Overview
When the Temple of Apollo was built in Ortigia at the beginning of the 6th century BC, Syracuse was one of the most vibrant cities of Magna Graecia. Today, there is still an air of solemnity and power before what remains of the Sun God’s place of worship. It’s impossible to remain indifferent.
The 46 monolithic columns supporting the wooden roof were made of giurgiulena stone, a local sandstone with a characteristic deep yellow colour that shines in the sunlight. Transporting them – most likely by sea – was certainly a titanic feat for the time.
The Temple of Apollo is the oldest Doric monument in Sicily and one of the first works of art you’ll come across when entering Ortigia, the island-historical centre of Syracuse. Over the centuries, it was transformed first into an early Christian church, then into a mosque and finally into a Norman basilica. In the 16th century, Charles V ordered its stones to be used to build new defensive walls for the city and in the 17th century the Temple was incorporated into a barracks and other surrounding buildings. The temple is therefore the epitome of Trinacria's multicultural and diverse history.
