Ortygia

Ortygia ( Ortigia Italian, Greek Ὀρτυγία ) is the name of a small island off the east coast of Sicily, which is the historic center of Syracuse and is only separated by a few meters wide passage from the mainland. It covers an area of ​​just one square kilometer and has approximately 4,500 inhabitants. The existing limestone island closes the inlet which forms the natural harbor of the city, to the northwest, and is today by three bridges with the Sicilian main island and the rest of the territory of Syracuse connected. Also at the northern end of the island, the Ionian Sea, there is a small harbor.

The Greek name of the island ( ancient Greek Ὀρτυγία, Quail Island ' to ortyx ὄρτυξ, quail ') is an epithet of the goddess Artemis, who should have been born on the island of that name. Most of the island of Delos was identified as this place. Pausanias describes the Sicilian island as a mythical refuge of the nymph Arethusa, which have been transformed here into a spring. This source is shown as Arethusa's Fountain in a 1847 combined well today.

History

Already from the Bronze Age settlement traces have been detected on the island, remains of circular huts dating from the 14th century BC to allow relationships to the culture of Thapsos close. The mid-eighth century BC, following colonization by Greeks from Corinth allegedly was not associated with violence if you believe the report of Thucydides, after the original Sicelian inhabitants left the island at the time of Greek colonization and retreated into the Sicilian inland. The convenient location of the place promoted the rise of Syracuse to the predominant colony of Eastern Sicily: Through the insularity was the place to be safe, the presence of sources guaranteed the supply of drinking water, and bay made ​​possible the construction of a safe harbor. Already in ancient times the city was connected by a causeway to the Sicilian coast.

Even in Greek times Ortigia held the role of the political and administrative center of Syracuse, which it retained in the further history of the city. On the island there were residences of the rulers of the city, as of Dionysius I and Hieron II

From the Middle Ages to the 19th century, the island was surrounded by massive walls that made ​​her a heavily reinforced fortress.

In the second half of the 20th century an increasing leaving home of the resident population of the island, which was accompanied by an increase in crime and a certain decline began. A number of urban projects tried this process to oppose a re-urbanization, which has had a through restoration and the construction of tourist infrastructure such as hotels and a museum a striking success. Since 1976 Ortygia is by an Act of the Sicilian Regional Assembly under monument protection.

Neighborhood Ortygias

Ortygia is divided into the following small historic district:

• Graziella ( siz. Razziedda )
• Bottari ( Uttari )
• Mastrarua ( Masciarrò )
• Spirduta ( Spidduta )
• Maestranza ( Mascianza )
• Duomo ( Domu )
• Giudecca ( ​​Jureca )
• Turba ( Tubba )
• Castello Maniace ( Casteddu )

Main sights

• Castello Maniace
• Temple of Apollo (6th century BC)
• Dom (1728)
• Museo Regionale di Palazzo Bellomo
• Artemis Fountain ( 1906)
• Porta Urbica ( 6./5.Jh. BCE)
• Palazzo del Vermexio, seat of the city council (1628-1632)
• Church of San Martino
• Church of Santa Lucia alla Badia
• Church of Santo Spirito
• Palazzo Beneventano del Bosco
• Palazzo Mergulese -Montalto

Gallery

• Heart of Castello Maniace
• Temple of Apollo
• The Cathedral
• Piazza Archimede with Artemis Fountain
• Arethusa's Fountain
• Church of Santa Lucia alla Badia
• Church of Santo Spirito
• Palazzo Beneventano - Del Bosco