The Horror Of Earthquakes On DVD

In 1968, the hillside town of Gibellina was devastated by a 6.1-scale earthquake. Somewhat like the residents of Noto, who befell a similar fate, the town decided to abandon the ruins and start from scratch in a location which was close by, and hopefully more stable. Between 1985 and 1989, a Sicilian artist named Alberto Burri used the old city’s ruins as the canvas for his most audacious work of modern sculpture. The resulting concrete cemetery is a bold piece of art, a comment on death, and a moving tribute to the devastated city.

Burri covered the streets of Old Gibellina with concrete, preserving the layout of the blocks. Walking around his monument is unsettling. You’re not just standing on the gravestone of a city, but actually tracing the lines of its corpse. Block after block of grey concrete rises from the concrete ground, like the ghosts of buildings. They’re high enough to peer over, so that the rest of the graves are always visible, along with the verdant valley stretching out into the distance.

I might have expected to feel despondent while walking around this modern graveyard, but in truth I experienced something closer to comfort. Nature might have the strength to effortlessly topple our cities and wipe out huge swaths of our population. But we have the ability to make artwork out of the damage, transforming devastation into something eloquent and meaningful with our creativity. Nature may be more powerful, but humanity is cooler.

Location of the Cretto di Burri on our Sicily Map
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Greek Ruins in Sicily

On our second day in Syracuse, we made our way to the Parco Archeologico della Neapolis, where some of Sicily’s greatest ruins are bunched together, almost as though our ancient forebears wanted to facilitate future tourist groups.

We throw around a lot of superlatives in this blog — words like “astonishing”, “incredible”, “mind-blowing”, “superb”, etc etc. But trust me, such words apply to the Neapolis. Standing in the middle of one of the Greek Empire’s finest theaters, where original works by Sophocles and Euripedes were performed thousands of years ago, makes the mind reach for the grandest words possible. And who cares if they’re a little overwrought? Such places were made for overwrought descriptions! This massive theater, carved out of limestone over 2500 years ago, is astounding! Magnificent! It makes you and your silly seventy-year life span feel insignificant.

Just a short walk from the theater is a lush park surrounded by rocky crags, evocatively known as the Quarry of Paradise. This is where the Greeks retrieved stone for their statues. The most striking cut into the rock is called the Ear of Dionysus. Caravaggio coined the nickname for this 60 meter long grotto because of its distinctive shape, and the sound which echoes tremendously inside. Legend has it that the tyrant Dionysus would keep prisoners here so that he could eavesdrop on their conversations.

Nearby, there’s a Roman Amphitheater, which is some centuries more recent than the Teatro Greco, and was used for bloodthirstier entertainment than the Greeks enjoyed. Here, gladiators would duel and chariots race. The amphitheater is not as well preserved as the Greek theater, but the vines and weeds which have grown up inside of it only improve the atmosphere.

Location of the Neapolis on our Sicily Map
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Learn Hebrew Today

Syracuse had been under the control of the Greeks, the Romans, the Byzantines and the Arabs, but was always home to a healthy Jewish population. As in many of the European cities to which Jews emigrated following the diaspora, the ruling hierarchies were grudgingly tolerant of them and their religion. That is, until the arrival of the Spanish who decreed the total expulsion of Jews from their kingdom, in 1492.

Syracuse’s Jewish population had a history of almost 2000 years in the city, and when they were forced to leave, many assumed that they’d soon be able to return. And, so they decided to hide their holy mikvah by covering it with earth.

The concealment was so successful that centuries would pass before the baths were rediscovered. About fifteen years ago, while digging into the basement underneath the Hotel Algilà for maintenance works, the ancient Hebrew Baths were found. It’s thought to be the largest and most ancient mikvah in Europe, still in pristine condition underneath the hotel. Without knowing the history or their amazing state of conservation, we decided to visit and were blown away.

The baths are fed by an underground stream. The water for the rituals had to be constantly pure, untouched by human hands, which the natural entries and exits in the limestone walls permitted. Women were compelled to visit them after every menstrual cycle, or after birth, while men would go to the baths only before important religious ceremonies. The Syracuse mikvah consists of five tubs, three carved out in the center of the room, and two in private side chambers.

