traveldk.com

Stone from this latomia (quarry) was used entirely for the construction of Syracuse. Within the quarry is the Orecchio di Dioniso (Ear of Dionysius) cavern , which may have got its name from its large opening resembling a human ear.

Grotto, Latomia del Paradiso

Begun in the 6th century BC, the Greek Theatre became the largest theatre in Sicily. Many of Aeschylus’s tragedies were first staged here, including Prometheus Bound .

The cavea (seating area) of the theatre was hewn out of rock and accommodated 15,000 spectators. Its size is still impressive today.

The Nymphaeum (grotto) was fed with water from an aqueduct. To the left is the Street of Tombs, an ancient street filled with votive niches and Byzantine graves.

Hieron II built this immense altar, the largest in Magna Graecia, around 225 BC and dedicated it to Zeus Eleutherios, the god of freedom. Today, only the base remains.

The arena was built in the 3rd century AD and is one of the largest of its kind, built by local stonemasons.

Throughout these vast limestone catacombs are burial chambers varying in size to accommodate children, adults or families.

At the eastern end of one of the quarries is a large necropolis where many tomb chambers were carved out of the limestone. At the corner of via Teracati is the so-called Tomb of Archimedes, used for holding funerary urns.

Named after the archaeologist Paolo Orsi, the museum specializes in the Greek artifacts he and other scientists found during digs in Syracuse (see Archaeology Museum Highlights).

The castle is the most important extant Greek military installation, built by Dionysus the Younger in the 4th century BC and later improved by Hieron II. Defensive trenches can be accessed.