Chapter V: Sea Routes in the Western Mediterranean (4)

=Catania.=—ARRIVAL. The steamers anchor in the _Nuovo Porto_ (Pl. F,
G, 6), whence passengers are rowed (60 c.; with baggage 1 fr.) to the
_Dogana_ (Pl. F, G, 5) in the _Porto Vecchio_, a harbour very much
contracted by the lava-stream of 1669 (see below).

HOTELS. *_Grande Bretagne_ (Pl. a; F, 4), Via Lincoln, R. 3½–6, B. 1½,
déj. 3½, D. 5½ fr.; *_Bristol & du Globe_ (Pl. c; E, 4), Via Santa
Maria del Rosario, R. 3½–6 B. 1½ déj. 3, D. 4½ fr.; _Centrale Europa_
(Pl. d; E, 5), cor. of the Piazza del Duomo and Via Raddusa, R. 2½–4,
omn. ¾ fr., well spoken of; and others.

RESTAURANTS. _Marconi_, Piazza Università 15, good; _Savoia_, Via
Marletta 15, behind the Municipio.—_Caffè Tricomi_, Via Stesicoro
Etnea 30; _Caffè Amato_, Via Stesicoro Etnea 151.—_Birreria Svizzera_,
Via Stesicoro Etnea 139 (déj. 2½, D. 3 fr.), music in the evening,
good.

STEAMBOAT AGENTS. _Società Nazionale_, Piazza Duca di Genova 18 (Pl.
F, 5); _North German Lloyd_, Munzone, Mineo, & Co., same piazza, No.
3.

BRITISH VICE-CONSUL, _W. A. Franck_.—POST & TELEGRAPH OFFICE (Pl. E,
4), Via Manzoni.—ENGLISH CHURCH SERVICES.

TRAMWAYS. The chief line is from the railway-station (Stazione Sicula;
Pl. H, 4) through Corso Vittorio Emanuele to the Piazza del Duomo (Pl.
E, 5); then to the N. through Via Stesicoro Etnea to the ‘Ingresso’ of
Villa Bellini (Pl. E, 2) and Piazza Gioeni.—CAB 40 (at night 50) c.
per drive; first hour 1½ fr. (two-horse 2 fr. 30 c.).

_Catania_, a wealthy town of 162,000 inhab., the largest in Sicily after Palermo, the seat of a university, a bishop, and a natural science academy, has lately become the chief outlet for the products of the island, especially those of the extremely fertile environs. _Katana_, founded like Naxos by Eubœans, about 729 B. C., became famous as the home of _Charondas_, the framer of the earliest Greek code of law (about 640). In the Athenian and Syracusan war (p. 163) it formed the Athenian base of attack. Katana was one of the first places in Sicily occupied by the Romans, and under their sway became one of the most populous towns in the island. In the middle ages it vied for a time with Palermo and Messina as a favourite residence of the Aragon sovereigns. It has repeatedly suffered severely from the eruptions of Mt. Ætna (especially in 122 B. C. and in 1669) and from earthquakes (1169 and 1693), and the present town has been built almost entirely since 1693.

From the Porto Vecchio, into which falls the brook _Amenana_ after passing through the lava under the town, we walk through the _Peschería_ (fish and provision market) to the—

_Cathedral_ (Pl. E, 5; visible from the sea), begun by the Norman Roger I. with materials from the ancient theatre (p. 161), but almost entirely destroyed by the earthquake of 1169. In the choir repose the Aragon sovereigns of the 14th cent.; in the right side-apse are treasured the remains of St. Agatha, who, like St. Rosalia (p. 152), was one of the most famous saints of Sicily, and whose veil is said to have diverted the lava-stream of 1669 (Pl. B, 1–3) from the city at a point near the Benedictine monastery (see below). Opposite, on the right, is the monument of the viceroy Acuña (d. 1494), quite Spanish in style. By the second pillar on the right is the tomb of Vinc. Bellini, the composer, a native of Catania (1802–35).

