Pictures images and photos of The Valle dei Templi ( Valley of the Temples) Agrigento Sicily. Photos by photographer Paul E Williams. It is one of the most outstanding examples of Greater Greece art and architecture, The Valley includes remains of seven temples, all in Doric style. Due to its good state of preservation, the TEMPLE of CONCORDIA is ranked amongst the most notable edifices of the Greek civilization existing today. It has a peristasis of 6 x 13 columns built over a basement of 39.44 x 16.91 m. The TEMPLE of HERA LACINA, or JUNO Lacinia, otherwise known as Temple D, is a Greek temple in the Valle dei Templi, a section of the ancient city of Agrigentum. It was built in the middle of the fifth century BC, about the year 450 BC, and in period and in style belongs to the Archaic Doric period. TEMPLE of HERACLES, who was one of the most venerated deities in the ancient Akragas. It is the most ancient in the Valley: destroyed by an earthquake, it consists today of only eight columns. Agrigento is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Add photos of the Valley of Greek Temples Agrigento to cart as royalty free download or prints or download from our Alamy Stock Library page at https://www.alamy.com/portfolio/paul-williams-funkystock/greektemplesagrigento.html USEFUL LINKS: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valle_dei_Templi Agrigento UNESCO World Heritage https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/831 Visit our CLASSICAL WORLD HISTORIC SITES PHOTO COLLECTIONS for more photos to buy as buy as wall art prints https://funkystock.photoshelter.com/gallery-collection/Classical-Era-Historic-Sites-Archaeological-Sites-Pictures-Images/C0000g4bSGiDL9rw

Pictures images photos of Cefalù Cathedral. Images & photos of the medieval gothic Cathedral & mosaics. Also buy stock photos & photo art prints. The Cathedral-Basilica of Cefalù, (Italian: Duomo di Cefalù) is a Roman Catholic church in Cefalù, Sicily, southern Italy. The cathedral, dating from 1131, was commenced in the Norman style, the island of Sicily having been conquered by the Normans in 1091. According to tradition, the building was erected after a vow made to the Holy Saviour by the King of Sicily, Roger II, after he escaped from a storm to land on the city's beach. The fortress-like character of the building, which, seen from a distance, rises as a huge bulk above its medieval town, may in part reflect the vulnerability of the site to attack from the sea. It also made a powerful statement of the Norman presence. Add photos of Cefalù Cathedral Sicily to cart as royalty free download or prints or download from our Alamy Stock Library page at https://www.alamy.com/portfolio/paul-williams-funkystock/cefalusicily.html USEFUL LINKS: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cefalù_Cathedral UNESCO World Heritage https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1487 Visit our PHOTO COLLECTIONS OF ITALY HISTOIC PLACES for more photos to download or buy as wall art prints https://funkystock.photoshelter.com/gallery-collection/Pictures-Images-of-Italy-Photos-of-Italian-Historic-Landmark-Sites/C0000qxA2zGFjd_k

Pictures images photos of Cefalu Sicily . Images of Cefalu cathedral & Old town to buy on line as stock photos or photo art prints. Cefalù (Sicilian: Cifalù, Latin: Cephaloedium, or Cephaloedis) is a city and comune in the province of Palermo, located on the northern coast of Sicily, Italy on the Tyrrhenian Sea about 70 km east from the provincial capital and 185 km west of Messina. The town is one of the major tourist attractions in the region. Despite its size, every year it attracts millions of tourists from all parts of Sicily and also, from all over Italy and Europe. In summer the population can triple, making the main streets and major roads in the country crowded, and with it a young atmosphere and lively nightlife. The villages, a unique combination of small Italian towns that stand out among others for artistic, cultural and historic reasons, and for harmony of urban liveability and public services Add photos of Cefalù Sicily to cart as royalty free download or prints or download from our Alamy Stock Library page at https://www.alamy.com/portfolio/paul-williams-funkystock/cefalusicily.html USEFUL LINKS: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cefalù UNESCO World Heritage https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1487 Visit our PHOTO COLLECTIONS OF ITALY HISTOIC PLACES for more photos to download or buy as wall art prints https://funkystock.photoshelter.com/gallery-collection/Pictures-Images-of-Italy-Photos-of-Italian-Historic-Landmark-Sites/C0000qxA2zGFjd_k