The baths’ state of preservation was astounding and the softly lit rooms were hauntingly beautiful. During our visit to Syracuse, we had expected to see Greek ruins and beautiful Spanish churches, but encountering Europe’s oldest Jewish mikvah was an interesting surprise.

Location on our Sicily Map
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Syracuse Hotels

Once upon a time, Syracuse was the most important city-state in the Greek Empire and most powerful in the world. Ruled by famous tyrants like Dionysius the Elder, and home to Archimedes, one of history’s greatest mathematicians and thinkers, the influence of Syracuse extended across the Mediterranean. The city’s influence waned only during the Arab occupation of Sicily, when power was ceded to Palermo.

Visiting Syracuse is like taking a trip back into the ancient world. Greek ruins thousands of years still claim space around Roman, Byzantine, Jewish and more modern Baroque constructions. The entire old town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and you can’t hardly walk a block without seeing another noteworthy building, ruin, fountain or church.

We were staying on the island Ortigia, which constitutes the old town of Syracuse, where the great majority of sites are concentrated. Traffic is restricted here, and walking around the island’s quiet, narrow lanes was a pleasure. From the moment we arrived, we fell under the city’s spell — and considering that the ruins of the Temple of Apollo (from 570 BC) were the first thing we saw, that must be understandable.

With only a couple days to explore Syracuse and the surrounding area, we hardly rested. Luckily, we didn’t want to. Even when you’re exhausted, it’s easy to be spurred on by the fact that a massive, three thousand year old Greek Amphitheater is next on the itinerary. We saw a lot, and over the next few days, will be posting about our short trip away from Palermo.

Syracuse on our Sicily Map
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Celebrating Santa Lucia in Sweden

Saint Lucy was a 4th century Sicilian martyr, born and executed in Syracuse. She’s thought to be responsible for ending a famine 1582, and Sicilians honor her feast day on December 13th by abstaining from bread.

Lucia was a Christian noblewoman of Syracuse who was denounced to the Greek authorities after refusing to marry her pagan suitor. Being a Christian back in the 4th century wasn’t as fun as it is nowadays. Try going back to the year 304, when being denounced as a Christian meant that authorities could rip your freaking eyes out, then stab you in the throat. Like they did to Santa Lucia.

In 1582, a terrible famine swept Sicily. In Syracuse, starving people prayed fervently to Santa Lucia for salvation and, lo, into the harbor did sail a boat mightily flush with wheat. The famished masses were so desperate that they wouldn’t even wait to make bread, and instead boiled the wheat for immediate consumption. They thanked Santa Lucia as their savior (instead of, say, the captain of the wheat-carrying boat) and, ever since, Sicilians have eaten a dish made of boiled wheat called cuccia on December 13th.

Cuccia has evolved from simple boiled wheat, and can now be eaten with chickpeas and fava beans, or made into a dessert with ricotta. We bought some of the ricotta cuccia; the boiled wheat was elaborated with berries, candied fruits and chocolate pieces, and was extremely sweet. When we went for lunch, the restaurant had a special menu for Santa Lucia with all the dishes noticeably lacking bread.

There’s just one way to make cuccia (boil wheat), but it can be made into a variety of dishes. Siclian Cooking Plus has a nice overview of the different recipes, if you’re interested. It’s a nice dish, but I think indulging in it just once a year sounds about right.

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The Genius of Garraffo

Hey “Genius”, there’s a snake biting your nipple.

An aging monarch seated on his throne and holding a snake, the Genius of Palermo is the mysterious emblem of the city. Representations of the Genius appear eight times within Palermo: six sculptures and two paintings. No one knows where it originated or what it truly symbolizes, but it has come to epitomize the city itself.

The snake is a symbol of knowledge, and many speculate that it represents Palermo’s tumultuous relationships with foreign powers. The knowledge and technological advances brought by the city’s numerous invaders comes with a price. In the statue of the Genius of Garraffo, the snake is feeding off the monarch’s chest. The snake is the foreign presence and, while it eats from “Palermo”, is also imbuing it with knowledge.

