Monday 26 August 2013

Piazza del Duomo, Ortigia, Siracusa, Sicily




Lined with beautifully-carved buildings made from a creamy stone, Ortigia's Piazza Del Duomo is an incredibly well-preserved square that can rival some of the best in Europe. Shaped like an elongated triangle, it is a surprisingly light and airy space that breaks up the narrow streets in medieval Ortigia. Alongside the stately Duomo, which incorporates the remains of a fifth century BC Ionic temple, is the magnificent seventeenth century town hall and several grand palazzos.  Gleaming in the after-glow of restoration, the piazza is also home to the fine Baroque church Santa Lucia alla Badia.




One of the grand palazzos facing the Duomo in Ortigia


The Baroque church Santa Lucia alla Badia at one end of the Piazza del Duomo