Ortygia, Sicily

[bixaorellana]

Wikipedia photograph

Ortygia is a small island extending off the east end of the city of Syracuse. Syracuse was founded about 734 bc and, fanciful as it may sound, as you gaze out to sea you seem to feel the weight of history in the very air.

Ortygia was my final stop in Sicily and rather a birthday present to myself as I rode from west to east on a train from Palermo. I might as well say now that I did not really like the place. It had been over-sold to me, I was cute-towned out by that time, and it was agonizingly hot. Be that as it may, it's rich in archaeological sites and undeniably beautiful. Let's start from a picture out the train window and continue from there ~











The Temple of Apollo, right in the middle of town ~















More to come tomorrow.

[bixaorellana]

Moving along to the cathedral. Its name is the Duomo di Siracusa and its located at the heart of Ortigia.
Superficially, it resembles any number of other churches, but

The most striking thing about Syracuse Cathedral is that most of the original edifice, even its pavement and base set upon three steps, was left standing. The church was literally built on and around the Doric temple. Most of the columns were left standing and many are visible on the exterior walls. Inside, the wall enclosing the sella, or naos, has been preserved, though arches ... were carved into it, forming a nave and two aisles. This affords us a perfect view of how Early Romanesque church architecture evolved.
It would be incorrect to say that the Greek elements were "incorporated" into the church; the structure of the church was (literally) based on the temple. Even the stone baptismal font was originally a Greek vessel.
very interesting source here





Even from the side, you might not notice the Greek "bones" unless you're looking for them ~







Inside, you are standing in the belly of history ~















-- gotta go. more later --

[htmb]

Fascinating, Bixa!

[bixaorellana]

Thank you, Htmb!

I wound up with a great many pictures of the church, so I put them in a video. Even though I find churches, mosques, etc. generally interesting, I was vaguely repelled by this church, despite its freight of architectural and historical interest. It gave me a slightly ominous feeling I was unable to shake.

Out of the corner of my eye, I thought this was one of those fake-flame fireplaces, especially since it was baking hot in there. But no ......


The "fireplace" is actually a reliquary for dem bones ~


The patron saint of Syracuse is St. Lucy. She has her own chapel and reliquary ~




Lucy is the patron of eyes. This was only one group of the many ex votos left for the saint ~

The baptismal font is actually an ancient Greek vessel ~


And here we are back out in the light and the air of the 21st century ~


Hmmm. That will have to be all for this particular post, as Flickr just flickered out on me.
They assure me their engineers are working on it, so please check back later for more of Ortigial.

[breeze]

It's understandable that you could have been just a little weary by this point in your trip. Paris, then Palermo. Maybe your senses were overloaded by the time you got to Ortigia. Your photos are as usual sharp as can be.

Before you mentioned your ominous feeling about the church, I was looking at your last photo in #1 and thinking that those proportions gave me a feeling of protection. On a third look, I realize there's very little in that photo to show it's a church. It's almost like a street scene.

What is the music in your video?

I wondered about the ornate carving and what that construction is that was built over it.

Good luck getting Flickr to behave.

[bixaorellana]

Thanks so much, Breeze!

I don't know why I wasn't more charmed by Ortigia. Partly it was because I realized I'd have been quite happy spending that time in Palermo instead.

In that last picture in #1, you'd be standing in the original Greek temple. That wasn't the part I found oppressive -- it was more the later, fancier areas that gave me the willies.

The music is Agnus Dei X by Kevin McLeod from a 2014 album called Bitter Suite. It was provided by youtube. The words are from the Latin Mass:
Agnus Dei,
qui tollis peccata mundi,
miserere nobis.
Agnus Dei.
Dona nobis pacem.
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Lamb of God,
Who takest away the sins of the world,
have mercy upon us.
Lamb of God.
Grant us peace.

I'm not sure what you're referring to in the next to the last sentence, sorry.
My friend Flickr is up & running now, so ...............................

This is the church of Santa Lucia alla Badia, at one end of the Piazza del Duomo, to which I'll return later.




I kept my eye open for Mussolini-era buildings everywhere I went in Sicily ~

The Fountain of Diana in the Piazza Archimede ~

[htmb]

The soft patina of the building stone and the fountain statuary blend well together. Nice photographs!

[bixaorellana]

Thank you very much, Htmb. It was hard to go wrong with that subject!