Pictures, images photos of Erice Sicily pictures, photos. Images of Erice medieval hill town to buy on line as stock photos or photo art prints. Erice (Sicilian: Èrici) is a historic town and comune in the province of Trapani in Sicily, Italy. Erice is located on top of Mount Erice, at around 750m above sea level, overlooking the city of Trapani, the low western coast towards Marsala, the dramatic Punta del Saraceno and Capo san Vito to the north-east, and the Aegadian Islands on Sicily's north-western coast, providing spectacular views. Add photos of Erice Sicily to cart as royalty free download or prints or download from our Alamy Stock Library page at https://www.alamy.com/portfolio/paul-williams-funkystock/ericesicily.html USEFUL LINKS: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erice Visit our PHOTO COLLECTIONS OF ITALY HISTOIC PLACES for more photos to download or buy as wall art prints https://funkystock.photoshelter.com/gallery-collection/Pictures-Images-of-Italy-Photos-of-Italian-Historic-Landmark-Sites/C0000qxA2zGFjd_k

Pictures images photos of the mill of Infersa and the salt pans of the Saline della Laguna, Ettore saltworks, Masala Sicily The wind mill of Infersa at the Ettore saltworks, dates back to the sixteenth century. The Dutch type wind mill is among the largest of the entire area of ​​the salt marshes between Trapani and Marsala. The overall height of the tower is nearly thirteen meters. The millstones in the centre of the tower are made of local limestone, assembled in segments and held together by an iron hoop: they rotate in the wind and grind salt. The wind mill of Infersa is a real jewel of industrial archeology of the of 1500s, whose history is deeply linked with that of the surrounding salt marshes. Driven by the wind the wooden gears, which the salt will not corrode, drive of the mill stones of Infersa up to one hundred fifty revolutions per minute. Restored to its original 1500s design by Paolo Stampa, one of the last master carpenters of Trapani, the blades of the wind mill turn at a speed of 15/20 revolutions per minute, developing a power of over 100 horsepower with its maximum sheeting of 60 square meters. Smaller windmills around the Salt pans at Ettore were used to put sea water into the pans and move water from one pan to another as the water evaporated. In this way the salinity of the water in the pans increased as the evaporated water was moved into a final pan where the salt crystallised. The mill of Infersa and the salt pans still produce salt today and the mill of Infersa museum gives full information on the history of the Masala salt pans. Add photos of Infersa Salt Mill Sicily to cart as royalty free download or prints or download from our Alamy Stock Library page at https://www.alamy.com/portfolio/paul-williams-funkystock/infersasaltwindmillsicily.html

pictures images photos of Modica Cathedral of San Georgia and the Baroque church of San Pietro. Monica is a Late Baroque Towns of the Val di Noto (South-Eastern Sicily) and UNESCO World Heritage Site. Modica is built in a deep valley inland from the southern coast of Sicily. It is divided into "Modica Alta" (Upper Modica) and "Modica Bassa" (Lower Modica). In 1693 the south of Sicily was struck by a devastating earthquake. The reconstruction of the Southern Sicilian towns saw the building of some of the best Baroque churches in Europe. Sicily developed its own Sicilian style of Baroque which can be seen in the Baroque Church of St George, designed by Gagliardi 1702, situated in Modica Alta. This imposing Cathedral stands high above the town with impressive views of the valley below down towards the Baroque Cathedral of Modica. Modica has been described as a city of churches but it is also a city of Baroque Palaces. Modica is a Sicilian city where Sicilian Easter customs are still observed. Every Easter two parades move through the packed streets of Modica. One carries a statue of the Virgin Mary, the other a statue of Jesus Christ. In the centre of town the two statues meet symbolising the resurrection of Jesus Christ and his reunification with Mary . Add photos of Modica Cathedral to cart as royalty free download or prints or download from our Alamy Stock Library page at https://www.alamy.com/portfolio/paul-williams-funkystock/modicasicily.html USEFUL LINKS Sicilian Baroque https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sicilian_Baroque Val di Noto UNESCO World Heritage Page https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1024-004

