Ear of Dionysius

Syracuse, Italy

The legendary Ear of Dionysius is the most famous cave in Syracuse. It’s called this way for its ear shape and above all for its remarkable acoustic properties which amplify the sounds inside it. Its name was given by the painter Michelangelo da Caravaggio. According to the legend, the tyrant Dionysus used it as a jail and he used to eavesdrop on the prisoners’ conversations.

This cave was dug in Greek/Roman times as a water storage for Syracuse. A narrow tunnel was dug first. This tunnel was widened by digging down and sideways afterwards, giving the cave its unusual shape. The small narrow tunnel is still visible on the top of this artificial cave. An earthquake struck this area causing damage, and the cave became unusable for water storage afterwards.

References:

Comments

Your name


Address

Viale Giulio Emanuele Rizzo 26, Syracuse, Italy
See all sites in Syracuse

Details

Founded: 5th century BC
Category: Prehistoric and archaeological sites in Italy

More Information

www.visitsicily.info
en.wikipedia.org

Rating

4.5/5 (based on Google user reviews)

Interesting Sites Nearby


Cathedral of Syracuse (2,5 km)
Bellomo Palace Regional Gallery (2,7 km)
Greek Theatre of Syracuse (0,1 km)
Palazzo Montalto (2,3 km)
Temple of Apollo (2,1 km)
Altar of Hieron (0,2 km)
Castello Maniace (3,1 km)
Roman Amphitheatre of Syracuse (0,4 km)
Museo Archeologico Regionale Paolo Orsi (1 km)


Palazzo degli Elefanti (50,3 km)
Terme Achilliane (50,2 km)
Catania Cathedral (50,2 km)
University of Catania (50,4 km)
Noto Cathedral (27,4 km)
Palazzo Ducezio (27,5 km)
San Carlo al Corso Church (27,6 km)
Basilica della Collegiata (50,4 km)
Montevergine Church (27,4 km)

User Reviews

Walter Van den Broeck (3 months ago)
It's worth a visit to get a bit more detail about the Greek history, Dionysios' paranoïa and experience the echo, but the cave was muddy and flooded with 10cm water when we visited it. Entrance of 10euro together with a visit of the Greek and Roman amphitheater is reasonable
Barbara Dulba (4 months ago)
Impressive , no picture reflects the size of it. Btw, a covid-conscious place.Temperature measured at the entrance, masks obligatory, one way paths.
Warwick Hall (4 months ago)
Stunning limestone rock formation!! Be sure to walk into the very back of the cave.
Sorin Vasile (6 months ago)
After walking 3 km in the sun, from the city center, the only thing we were albe to see was a locked gate. We used the directions provided by Google maps, as no street signs were showing the directions for the Ear of Dionysius. Huge disappointment :(
Christopher Bowlby (6 months ago)
Such a fun experience. Its simple and not to much walking but very unique to say the least. I went with my wife and two kids and they all found it fun. There is a couple other attractions in this park which made it that much more worth it. If you are in Syracuse and don't go to you would regret it i promise.
Powered by Google

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Most beautiful castles in Lithuania
Photo from Flickr, copyright Giåm

Historic Site of the week

Glimmingehus

Glimmingehus is the best preserved medieval stronghold in Scandinavia. It was built 1499-1506, during an era when Scania formed a vital part of Denmark, and contains many defensive arrangements of the era, such as parapets, false doors and dead-end corridors, 'murder-holes' for pouring boiling pitch over the attackers, moats, drawbridges and various other forms of death traps to surprise trespassers and protect the nobles against peasant uprisings. The lower part of the castle's stone walls are 2.4 meters (94 inches) thick and the upper part 1.8 meters (71 inches).

Construction was started in 1499 by the Danish knight Jens Holgersen Ulfstand and stone-cutter-mason and architect Adam van Düren, a North German master who also worked on Lund Cathedral. Construction was completed in 1506.

Ulfstand was a councillor, nobleman and admiral serving under John I of Denmark and many objects have been uncovered during archeological excavations that demonstrate the extravagant lifestyle of the knight's family at Glimmingehus up until Ulfstand's death in 1523. Some of the most expensive objects for sale in Europe during this period, such as Venetian glass, painted glass from the Rhine district and Spanish ceramics have been found here. Evidence of the family's wealth can also be seen inside the stone fortress, where everyday comforts for the knight's family included hot air channels in the walls and bench seats in the window recesses. Although considered comfortable for its period, it has also been argued that Glimmingehus was an expression of "Knighthood nostalgia" and not considered opulent or progressive enough even to the knight's contemporaries and especially not to later generations of the Scanian nobility. Glimmingehus is thought to have served as a residential castle for only a few generations before being transformed into a storage facility for grain.

An order from Charles XI to the administrators of the Swedish dominion of Scania in 1676 to demolish the castle, in order to ensure that it would not fall into the hands of the Danish king during the Scanian War, could not be executed. A first attempt, in which 20 Scanian farmers were ordered to assist, proved unsuccessful. An additional force of 130 men were sent to Glimmingehus to execute the order in a second attempt. However, before they could carry out the order, a Danish-Dutch naval division arrived in Ystad, and the Swedes had to abandon the demolition attempts. Throughout the 18th century the castle was used as deposit for agricultural produce and in 1924 it was donated to the Swedish state. Today it is administered by the Swedish National Heritage Board.

On site there is a museum, medieval kitchen, shop and restaurant and coffee house. During summer time there are several guided tours daily. In local folklore, the castle is described as haunted by multiple ghosts and the tradition of storytelling inspired by the castle is continued in the summer events at the castle called "Strange stories and terrifying tales".

Map Top Sights Tags Historical Periods City Guides About Us Sign Up Upload new site
© 2021 SpottingHistory.com. All rights reserved.