The Cathedral at Syracuse

As we know it today, the Cathedral of Syracuse is a Christian monument.  However, like many other monuments in the ancient world, the Cathedral has been re-purposed and refurbished from a previously-existing structure.  In this case, the cathedral began as a Greek Temple to Athena.  Because later conquerors (the Arabs and the Christians), created their holy structures by simply filling in the outer columns of the original temple, the inner Structure of the Temple of Athena remains, by far, one of the most well-preserved temples of Ancient Greek relics.


In ancient times, Greek temples like this one were constructed at the highest outlooks of the city. Furthermore without the modern buildings, it's facade was unobstructed to incoming sailors.

Astonishingly, the Temple of Athena is very well-preserved.  In contrast to the mere rubble of other temples, the Doric columns are in full form and the inner temple still remains in its entirety.  For we, the  modern-going traverlers, seeing these doric columns encased in another structure lets us fantasize just a bit less and see just a bit more about what Greek temples of the past actually looked like.