In the PIAZZA DEL DUOMO rises a fountain with an antique elephant in lava, bearing an Egyptian obelisk of granite. Past its N. side runs the CORSO VITTORIO EMANUELE, with the Piazza dei Martiri and the statue of St. Agatha at its E. end (Pl. G, 5). We follow the Corso to the W. to the Via Sant’Agostino, by the church of that name (Pl. D, 5), and here turn to the N. past the entirely altered Roman _Odeum_ (comp. p. 349) to the Via del Teatro Greco. Here, near the corner on the right, at No. 37, is the entrance to the—

_Ancient Theatre_ (Pl. D, 4, 5; custodian at No. 33; fee 50 c.), once a fine structure, but now so buried in lava that some parts of it can be explored only by candle-light. The foundations alone date from the Greek period.—In the Piazza Dante, a little to the N.W., is the suppressed Benedictine monastery of—

_San Nicolò_ (Pl. C, D, 4), or _San Benedetto_, dating in its present form from the early 18th cent., with an imposing baroque church. The extensive buildings now contain barracks, a school, the civic museum, the library, and the observatory. The church-tower (entr. through the portal to the S. of the façade; gratuity) commands a panoramic *View of the town, Mt. Ætna, and the Sicilian and Calabrian coasts, which is finest before 9 a.m.

At the Piazza Dante begins the VIA LINCOLN (Pl. D-F, 4), the second great thoroughfare of the town running W. to E., partly hewn through the lava-stream of 1669. This street is crossed by the—

VIA STESICORO ETNEA (Pl. E, 5–1), which intersects the whole town, from the Piazza del Duomo (see above) to the N. end. Here rise the chief public buildings of Catania, the _Municipio_ (Pl. E, 5), the _University_, and the _Prefettura_ (Pl. E, 4).

Farther to the N. is the Piazza Stesicoro; on its left side is the church of _San Cárcere_ (Pl. E, 3), with an interesting Norman portal brought from the cathedral. Close by the N. part of a _Roman Amphitheatre_ has been laid bare (greater diameter 138, smaller 116 yds.); the unusually large arena (77 by 55 yds.) is second only to that of the Colosseum (94 by 59 yds.).

Still farther to the N., on the left, is the entrance to the _Villa Bellini_ (Pl. E, 2), a public park with fine views.

After returning to the Porto Vecchio we may follow the Via Scuto to the picturesque _Castello Ursino_ (Pl. D, 6), dating from the time of Emp. Frederick II. (after 1239). The quarter to the E. of the castle is almost the only relic of the old town.

* * * * *

On the VOYAGE TO SYRACUSE the steamer proceeds to the S.E. at some distance from the _Piana di Catania_ (p. 159), affording a splendid view astern of Mt. Ætna, and passes _Capo Campolato_, _Capo Santa Croce_ (p. 159), and the _Bay of Megara_.

As we enter the _Bay of Syracuse_, bounded on the N. by the plateau of _Capo Santa Panagia_ (p. 159), and on the S.E. by the low _Penisola della Maddalena_ (177 ft.), the ancient _Plemmyrion_, we obtain an excellent idea of the site of the present island-city, and of the vast extent of the ancient city on the mainland to the N.W., stretching up the hill to the village of _Belvedere_ (p. 166).

The entrance to the inner bay of the _Porto Grande_, now much choked with sand, between the lighthouse at the end of the island and that of the peninsula, behind the cliff of _La Galera_, is only 1312 yds. across. In the swampy and in summer malarious plain on the W. bank of the harbour are the mouths of the rivers _Anăpo_ and _Ciani_, the ancient _Anapos_ and _Kyane_.

=Syracuse.=—ARRIVAL BY SEA. The steamers anchor near the landing-place
at the Porta Marina (_Scalo_; comp. Map). Landing or embarkation 50
c., with baggage 1 fr.

RAILWAY STATIONS. The Central Station (_Stazione_, see Map) is on the
Floridia road (p. 165), 1 M. to the N.W. of the town. The expresses
run down to the _Stazione Porto_.

HOTELS (advisable to ask charges beforehand). *_Grand-Hôt. Villa
Politi_ (_V. P._ on the Map), on the mainland, near and in the Latomia
dei Cappuccini (p. 165), with beautiful garden and fine views, R. 4–8,
B. 1½, déj. 3½, D. 5, pens. 10–16, omn. 1½ fr; *_Hôt. des Etrangers_
(formerly _Casa Politi_), near the Arethusa Fountain, similar charges;
*_Grand-Hôtel_, Piazza Mazzini, close to the busy harbour, similar
charges.—Second-class: _Alb. Roma_, Via Roma 64, R. 1¾–3 fr., well
spoken of; _Alb. Firenze_, Via Roma 73, R. from 1½ fr; _Alb. Cavour_,
Via Savoia, behind the Dogana, R. 1½–3 fr.; these three with
restaurants (Ital. cuisine).