We went “genius hunting”, and found five of the eight representations scattered about the city.

The Genius of the Port

The Genius of Palazzo Pretorio

The Genius of Piazza Rivoluzione

The Genius of Villa Guilia

Which were we missing?

The Genius of Villagrazia – Found at the entrance to Villa Fernandez, in the peripheral neighborhood of Villagrazia. Genius-hunting is very important, but not worth an hour walk!

The Genius of the Mosaic – Found above the entrance to the Palatine Chapel, in the Palazzo Normanni. If only we’d have known when we visited. Genius-hunting is very important, but not worth another €9!

The Genius of the Apoteosi di Palermo – Found on the ceiling fresco of the ballroom in Palazzo Isnello, in the Piazza Borsa. Frustratingly close to our apartment, but closed. Genius-hunting is very important, but not worth breaking and entering!

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One of the most controversial figures in recent Italian history is Salvatore Giuliano, who enjoyed a reputation as the Sicilian Robin Hood, stealing from the rich to give to the poor. But that’s a simplistic and overly noble description of Giuliano, who operated out of Montelepre near Palermo and was a constant thorn in the side of the government and police.

Salvatore lived from 1922 to 1950, and died at the age of 27 after being shot by police. He was born a peasant, and dedicated his life to securing Sicilian independence from Italy. Interestingly, he hoped that Sicily might become the 51st American state, and wrote President Truman requesting it. For most of his short life, he identified with the poor villagers of Sicily, and many of his early crimes were designed to help them out. He would slip money under the door of an infirm old woman, or steal pasta from a truck to distribute to hungry villagers.

One of the more romantic stories involves the Duchess of Pratemeno. Salvatore stole into her mansion and encountered her in her bedroom. A gentleman, he politely asked her to remove her jewelry, and then noticed the book she was reading (John Steinbeck’s In Dubious Battle). He asked if he could borrow it — a strange request from a thief. But true to his word, he returned the book after a month, with a note to the duchess.

Heavily involved in smuggling and the black market, Salvatore used his profits to cobble together, train and equip an army of peasants and beggars whom eventually numbered over 1000. He was beloved in and around Montelepre, and men flocked to his cause. His group would attack government institutions and rob banks, all in the name of liberating Sicily. Surely helped along by his movie-star good looks, his romanticized exploits became famous throughout the world.

But like most criminals, Salvatore Giuliano wasn’t entirely noble. He wasn’t a mafioso, but as the government continued to chip away at his group, he turned to the Mafia and rich landowners in order to fund his operations, and became a tool of the wealthy. He even turned eventually on his socialist background and joined the fight against Communism… with terrible consequences.

On May 1st, 1941, Giuliano and his band were involved in one of the worst slaughters in Italian history: the May Day Massacre at Portella della Ginestra. While hundreds of poor people were organizing a parade to support leftist candidates, Salvatore and his men rode in on horseback, firing into the crowd. Three children were among the fourteen people killed, with another 33 wounded. Salvatore claimed that he had only ordered his men to fire above the crowd, and that the deaths were not his fault. The massacre was subject to many conspiracy theories; some blamed Mafia insiders, and yet others the Italian Government who sought to finally discredit Giuliano.

Regardless of who was truly to blame, Giuliano was indeed discredited. He continued fighting against socialist groups and the government, adding ever more deaths to his resume. But when he was mysteriously shot dead in 1950, his star had faded amongst the people who once revered him.

But Salvatore Giuliano’s life story continues to fascinate. Mario Puzo’s 1984 follow-up to The Godfather was a dramatization of Giuliano’s life called ” target=”_blank”>The Sicilian. That book was a hit, and made into a movie of the same name (which bombed). Villain, hero, or something in between, Salvatore Giuliano is certainly one of the most compelling characters of modern Palermo history.

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Hikes and Walk in Sicily

The Arab rule of Palermo lasted little more than a century, but constituted a true golden age for the city. Gardens and glorious buildings sprouted up, and Palermo replaced Syracuse as the island’s capital. It became the second largest city in Europe, renowned across the continent as a center of learning and for its privileged way of life. Among the many improvements introduced by the Moors was a system of underground canals, or Qanat, that provided the whole city with fresh water from natural springs in the Monreale area.

