Tempio di Artemide

The Temple of Athena in Syracuse is a testament to Sicily's ancient history. As early as the eighth century B.C., this site held a cult sanctuary, which was later replaced by an older Doric temple from the middle of the sixth century. The building you see today dates to the fifth century B.C. and was erected by the tyrant Gelo to celebrate his victory over the Carthaginians at the Battle of Himera. The archaeological similarity to the victory temple there supports this historical dating.

The temple was a peripteral Doric building with six columns on the short sides and fourteen on the long sides. It enclosed a cella with a pronaos and an opisthodomos. Particularly famous was the goddess's gilded copper shield on the pediment, which was visible to sailors far out at sea. According to ancient accounts, the interior was also adorned with ivory, golden door fittings, and painted panels depicting cavalry battles and portraits of the tyrants.

After the spread of Christianity, the temple was converted into a church, and many of its structural elements were incorporated into today's Cathedral of Syracuse. There you can still admire several columns of local limestone and the stylobate. Other finds, such as marble tiles and lion-head drainage spouts, are on display at the Paolo Orsi Regional Archaeological Museum.