In the seventh century the Cathedral in Syracuse was built onto and incorporated the remains of the ancient and famed Temple of Athena. As the columns of the latter remained visible it was given the name of Santa Maria delle Colonne. The original Temple was dedicated to Athena by Gelo and his brother Hiero I following their victory over the Carthaginians at Himera in 480 B.C. In contrast, however, to Gelo's father-in-law Thero, who on the same occasion ordered the building of the massive Olympieion in Akrágas, the size and plan of the building in Syracuse followed the formula laid down in Greece itself.
The Temple of Athena was a Doric periptery with a stylobate (base) measuring 22m/72ft by 55m/181ft, with six columns at the ends and 15 at the sides. The columns are 8.70m/28ft 7in tall, have the normal 20 flutes and show a mild degree of entasis (swelling). As was usual in Greece itself, the naos (interior) consisted of a pronaos, cella and opisthodomos; however, the holy sanctuary, the adyton, frequently found in Sicilian temples, was missing.
Constructed of limestone, the temple was richly embellished. For example, marble was imported from the Cyclades for the sima (mouldings) and roof ledges. A large, golden round shield decorated the east tympanum. The doors were covered with costly gold-work and carved ivory.
Inside there was a gallery with portraits of 27 rulers of Syracuse. Much of this was stolen by the Roman praetor Verres in the first century B.C. Cicero, who prosecuted this art-thief, foresaw it happening and we have him to thank for an inventory.
In the seventh century this temple to the virgin Athena was converted into a church dedicated to the Virgin Mary. The columns in the perambulatory were bricked up and eight arcades formed in each of the cella walls. As a result the cella became the central nave and the side perambulatories formed the side aisles of a triple-aisled basilica. The central nave was raised and the whole building "reversed": the old eastern entrance to the temple was closed, for this was where the chancel was now situated; the entrance was now on the west side, between the two (still visible) opisthodomos columns. Similar changes were made in the Concordia Temple in Agrigento.
After the 1693 earthquake Andrea Palma constructed a lively Baroque facade and a portico with superbly turned columns. Many later additions, mainly Baroque, were removed during restorations in 1927, but the following were preserved: the 1517 wooden ceiling, a 12th century Norman font supported by seven small bronze lions, the 1659 high altar, the sacramental chapel built in 1653 by G. Vermexio, a painting of San Zosimo in the crucifix chapel, attributed to Antonello da Messina, and in the left side-aisle statues by A. and G. Gagini. By this means the restorers ensured that the ancient temple still shone through and the nave retained its stern dignity.
The first side chapel on the right of Syracuse Cathedral is dedicated to St Lucia. Photographs and inscriptions explain that, when the Byzantine General Georgios Maniakes drove the Saracens out of Syracuse and took the town for Byzantium once more, the saint's relics were taken to Constaninople and then when that city was conquered by the Venetians in 1204 the latter brought them back to Italy, and so today they are housed in the church of San Geremia in Venice.
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