There was sometimes a sensation of being watched, which made me look up ~

The feline contingent was represented ~





Hmmmmmmmmmm


Looking down and around was also worthwhile ~

[htmb]

It's good you looked up, but interesting how some of these places really seemed to creep you out.

[fumobici]

It's not at all unusual for churches in Italy to be built on foundations and pieces from older temples and such that were already there, although the incorporation of the Greek era columns in the design is notable. Michaelangelo's Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri near Terrmini station in Rome is another outstanding example of such a mash-up.

Beautiful photos, I can feel the oven heat just looking at them. If and when I visit Sicily it will *not* be in Summer! Thanks for taking one for the team with this attractive report.

[bixaorellana]

Go figure, Htmb! I usually pooh-pooh people going on about vibes and stuff, and more than likely it was the malaise I suffered while in that town, but yeah, I felt isolated and somewhat hostile the whole time I was there.

I never knew that, Fumobici -- interesting! There are churches built atop pre-columbian temples here, but it was usually more of the conquerors deliberately crushing the sacred spots of the native population rather than simply taking advantage of existing masonry.

It was nice to find out later that 2015 was globally the hottest summer on record, so the death heat wasn't my imagination. I believe generally July is considered the worst month to visit, so I'd avoid going then. If you get a chance, do visit Sicily, though, and pay no attention to my inexplicable resistance to Ortigia.

One day I slogged across the bridge into Syracuse proper, passing this lovely pink building which may be a private home ~





I never made it as far as the bizarre '50s church which houses a weeping statue of the madonna, but did circle this closed-up example of interesting architecture ~



This is the
                     

According to the google translation of the Italian wikipedia article, it is "...the shrine to "the fallen of the Great War" (also called Pantheon). It built in 1936, by brothers Rapisardi." Obviously the plaques were added later ~









On the way back I passed these obituary and anniversary of death notices in two different places, something I've never seen before ~







Again from the translated wikipedia article: "...in the public gardens, are visible remains of the ancient agora with flooring and columns of the square: here was the site 'Syracuse Forum'..."


Right before returning across the bridge, I stopped for some lunch. This was taken as I was sitting in the un-airconditioned but shady corner of a great little place that served up all kinds of pre-cooked, room temperature Sicilian food ~

[Deleted]

Add me to the list of people who see no reason for you to have felt disappointed by Ortygia. I would even venture to say that some of it looks even nicer than some of the other places you went. It also seems very tidy ("well swept") which is not always the case in southern Europe. The "fireplace bones" make me smile. It makes one wonder if those were the only good pieces left or if other parts have been distributed to other shrines.

As for finding things creepy, one thing that I always find creepy in Italian statuary are the little holes in the eyes to indicate the pupils. Every now and then you can find that in France, but only when the statues are "Italian style."

[fumobici]

Jan 31, 2016 6:26:12 GMT bixaorellana said:

On the way back I passed these obituary and anniversary of death notices in two different places, something I've never seen before ~

Those boards can be seen in any Italian town, although in larger ones they tend to get lost. More lovely photos, the red ceramic bar bombato is wonderful, and I love the Greek ruins with weeds. Ruins don't look right without weeds growing among them.

[breeze]

I thought the same thing as fumobici about the ruins and the weeds. They belong together.

So that red thing is ceramic? What's a bombato? I could look it up, but that's no fun.

[fumobici]

Bombato (bombata etc.) is just the Italian word to describe something with a convex curve.

Your photos are so nice it's making you seem mean to the place.

[bixaorellana]

Oh, Kerouac -- "tidy" is near the bottom of my list of things that make a place worthwhile. In fact, I prefer a bit of scruffiness.

As far as how many bones were left, apparently filching relics of saints was quite big in the middle ages and later, often as acts of war.

Fumobici, thanks for the info on the funeral boards. They do seem like a good idea, rather than just assuming that everyone checks the newspaper obits.

Thanks to you and also to you, Breeze, for taking note of the ruins picture. I was pleased with how it came out.

