Under the rule of Gelon, the first tyrant of the polis, Syracuse expanded further and further inland and new districts were born. The city was comprised of four large areas: Ortygia, Akradina, Tyche and Neapolis.
The name neapolis comes from a Greek word meaning “new town”. Neapolis was in fact one of the last districts of Syracuse to be built and was also the largest.
Over the centuries, Neapolis hosted great and majestic monuments that symbolised the city’s power and wealth: the Greek theatre, the Roman amphitheatre and a huge sacrificial altar.
Today, where the Neapolis district of ancient Syracuse stood, there is a large archaeological park, created in the 12th century with the aim of preserving the remains of Greek and Roman monuments that have survived to this day.
The park is crossed by the Temenite Hill, which divides the area into two parts: to the south you can visit the ancient monuments of Neapolis, with Greek and Roman ruins; while in the north there are deep latomie, mysterious caves and grottoes dug into the mountain’s rock.
