after a temple of the
goddess of Fortune. The _Epipolae_, the fifth and highest quarter, on
the W. side of the plateau, was the chief base of the Athenian
besiegers; but it was only completed after Dionysius I. had (about
402–385) enclosed the entire half of the plateau stretching from the
Achradina wall westwards, with a huge city-wall, and had built the
fortress of _Euryelus_ at its W. end. The circumference of the city,
which however embraced a good deal of unoccupied land, was thus no less
than 17 M. Of the enclosing wall 10½ M. still exist.
We begin with the ACHRADINA. The Corso Umberto Primo (p. 163), the main
street of the new suburb on the mainland, leads in 10 min. to a round
piazza whence radiate the Floridia road, passing the central station,
and the Catania and Noto roads. The remains of columns on the
drilling-ground between this piazza and the small harbour probably
belonged to a superb _Agora_ or market-place.
From this point we follow the Catania road to the N., whence an avenue
soon diverges to the right to the Porto Piccolo (ferry, see p. 163), now
choked with sand, and leads along the shore, below the suburb of _Santa
Lucia_, and across a railway cutting, to (25 min.) the _Capuchin
Monastery_ (now a poor-house). Close by, on the right, is the entrance
to the—
*=Latomía dei Cappuccino= (adm. 30 c.), one of the wildest and grandest
of the old quarries of Syracuse, now clothed with rich vegetation. It
was here probably that the 7000 Athenian prisoners of war languished in
413 B. C.
Following the road to the W. we skirt the plateau and pass the
_Cimitero_ to (10 min.) the road coming from the upper Achradina, and go
on by a cart-road, whence, by the _Latomia del Casale_, we see the
Catania road before us and the church of San Giovanni below, on the
left.
_San Giovanni_ occupies the W. part of an old Norman basilica; steps in
the N.E. corner lead to the crypt of St. Marcian (4th cent.). A monk,
who shows the church also if desired (fee ½–l fr.; ring, on the S. side,
door to the E. of the vestibule), conducts us to the—
*=Catacombs of San Giovanni=, which like most of the catacombs of
Syracuse and its environs, far surpass those of Rome in extent. The main
passage of this great burial-place (4–7th cent. A. D.), 10 ft. high and
6 ft. wide, runs through the rock from W. to E. for 116 yds., and from
it diverge short lateral passages ending in circular chambers. Of the
mural decoration little is now left.
A little farther to the W. we cross the Catania road to the region of
NEAPOLIS, and follow the road leading to the Greek theatre. To the left,
in 5 min., we reach the house of the custodian (½ fr.) of the Roman—
=Amphitheatre=, constructed in the time of Augustus, 153 by 130 yds. in
area. In the arena lie many blocks of the marble parapet belonging to a
restoration of the 3rd century.
About 120 yds. farther to the W. is the entrance, also on the left, to
the great _Altar of Hiero II._ (30–50 c.). On this vast altar, 219 yds.
long and 25 yds. broad and originally rising in two huge steps to a
height of 34½ ft., were probably sacrificed the annual hecatombs of 450
bulls in memory of the expulsion of the tyrant Thrasybulus (466).
Opposite we see the =Latomia del Paradiso=, an ancient quarry 95–130 ft.
deep, so-named from the most luxuriant vegetation which now clothes it
(entrance through the gateway on the left). In its W. slope is the
so-called _Ear of Dionysius_ (entrance below, on the left), an S-shaped
cavern, 71 yds. deep, 6–12 yds. wide, and 76 ft. high, tapering at the
top, with remarkable acoustic properties. As the tyrant is said to have
had prisons where from a certain spot he could hear every whisper, the
tradition has been arbitrarily associated with this cavern.
The road next passes under the modern arches of the aqueduct and
reaches, on the right, the *=Greek Theatre= (5th cent. B. C.), one of
the largest in the Hellenic world. It is hewn in the rock, forming more
than a semicircle. Its diameter is 147 yds.; 46 tiers of seats are still
preserved; the eleven lower rows were covered with marble. Towards
sunset we have a delightful *VIEW of the town, the Porto Grande, the
headland of Plemmyrion, and the sea.
Above the theatre is the so-called _Nymphaeum_, a grotto into which the
aqueduct (see below) was led. On its left side the _Via delle Tombe_,
hewn in the rock, ascends in a curve for 165 yds., with many lateral
cuttings and tomb-chambers of the late-Roman age.
From the Catania road, ¼ M. to the N. of the branch-road to the Greek
theatre, diverges to the left the NEW EURYELUS ROAD, 3 M. long. It
leads to the W., soon passing the _Casa dei Gesuiti_, to which walkers
may ascend direct from the Nymphæum. It runs parallel with an _Ancient
Aqueduct_ (‘Acquedotto Galermi’), crosses the desolate plateau, very
hot in summer, once the site of the Greek Neapolis and of _Epipolae_
(p. 165), and joins the old Euryelus road beyond the S. wall of
Dionysius I. A little farther, where the road diverges to the left to
the village of _Belvedere_ and the _Posto Semafórico_ or _Telégrafo_
(617 ft.; fine view), is the _Casa dei Viaggiatori_ (rfmts.; open from
15th Jan. to 15th May). Our road ends on the W. side of Euryelus, 130
yds. from the custodian’s house.
The *=Euryelus= (adm. 50 c.), the ‘outer fort’ of the Epipolæ, built
about 400 B.C., at the junction of the N. and S. walls of Dionysius,
is one of the best-preserved of ancient Greek fortifications. The five
massive towers on the W. side, whence we survey the whole site of
ancient Syracuse and enjoy a fine view ranging from Mt. Ætna to
Calabria, are flanked with two deep moats hewn in the rock. In the
first of these are subterranean apertures for sallying purposes.
We may return to Syracuse by the OLD EURYELUS ROAD. On the S. side of
the plateau it joins the Floridia road, 1¼ M. from the station.
[Illustration: MOROCCO]