Syracuse (dpa) – A dozen boys kicking a soccer ball around the cathedral square in Syracuse could not have picked a more spectacular backdrop for their game. Whether the cathedral itself, the town hall or one of the city’s palaces, the eye is drawn to every building.
The Baroque facades of the largest square in the old town are at once massive and dainty, shabby and elegant, making for an altogether pleasant atmosphere.
Observers are so captivated by the architecture that they take no notice of the nimble young player manoeuvring to get around them, clad in the black-and-white jersey of FC Juventus Turin, before he thrashes the ball into the palace entranceway and cheers – one to nothing for Juventus.
For Sicilians, the Baroque architecture is part of their daily lives: scenery that sometimes has to be put to use as a football goal. But for visitors to the Mediterranean island, the abundance of Baroque facades is a discovery to be savoured.
If you mention Sicily, most people think of the Mafia, or fire- spewing Mount Aetna, or Greek and Roman temple ruins, or perhaps the wide fields full of oranges, lemons and tomatoes.
But Baroque? Not usually, which is why first-time tourists travelling in the south of Italy are often surprised to see how many splendid 17th and 18th century structures have survived and how they are today holding up against decay, albeit sometimes with little success.
The southeast Sicilian provinces of Syracuse and Ragusa, in particular, have a lot to offer lovers of Baroque. One Baroque showpiece is the city of Noto, some 50 kilometres south-west of Syracuse.
Noto owes the chessboard-like arrangement of its churches, monasteries and palazzos in the centre of town to an earthquake in 1693 that levelled practically all of the old part of the city, which used to be located further inland.
In the wake of that catastrophe, royalty and the church spent huge amounts of money trying to outdo each other in constructing the opulent buildings of the new Noto. Columns, balconies, staircases – everything made of stone seems to be moving with curved forms and abundant decoration.
Unfortunately, however, too little has been done over the past 300 years to ensure the lasting beauty of these structures. The ravages of time – especially car exhaust fumes – have gnawed away at their essence. Noto today is a city that possesses a morbid charm, even though the local government has made some effort to preserve what is left of the architecture.
Two examples: the Corso Vittorio Emanuele, the favoured place in town to take a stroll, has been closed to traffic, and a large-scale restoration is underway on the cathedral. Workers have completely hollowed out the interior of the church, construction on which was completed in 1770.
The 11.4-million-dollar renovation was begun in 1999 and is not expected to be completed until 2004 at the earliest. In the meantime, visitors can take in a fascinating view of the city from the staircase leading up to the cathedral, which is open during the renovation.
Modica and Ragusa are two other cities in the south-east of Sicily that saw many exquisite examples of Baroque architecture added to their urban landscapes after the earthquake of 1693. In both cities, churches consecrated to Saint George figure prominently: in Modica, the 250 steps leading to the Chiesa San Giorgio are delightful to behold. And further west in Ragusa, another outdoor staircase enhances the beauty of that city’s basilica.
To reach the Baroque district of Ragusa Ibla, you thread your way down the narrow alleys that lead you into the valley, leaving behind the centre of the city with its cathedral square and shopping streets. Here, any oncoming traffic can pose a problem.
After that, you snake back up through alleys that are just as narrow. In addition to checking out the basilica in Ragusa Ibla, the Giardino Ibleo merits a peek for its cornucopia of colourful flowers. The garden lies at the end of a street full of Baroque facades that have seen better days. Here you can listen to loudly conversing Italians while relaxing under palm trees.
To be sure, besides the crumbling magnificence of the 17th and 18th centuries, the southeast of the island still holds plenty of other treasures in store.
In Syracuse, for example, the Parco Archeologico della Neapoli (Archaeological Park) is a must-see for visitors. Numerous ancient ruins dot the expansive archaeological dig – among them a 200-metre long altar upon which 450 bulls were sacrificed annually during the 3rd century B.C.
Another well-preserved structure is the huge Greek theatre that dates back to the time when Syracuse was one of the world’s greatest cities. Visitors who brave the daily throngs arriving to the park by bus can also view the quarries in which thousands of prisoners of war once toiled, including a spectacular man-made cave called the Ear of Dionysus that measures 23 metres in height and 65 metres in depth.
Other popular attractions on tourist-bus tours of Syracuse include Quail Island, or Ortygia, and its old town that once housed the main part of ancient city. Lovely palatial ruins as well as dilapidated huts are hidden throughout the labyrinth of alleyways – which are crisscrossed overhead by dripping clotheslines. You will also find plenty of modern-day jewellery shops and stalls with impressive arrays of vegetables.
Small restaurants abound here – the fish dishes, in particular, are highly recommended. Residents rattle across the bumpy cobblestones in old Fiats and on motor scooters.
And somewhere between the cathedral and Ortygia’s main square – the Piazza Archimede, named after the ancient physicist Archimedes who was killed by Romans in 212 BC – the band of footballers comes roaring by again. The boy in the FC Juventus Turin jersey is beaming: it seems he has managed to kick the ball through those spectacular Baroque portals a few more times.
