Historic religious sites in Syracuse

Historic Churches

Syracuse's churches span from a cathedral built inside a Greek temple to the modern cone of the Madonna delle Lacrime sanctuary. In between are Norman churches, the shrine of Saint Lucy, the city's patron, and the Baroque churches of Ortigia.

Tripomatic user / cc-by-4.0

A

Cathedral of Syracuse

A Baroque cathedral built around the Doric columns of a 5th-century BC Greek temple to Athena, still visible inside and along the side wall.

Tripomatic user / cc-by-4.0

B

Santa Lucia alla Badia

A Baroque church on the south corner of Piazza Duomo, rebuilt after the 1693 earthquake and now used for exhibitions.

G.dallorto / attribution

C

Basilica of Santa Lucia al Sepolcro

A church of Norman origin built where Saint Lucy, the patron saint of Syracuse, is said to have been martyred, with catacombs beneath.

Salvo Cannizzaro / cc-by-sa-3.0

D

Madonna delle Lacrime Sanctuary

A huge cone-shaped modern sanctuary, completed in 1994, that houses a small image of the Virgin Mary said to have wept in 1953.

Berthold Werner / cc-by-sa-3.0

E

San Nicolò dei Cordari

An 11th-century Norman church located at the entrance of the Neapolis Archaeological Park, built atop a Roman-era water cistern.

Giovanni Dall'Orto / attribution

F

Chiesa del Collegio

A 17th-century Jesuit church showcasing a grand Baroque facade and a spacious interior with marble altars and religious paintings.

G.dallorto / attribution

G

Chiesa del Carmine

Originally dating to the 14th century and rebuilt after the 1693 earthquake, this church features a simple facade and houses various artworks dedicated to the Carmelite order.

Giovanni Dall'Orto / attribution

H

Chiesa dello Spirito Santo

Built in the 18th century, this Baroque church is situated on the eastern seafront of Ortigia and features a distinctive white facade overlooking the sea.