CAFÉ. _Croce di Savoia_, Piazza del Duomo.

CABS. (Night fares from ½ hr. after sunset till sunrise. Fares should
be ascertained before starting.) Per drive in the town (incl.
harbour-station) 40 c., with pair 1 fr., at night 70 c. or 1½ fr.; to
or from chief station 65 c. or 1½ fr., at night 90 c. or 1 fr. 90 c.
(luggage over 25 kilos or 55 lbs. 25, over 50 kilos or 1 cwt. 50 c.);
first hour 1½ or 2½ fr., each addit. ½ hr. 60 c. or 1½ fr.—For a long
drive it is best to choose one’s own vehicle in the Piazza del Duomo.
For an afternoon (noon till ½ hr. after sundown) 5 or 10 fr., whole
day 10 or 20 fr. Cheaper fares may generally be agreed upon out of the
season.

STEAMBOAT AGENTS.—_Società Nazionale_, Via Ruggiero Settimo 38, close
to the Dogana; _Hungarian Adria Co._, also _Lloyd’s Agents_, Gaet.
Bozzanca & Figlio.

BRITISH VICE-CONSUL, _Joseph Lobb_.—POST & TELEGRAPH OFFICE, Via Roma.

ENGLISH CHURCH SERVICE in winter.

ONE DAY. The chief sights in the modern town are the Cathedral, the
Museum, and the Arethusa Fountain (p. 164). The greater part of the
day should be devoted to the ancient town. The most interesting places
there (the Euryelus excepted) may be visited by carriage in 3–4 hrs.:
Latomia dei Cappuccini (p. 165), Catacombs of San Giovanni (p. 165),
Amphitheatre (p. 166), Hiero’s Altar (p. 166), Greek Theatre (p. 166;
best towards sunset for the sake of the view). Walkers should ferry
direct from the Prigioni in the town to the N. bank of the Porto
Piccolo (10 c.).

_Syracuse_, Ital. _Siracusa_, the most populous town in Sicily in ancient times, and indeed the most important of all the Hellenic cities, now a mere shadow of its glorious past, with 27,000 inhab. only, lies on an island separated from the mainland by a narrow strait. It was founded under the name of _Syracusae_ by Corinthians, in 734 B. C., on the island then called _Ortygia_, where a Phœnician settlement had perhaps already existed. Endless party conflicts between the nobles and the townspeople led in 485 to the intervention of the tyrant _Gelon_ of Gela, who made Syracuse his residence. In alliance with _Theron_ of Acragas (Girgenti) he defeated the Carthaginians at the battle of Himera in 480, the same year in which the victory of Salamis (p. 506) saved the mother-country from destruction. The Syracusans thereafter gradually extended their sway over the greater part of Sicily till the year 415 when to their dismay the Athenians, instigated by Alcibiades, intervened in Sicilian politics, and with the aid of the neighbouring towns of Catana and Leontinoi (p. 159) proceeded to besiege the city. In 413 the might of Athens was for ever shattered before the walls of Syracuse, but the dread of being attacked anew by the Carthaginians induced the Syracusans to entrust their government to the tyrant _Dionysius I._ (406–367), next to the Persian monarchs the most powerful prince of his age, who refortified and embellished the city. The tyrant _Agathocles_ (317–289) conducted a brilliant expedition against Carthage, but without permanent success. The last phase of the glory of Syracuse was witnessed in the long reign of _Hiero II._ (275–216). As the Syracusans, after his death, allied themselves with Hannibal, their city was besieged by _Marcellus_ in 214–212, and after its capture was sacked and destroyed. Since then it has never again taken any part in political life, but in spite of its downfall it is still one of the most interesting places in the whole of Sicily, while the beauty of its environs is hardly less fascinating than the monuments of its glorious past.

a. The Modern Town.

From the harbour-station (p. 162) the broad Corso Umberto Primo (p. 165) crosses the strait to the island on which lies the MODERN TOWN, whose narrow winding streets are still of mediæval type. A pleasant walk, with a view of Mt. Ætna, is by the _Foro Vittorio Emanuele Secondo_ and _Passeggio Aretusa_, leading from the Piazza Mazzini and the landing-place (p. 162) along the harbour.