The canals were forgotten underneath the city for centuries, only rediscovered in 1979, while the groundwork for a new building was being done. They were preserved and, today, you can take a short tour through the water with the group Cooperativa Solidarietà.

The tour starts with a descent of twenty meters, down a ladder into the darkness. We went on a rainy evening, when the water flowing through the canals was at its strongest. Our group of about fifteen marched single-file through the current, getting soaked, ducking under low ceilings and squeezing past narrow passages. The limestone walls had been worn smooth over the course of the centuries and the water flowing underfoot looked clean enough to drink.

We were underground for about an hour. Though the tour was no longer than half a kilometer, the water and low ceilings made for slow going. At one point, we had to climb through a hole in the ground, to a lower level. It was kind of like spelunking, but in man-made caves, and I found it hard to imagine that people were down here, digging out these tunnels, way back in the 10th century.

You’ll want to bring a full change of clothes. We were completely soaked by the end of the tour. They provided knee-high rubber boots, but these were no match for the knee-high water. It would also help to know some Italian; we understood very little of what the guide was saying. But if you’re looking for an interesting adventure or want to see a little-known side of Palermo’s history, definitely make the effort to join one of the tours.

Sottosopra Turismo Qanat (Cooperativa Sociale Solidarietà) – Website
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Monreale Hotel Suggestions

On any length visit to Palermo, a day trip to the town of Monreale is essential for a few reasons. The main one is its magnificent cathedral, one of the world’s finest and best-preserved examples of Norman architecture. Another is the view obtained over Palermo’s valley. Just a handful of miles from the city, Monreale couldn’t be easier to reach and would be worth the journey just for a walk through its picturesque, sleepy mountain streets.

Buses leave frequently for Monreale from the Piazza Independencia, and climb southeast up a curvy mountain pass that affords wonderful views over the Golden Shell (Conca d’Oro), as Palermo’s fertile valley is known. We took the trip on a sunny Thursday afternoon, and after a half hour were deposited in front of the town’s cathedral, or duomo, which we immediately visited. The cathedral well-deserving of its own post, which we’ll write soon; in fact, it might deserve its own blog.

Monreale was originally an Arab village, which gained prominence after being chosen by the Palermo’s Norman kings as their hunting grounds. Today, the town is home to around 30,000 people and, as we began exploring, revealed itself to be larger than it appeared. Monreale curves around Monte Caputo, and from afar its depth is hidden from view. Though there were plenty of tourists in and around the cathedral, other streets were blessedly free of traffic. Kids playing ball in alleys and old women shouting at each other from their balconies, but precious few other foreigners, and none of the stressful gridlock of Palermo’s clogged sidewalks.

Location on our Sicily Map
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Buy The Sicily Flag Here

What do Medusa, heads of wheat and human legs all have in common? Surely not more than this one thing: they all appear on the flag of Sicily, which must be one of the strangest flags in the world.

The three-legged symbol is known as the trinacria, and has represented the island since the Sicilian Vespers: the successful 1282 revolt against French King Charles I. The three legs represent Sicily’s extreme points, Capo Peloro (northeast), Capo Passero (south) and Capo Lilibeo (west), and the triangular shape of the island is reflected in the pattern.

Medusa’s head is frequently used as a symbol to ward off evil. With wings sprouting from her ears, snakes for hair, and that famous knack for turning people into stone, her appearance on the flag is probably meant to warn away any future conquerors from poor, war-prone Sicily. The heads of wheat are a symbol of fertility, paying tribute to the island’s famously rich soil. And the colors of the flag, red and yellow, represent Palermo and Corleone respectively: the towns in which the rebellion of the Vespers began.

The three bent legs are the real oddity, but stranger still is the fact they appear on the flag of another territory: the Isle of Man. Thought to represent the concepts of progress and competition, this symbol was in use by both the ancient Greeks and Celts. The conjoined legs have a long history, appearing on Greek coins found near Syracuse, as far back as 300 BC.

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