Aerial view of Neopolis from a sign at the site ... with main locations shown (my edit).

Neopolis Monumental Area looking toward the Paradise Stone Quarry — Siracusa.

Ruins of the Altar of Hieron ... largest known of its kind in the Greek world.

Altar of Hieron & artist's rendering of the structure in the 3rd century BCE.

The walkway to the Paradise Stone Quarry.

The stone pylon survived the earthquakes that collapsed the quarry cave roofs.

Pathway to the Ear of Dionysius in the stone quarry.

Caravaggio, the painter, named the Ear of Dionysius when he visited in 1608.

Ear of Dionysius ... Mui provides perspective for the size of the opening.

Inside the Ear of Dionysius ... named for its shape and remarkable acoustics.

The Ropemakers' Cave ... from the outside.

Ropemakers' Cave; the tall pillars were deliberately left untouched during the quarrying process.

Ropemakers' Cave; named for the artisans who crafted ropes here from the 17th century to the 1980s.

This pillar was restored when it began to crumble — Ropemakers' Cave.

Rain- and groundwater seepage chemically tints the rock in various hues.

Ropemakers' Cave in the Paradise Stone Quarry at Neopolis.

Shimmering reflections of the water on the walls of the Ropemakers' Cave.

Trees on the ridge of the Monumental Area of Neopolis — Siracusa.

The Greek Theater dates back to the 5th century BCE.

Greek Theater from the Byzantine era Tomb Row.

Glimpse of the cone-shaped roof of Basilica Santuario Madonna delle Lacrime in the distance.

Find Erin in the middle bottom photo ... at the Greek Theater.

Byzantine era funerary niches above and behind the Greek Theater.

Grotto of the Nymphaeum ... in Tomb Row ... overlooking the Greek Theater.

Greek Theater .. pretty much all that's left is what was hewn out of the bedrock.

Roman Amphitheater ... believed to have been constructed in the 1st century BCE.

Aerial view of the Roman Amphitheater from signage at the site.

Roman Amphitheater ... fell into disuse when gladiatorial games were abolished in 404 CE.

Arches at the Roman Amphitheater ... part of the vaulted annular corridor.

A four-legged visitor at the Roman Amphitheater.

Siracusa: Area Monumentale della Neopolis

October 14 in Italy ☀️ 70 °F

After breakfast this morning, we set out to return to mainland Siracusa. This time our destination was the UNESCO-listed archaeological site of Neopolis, described by Sicilians as a monumental area.

As we did yesterday, we hopped on bus #105 from the stop just up the street from the apartment. This time, however, we stayed on until we got to the stop for Neopolis … located in a gated area filled with stalls selling all kinds of tourist gee-gaws.

Once off the bus, it was a simple matter of crossing the street to enter Neopolis. Having purchased the combo ticket for the museum and the Neopolis site yesterday — good for 72 hours — we bypassed the queue for tickets and began wandering around the ruins.

The monumental area — on the slopes of the Epipoli Plateau — covers just under 1 square mile (~ .24 sq km) and gives visitors a glimpse into the history of ancient Siracusa. The sign at the entrance describes it as encompassing “… not only the city's monumental core but also a rich layering of remains from diverse periods ranging from the Protohistoric to the Late Antique and Byzantine eras.” Its focal point is the ancient Greek Theater on the Hill of Temenite.

During the 3rd century BC, the area saw significant growth … including the reconstruction of the theater, the addition of porticoes, and the building of a vast ceremonial altar honoring the then ruler … Hieron. During the Augustan age, the Roman amphitheater and an honorary arch were added. The site as it stands now also includes some of the most dramatic latomies (stone quarries) of the ancient cities in the area.

We began our exploration in the Paradise Rock Quarry where we found features such as the Ear of Dionysius and the Ropemakers’ Cave. The quarry supplied materials for the all-stone buildings constructed by the Greeks. Back in the time, the quarry consisted of caves. Following the collapse of the roofs of the caves due to earthquakes, the area is now open to the sky … trees and other vegetation giving it a park-like feeling … appropriate to its name of Paradise … which comes from the word paradeisos, meaning park or garden.

The Ear of Dionysius has remarkable acoustics that amplify the sound. We heard a number of visitors and tour guides singing inside the cave … “Volare” being the song of choice for some reason … perhaps because most people can join in once someone starts singing.

Next we headed to the ruins of the Greek Theater. It was built on the orders of Hieron II in the 3rd century BCE. The cavea — audience seating area — was carved into the hillside and was fronted by the orchestra area and the stage. What remains of the latter is the area hewn out of the bedrock as the superstructure was dismantled and the stones repurposed during the 16th century.

Leaving Mui to wander down to the base of the theater, I hiked up to the area above and behind it to get a photo from the top-down. Bonus for doing so … I also got to see what is referred to as the Tomb Row, which consists of a series of recesses carved into the length of the rock face. Eavesdropping on what a guide was telling a cruise ship tour, I was able to determine that the tombs date back to the Byzantines.

When I rejoined Mui, we headed to the Roman Theater … amphitheater, actually, since it was built as a full oval. It is the largest one of its kind in Sicily. Oddly, there is no explicit mention of the amphitheater in ancient texts, so the date of its construction is still debated, but generally accepted as being sometime in the 1st century BCE. Similar to what happened with the materials from the Greek theater, this one was also dismantled … believed to have been repurposed in the construction of the fortifications on Ortigia Island.

One place of interest that we didn’t get to see was the Grotticelli, packed with tombs of various types. Tradition has it that a Roman-era columbarium in this area is the Tomb of Archimedes. The area was closed … whether permanently or not I am not sure. In fact, there were several areas that had been cordoned off and closed to visitors.

By the time we reached the entrance again, we were ready for a break … Mui ordered his usual espresso and got me a cold drink … made with green tangerines … delicious and refreshing.

With time on our hands, we decided to return to the Museum of Archaeology so that I could do a quick run through of the sector I had not made it to yesterday … next footprint.Read more