As far as my being mean, Fumobici, surely you will admit that mean Bixa is giving you all every opportunity to make up your own minds as to the merits of Ortigia. And I did say at the outset that the place is beautiful and then put all dissatisfaction firmly in my own corner.
Well, here we are back on the Ortigia side of the bridge to take in more sights. This,for instance, is a delicacy I saw in the tiny freezer of a local superette ~



I returned to Santa Lucia alla Badia church, mentioned earlier in this thread and a source of major disgruntlement on my part. The church houses a Caravaggio upon which one might gaze, but photos are forbidden. Humph. I know I could have done a better job than the reproductions I've seen online.
The painting is presently a source of controversy, as two churches both claim it. If this subject interests you, note the allusion to a botched restoration in the linked article and others on the subject. Indeed, some online images of the painting show a face on one of the gravediggers that certainly was not painted by Caravaggio ~



They did let me take this picture of the floor, which reminded me of the seal of the state of Louisiana except that I think this is a phoenix, not a pelican ~









I found out while in Sicily that the stereotype of Italians always kissing on each cheek is in fact true --
so true that the woman on the right was kissing the pooch on both cheeks.

Ortigia is full of restaurants and also stores with the usual souvenir items plus places with more interesting things.
Anyone who knows me will know how I thrilled to the sight of these lovely but pricey and fragile ceramic beauties ~



My hotel was located in what I thought was a former convent, but the constant presence of nuns prompted me to ask and I found out the third floor was still a convent. I had no idea that there was also a church attached to the hotel building until one day I was invited to view it ~

[bixaorellana]

Time to wrap this up with some more views around town.
On my last evening there, I walked the entire perimeter of the island, to give you an idea of how small it is ~



                     







You have to wonder what they thought might happen when they put a sandstone statue of a cop where any mischief might happen to it.
The pointy building on the far left is the church of Our Lady of Tears in Siracusa.













Ducks drinking from the pool of Arethusa ~



And a last image of Ortygia, taken in the last rays of the sun on my last day there ~

[cynthia]

What a stunning series of photos, Bixa. I have studied it twice now, and keep seeing aspects I missed on the first viewing. Fascinating.

[Deleted]

There is something totally endearing about that rickety swimming platform.

[htmb]

I want to go back through this thread again and savor each photo. The colors are absolutely magnificent. I particularly like the last two shots, but there are many interesting things to see in each of your photos.

[lola]

Wow, Bixa. Whichever way you turn your lens we benefit. That's the best fountain study I've seen ever, just for one example

I wonder what had been in that ornate frame over the arch.

[Deleted]

Going way back to the posted obituary notices, that is exactly what the Indian/Srilankan community does in Little India in Paris. Unfortunately, they are almost always in Tamil script but I would love to be able to read the messages.

[bixaorellana]

I am positively basking in all your kind words!

I've been trying to find the story on that arch with the fancy stone frame over it & will add it here if I manage to track it down.

Interesting about the Tamil obit notices. Hearing that, and having seen the ones in Sicily, I'm now wondering if it wasn't once common all over, but has mostly died with the onset of literacy, better economy allowing more people to read newspapers, and now, the age of digital information.

[nycgirl]

I love the decorative details you captured, from the frieze of creepy staring heads to the cat with the human legs radiating from his head. Kinky! I also love the evocative shot of the lane with the water in the background. And that photo of the bright, dazzling sunflower is the perfect parting shot.

[lagatta]

Those human legs making a triangle are a symbol of Sicily. it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triscele en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triskelion Though it is usually a human (or rather, Gorgon) face in the centre. I like the little housecat!

[mossie]

I intende to remark that it is strange that our Isle of Man also has a three legged symbol.

I also particularly liked the shot of the church entrance with the barley twist columns. Some lovely photos all round.

[Deleted]

I was trying to remember which other place had the three legs on it. The flag of course!

[bixaorellana]

Thank you, NYCGirl -- I appreciate that so much!

LaGatta, thanks for the link (should have known the kitty would pull you in ) I did not know all that about the triskelion, & totally love the detail about the 45 rpm adapter being based on that. I did know the symbol on the Sicilian flag was called a trinacria, but would like to know why the flag of the Isle of Man so closely resembles it. Maybe it's something that goes back to pre-history. The Wikipedia entry on the trinacria is pretty interesting, too, not least because of its story of Colapesce. That made a memory float up of a storybook I had when I was little -- one I really loved -- about a boy who wanted to be a fish.

Mossie, thank you! Nothing better than hearing such a compliment from someone whose photography I admire so much. That church of St. Lucy with the lovely columns was almost empty inside -- no pews or anything.

Kerouac, you mean the Sicilian flag, or is there yet one more besides that one & the Isle of Man flag with the trinacria?

[Deleted]

I was remembering the Manx flag.

[lugg]

Wonderful from start to finish. Your photos are so good, thank you.