Dionysius I, or Dionysius the Elder, was an eclectic and controversial character known for his artistic and philosophical streak and his cruel and bloody temperament. He was tyrant of Syracuse, ruling from 405 to 367 BC and was an emblematic figure of ancient Sicily thanks to his fierce expansionist...

The Dionysian Walls were built between 402 BC and 397 BC at the behest of the tyrant Dionysius I, with the aim of fortifying the plateau of the Epipoli of Syracuse. The walls completely surrounded the ancient city, following a curious isosceles triangle shape, the base of which was the Syracusan co...

An important monument from the Suevian period, the Castello Maniace is one of the most beautiful Frederician castles. Its original use is unknown: according to some scholars it was a "palatium", the sovereign's royal residence; according to others, the castle had a defensive role, and was therefore ...

In 1535 the viceroy Don Ferdinando Gonzaga, sent by the Emperor and King of Spain Charles V, arrived in Syracuse. These times were in danger of Turkish invasion. For this reason, in 1537 Syracuse became a [approfondimenti id="3687" testo_link="fortified town"] according to Gonzaga's design of strat...

On the extreme tip of the island of Ortygia, you can see the mighty bulk of the Castello Maniace, considered the most important building among the monuments from the Suevian period. On the castle's site, there are signs of previous fortifications from Greek times, it being a strategically important...

The Euryalus Fortress crowned the grandiose defensive system erected by Dionysius I between 402 and 397 BC. The fortress, which occupied around 15,000 square metres, was equipped with a system of three moats that barred access to the castle. Consisting of a trapezium-shaped keep protected by five t...