User Reviews
A sanctuary with three fana (Gallo-Roman temples), a small bath building, an amphitheatre, several necropolis and remains of buildings where discovered in 1763 and excavated in 1956 near Bern.
It has an ellipsis shape arena, whose axis are 28 x 26 metres, two walls which could be an entry at one end, and a niche at the other end. Its blenches were probably wooden made. Long regarded as an amphitheatre (it would one of the smallest in the Roman empire), the building could be also a Gallo-Roman theatre (according a recent hypothesis), and the walls opposite to the niche would be the basis of a wooden scenic building. The proximity of the amphitheatre with the sanctuary is significant and it could used for various public shows as well as religious ceremonies.
At the north of the amphitheatre, in the forrest, a small public bath-house is visible under a modern roof. The building, discovered in 1847 and entirely excavated between 1937 and 1938, was 20 metres long and 12 metres large. The bath-house has a cloakroom (apodyterium), a cold bath (frigidarium) with a pool, a warm room (tepidarium) and a hot bath (caldarium). The underfloor heating system is quite well preserved.
References:The eight towns in south-eastern Sicily, including Ragusa, were all rebuilt after 1693 on or beside towns existing at the time of the earthquake which took place in that year. They represent a considerable collective undertaking, successfully carried out at a high level of architectural and artistic achievement. Keeping within the late Baroque style of the day, they also depict distinctive innovations in town planning and urban building. Together with seven other cities in the Val di Noto, it is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
In 1693 Ragusa was devastated by a huge earthquake, which killed some 5,000 inhabitants. Following this catastrophe the city was largely rebuilt, and many Baroque buildings from this time remain in the city. Most of the population moved to a new settlement in the former district of Patro, calling this new municipality 'Ragusa Superiore' (Upper Ragusa) and the ancient city 'Ragusa Inferiore' (Lower Ragusa). The two cities remained separated until 1926, when they were fused together to become a provincial capital in 1927.