Magna graecia ancient greece series#

Magna graecia ancient greece series#

Life. This exhibition, the first in a series that will continue over the course of 2010, In the centers of Magna Graecia, though the spaces and the rhythms that marked daily The sensual brides, the hetaeras cultured “courtesans” the legendary Amazons and Maenads the mysterious female craftsperson on the most precious vase of the collection, the kalpis by the “Painter from Leningrad” the itinerary on the representation of woman in ancient times passes through these subjects as offered by the exhibition “Women's hours. Stories and images in Intesa Sanpaolo's collection of pottery fromįollowing the section on women is a section exploring the male figure, love, work, the sacred, death and legend in classical Greece and The central Palazzo Bellomo, in fact, contains masterpieces ranging from Syracuse and Sicilian works of art from the Byzantine, Arab, Norman, up to the Annunciation by Antonello da Messina.įinally, the sandy beach of Arenella, as well as the beach of Calamosche and the Wildlife Reserve Oasis of Vendicari, a paradise for birdwatching and an ideal destination for a relaxing break, are easily accessible by continuing south along the coast.A journey back in time and into history, though images painted on Greek ceramics: 522 pieces, part of the Intesa Sanpaolo collection, are now on display in Vicenza at the Palazzo Leoni Montanari Galleries. One of the world's most importantĬollections, it is able to delineate an exploration of the female figure in classical antiquity. Just from the Castle, from the loopholes built for the cannons, you can enjoy one of the most striking views of the city.īut in Syracuse also lovers of art and culture can feast their eyes. Built in the thirteenth century at the behest of Emperor Frederick II of Swabia for defensive purposes, this city fortress with a square base, with four cylindrical towers on either side, can be reached by walking along a pedestrian promenade overlooking crystal clear waters. Once the site of a Greek temple dedicated to the goddess Minerva, the Metropolitan Cathedral of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Syracuse surprises with its marvelous eighteenth-century facade in white stone, one of the most beautiful in Sicily, in which Baroque elements combine with Rococo volumes.Īlways in Ortigia, a visit to the Maniace Castle is a must.

If the Greek amphitheater is considered the most important historical monument of Syracuse, the Cathedral of Ortigia deserves recognition as the highest expression of Syracuse Baroque. In the heart of Ortigia, among a maze of narrow streets and old-world atmospheres, are concentrated all the valuable architectures in baroque, liberty and rococo style of the city. It, in fact, coincides with the Island of Ortigia, which is the oldest part of the city and is connected to the mainland by two bridges. The physical conformation of the center of Syracuse is particularly interesting. Marcian, in which the remains of the first bishop of Syracuse were buried, considered, among other things, the founder of the first Christian community in the Western world.

The interior of the basilica houses instead, the Byzantine Crypt of St. Make sure you visit it at sunset when its facade is tinged with pinkish hues. Today, among the whiteness of its houses and its stone monuments, Syracuse jealously guards its Hellenic ruins in the Neapolis Archaeological Park – considered a UNESCO World Heritage Site – which, completely immersed in the vegetation of the Mediterranean maquis, encloses an ancient Amphitheater of the fifth century BC carved into the rock, the Temple of Hieron, the Tomb of Archimedes and the Ear of Dionysius, an artificial cave in the heart of an ancient stone quarry next to the remains of a Greek Theater.Ī short distance from the Neapolis Archaeological Park are the ruins of the church of San Giovanni alle Catacombe, a basilica in Norman Gothic style whose underground passages, used as aqueducts in Greek times, were later used by the Romans as catacombs.