In the grounds at the S. end of the promenade is a statue of the famous mathematician _Archimedes_, who defended his native city against Marcellus. Near it is the _Fontana Aretusa_, enclosed by papyrus-shrubs. From this point the Via Maniace leads to the S.E. to the _Castello Maniace_, a Hohenstaufen castle at the S. end of the island, completed under Emp. Frederick II. in 1239, but now modernized. To the N. of the Fontana lies the Piazza del Duomo.

The =Cathedral= is built into a Doric temple, probably of _Minerva_, the beauty of which was extolled by Cicero in his oration against Verres (p. 157). It stood on a basement of three steps, about 61 yds. long and 24 yds. broad. The ancient columns with their entablature still project on the N. side, and in the interior nineteen columns also are visible.

The =Archæological Museum=, opposite the cathedral, to the N.W., contains valuable antiquities, mostly Sicilian, from the earliest ages down to the Christian period. Adm. on week-days, Oct.–June 9–3, July-Sept. 8–2, 1 fr.; Sun. (not all rooms accessible) 10–2, free.

GROUND FLOOR. In Room I, Early-Christian inscriptions and the
sarcophagus of Adelfia (5th cent.) from the catacombs of San Giovanni
(p. 165). In Rooms III-V, Greek inscriptions, sarcophagi, cinerary
urns, and architectural fragments. Room VI. Earthenware sarcophagi
from Gela (6–5th cent. B. C.), Hellenistic and Roman sculptures. Room
VII. Chiefly Greek sculptures. In Room VIII, a fine Venus Anadyomene
(Hellenistic).

The STAIRCASE and FIRST FLOOR (Rooms XI and XVII-XIX) contain the
ancient historical collection, showing the progress of Sicilian
culture from the pre-Greek period (from the 15th cent.) down to the
5th cent. B. C.—Rooms XII, XIII. Greek vases from Sicily and Lower
Italy, archaic bronzes and coins from ancient Sicily. Rooms XIV-XVI.
Terracottas.

The mediæval and modern collections of the Museum are to be
transferred to the _Palazzo Bellomo_, a building of the 15th cent., in
the Via Capodieci running to the E. from the Fontana Aretusa.

The Via Cavour leads to the N. from the Piazza del Duomo to the Via Diana, where on the left are the ruins of the so-called _Temple of Diana_ (keys at the barber’s opposite; fee 30 c.), but now believed to have been dedicated to _Apollo_. This is one of the most curious of Greek temples. In front stood two rows of six columns each. The side-walls were of unusual length and were each probably flanked by nineteen columns.

b. The Ancient City.

Long before the Athenian campaign (p. 163) ANCIENT SYRACUSE had extended her boundaries far beyond her island of _Ortygia_ and across the high plateau to the N. to the bay of Trogilos and the present tonnara near Cape Santa Panagia (p. 159). The earliest extension consisted in the _Achradina_, the smaller half of which lay between the great harbour and the plateau, while the larger half occupied the E. margin of the latter, and was enclosed by a wall whose ruins still exist. Adjoining the Achradina on the W. were the _Neapolis_, or new city, on a terrace above the great harbour, and the quarter named _Tyche_ after a temple of the goddess of Fortune. The _Epipolae_, the fifth and highest quarter, on the W. side of the plateau, was the chief base of the Athenian besiegers; but it was only completed after Dionysius I. had (about 402–385) enclosed the entire half of the plateau stretching from the Achradina wall westwards, with a huge city-wall, and had built the fortress of _Euryelus_ at its W. end. The circumference of the city, which however embraced a good deal of unoccupied land, was thus no less than 17 M. Of the enclosing wall 10½ M. still exist.

We begin with the ACHRADINA. The Corso Umberto Primo (p. 163), the main street of the new suburb on the mainland, leads in 10 min. to a round piazza whence radiate the Floridia road, passing the central station, and the Catania and Noto roads. The remains of columns on the drilling-ground between this piazza and the small harbour probably belonged to a superb _Agora_ or market-place.

From this point we follow the Catania road to the N., whence an avenue soon diverges to the right to the Porto Piccolo (ferry, see p. 163), now choked with sand, and leads along the shore, below the suburb of _Santa Lucia_, and across a railway cutting, to (25 min.) the _Capuchin Monastery_ (now a poor-house). Close by, on the right, is the entrance to the—

*=Latomía dei Cappuccino= (adm. 30 c.), one of the wildest and grandest of the old quarries of Syracuse, now clothed with rich vegetation. It was here probably that the 7000 Athenian prisoners of war languished in 413 B. C.

Following the road to the W. we skirt the plateau and pass the _Cimitero_ to (10 min.) the road coming from the upper Achradina, and go on by a cart-road, whence, by the _Latomia del Casale_, we see the Catania road before us and the church of San Giovanni below, on the left.

_San Giovanni_ occupies the W. part of an old Norman basilica; steps in the N.E. corner lead to the crypt of St. Marcian (4th cent.). A monk, who shows the church also if desired (fee ½–l fr.; ring, on the S. side, door to the E. of the vestibule), conducts us to the—

*=Catacombs of San Giovanni=, which like most of the catacombs of Syracuse and its environs, far surpass those of Rome in extent. The main passage of this great burial-place (4–7th cent. A. D.), 10 ft. high and 6 ft. wide, runs through the rock from W. to E. for 116 yds., and from it diverge short lateral passages ending in circular chambers. Of the mural decoration little is now left.

A little farther to the W. we cross the Catania road to the region of NEAPOLIS, and follow the road leading to the Greek theatre. To the left, in 5 min., we reach the house of the custodian (½ fr.) of the Roman—

=Amphitheatre=, constructed in the time of Augustus, 153 by 130 yds. in area. In the arena lie many blocks of the marble parapet belonging to a restoration of the 3rd century.

About 120 yds. farther to the W. is the entrance, also on the left, to the great _Altar of Hiero II._ (30–50 c.). On this vast altar, 219 yds. long and 25 yds. broad and originally rising in two huge steps to a height of 34½ ft., were probably sacrificed the annual hecatombs of 450 bulls in memory of the expulsion of the tyrant Thrasybulus (466).

Opposite we see the =Latomia del Paradiso=, an ancient quarry 95–130 ft. deep, so-named from the most luxuriant vegetation which now clothes it (entrance through the gateway on the left). In its W. slope is the so-called _Ear of Dionysius_ (entrance below, on the left), an S-shaped cavern, 71 yds. deep, 6–12 yds. wide, and 76 ft. high, tapering at the top, with remarkable acoustic properties. As the tyrant is said to have had prisons where from a certain spot he could hear every whisper, the tradition has been arbitrarily associated with this cavern.

The road next passes under the modern arches of the aqueduct and reaches, on the right, the *=Greek Theatre= (5th cent. B. C.), one of the largest in the Hellenic world. It is hewn in the rock, forming more than a semicircle. Its diameter is 147 yds.; 46 tiers of seats are still preserved; the eleven lower rows were covered with marble. Towards sunset we have a delightful *VIEW of the town, the Porto Grande, the headland of Plemmyrion, and the sea.

Above the theatre is the so-called _Nymphaeum_, a grotto into which the aqueduct (see below) was led. On its left side the _Via delle Tombe_, hewn in the rock, ascends in a curve for 165 yds., with many lateral cuttings and tomb-chambers of the late-Roman age.

From the Catania road, ¼ M. to the N. of the branch-road to the Greek
theatre, diverges to the left the NEW EURYELUS ROAD, 3 M. long. It
leads to the W., soon passing the _Casa dei Gesuiti_, to which walkers
may ascend direct from the Nymphæum. It runs parallel with an _Ancient
Aqueduct_ (‘Acquedotto Galermi’), crosses the desolate plateau, very
hot in summer, once the site of the Greek Neapolis and of _Epipolae_
(p. 165), and joins the old Euryelus road beyond the S. wall of
Dionysius I. A little farther, where the road diverges to the left to
the village of _Belvedere_ and the _Posto Semafórico_ or _Telégrafo_
(617 ft.; fine view), is the _Casa dei Viaggiatori_ (rfmts.; open from
15th Jan. to 15th May). Our road ends on the W. side of Euryelus, 130
yds. from the custodian’s house.

The *=Euryelus= (adm. 50 c.), the ‘outer fort’ of the Epipolæ, built
about 400 B.C., at the junction of the N. and S. walls of Dionysius,
is one of the best-preserved of ancient Greek fortifications. The five
massive towers on the W. side, whence we survey the whole site of
ancient Syracuse and enjoy a fine view ranging from Mt. Ætna to
Calabria, are flanked with two deep moats hewn in the rock. In the
first of these are subterranean apertures for sallying purposes.

We may return to Syracuse by the OLD EURYELUS ROAD. On the S. side of
the plateau it joins the Floridia road, 1¼ M. from the station.