Pictures, images & photos of the Great Norman Cathedral of Monreale, Sicily and its Byzantine Mosaics. The world Norman and Sicily do not sit naturally together for many people, yet The Normans did not only conquer England they help principalities all the way to and including Jerusalem. The Norman's were descendants of The Vikings (North Men). Their barbarity is legendary but what is often forgotten is that after converting to Christianity the Normans became fanatical Christian patrons founding greta Abbeys like Mont St Michele, Cathedrals like Durham Cathedral and sponsoring great works of art like the Byzantine style mosaics of Monreale Cathedral, Sicily. The building of the Cathedral of Monreale was begun in 1174 by William II, and in 1182 the church, dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. Monreale is a political statement by William II who wanted to weaken the power of the Palermo cardinals by creating a great cathedral at Monreale outside the city. Like most Norman cathedrals Moreale Duomo is a Norman Romanesque basilica was built on a massive scale in record breaking time. The inside of Moreale Cathedral is tiled with Byzantine style mosaics which cover a staggering 6,500 m² of its interior. The mosaics of Monreale depict scenes from the bible and over the altar is a huge Greek style Christ Pantocrator. Next to Cathedral are the cloisters of Monreale monastery. 126 white marble pillars support medieval craved capitals and arches of Monreale's spectacular cloisters. Every capital is carved with a different mythology of biblical scenes. Fantastic medieval animals entwine themselves around the pillar capitals and columns in an extraordinary demonstration of the exuberance of medieval art and proof, if one were needed, that the dark ages were not very dark at all.To give real power to Monreale Cathedral, William II made it his and his families burial place, and there they lie in great medieval sarcophagi. The Normans are an underestimated cultural force of the medieval world. Their ruthless exploits have overshadowed the great building and works of art they bestowed. Add photos of Monreale Cathedral Mosiacs & exterior to the cart as royalty free download or prints or download from our Alamy Stock Library page at https://www.alamy.com/portfolio/paul-williams-funkystock/monrealeduomomosaics.html USEFUL LINKS: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monreale_Cathedral Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monreale_Cathedral_mosaics Norman Cathedrals of Sicily UNESCO World Heritage Page https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1487

Pictures photos and images Mount Etna, Sicily pictures, photos. Images of Mount Etnas Volcano & volcanic rocks to buy on line as stock photos or photo art prints. Mount Etna is one of the most active volcanoes in the world and is in an almost constant state of activity. The fertile volcanic soils support extensive agriculture, with vineyards and orchards spread across the lower slopes of the mountain and the broad Plain of Catania to the south. Due to its history of recent activity and nearby population, Mount Etna has been designated a Decade Volcano by the United Nations. updated 2021) Add photos of Mount Etna to the cart as royalty free download or prints or download from our Alamy Stock Library page at https://www.alamy.com/portfolio/paul-williams-funkystock (scroll down and type https://www.alamy.com/portfolio/paul-williams-funkystock/mountetna.html into lower search box) USEFUL LINKS: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Etna Visit our PHOTO COLLECTIONS OF ITALY HISTOIC PLACES for more photos to download or buy as wall art prints https://funkystock.photoshelter.com/gallery-collection/Pictures-Images-of-Italy-Photos-of-Italian-Historic-Landmark-Sites/C0000qxA2zGFjd_k

Photos, pictures of the Palatine Chapel, Palermo. The chapel was commissioned buy Roger II of Sicily in 1132 and was dedicated to St. Peter. The new chapel was built over an older chapel, now the crypt, that was built in 1080. The design of the chapel follows traditional Byzantine rules. At one end it has 3 apses which are semicircular recesses covered with semicircular domes. The central Aspe is higher than the 2 side apses and all 3 house the chapels altars. At the end of the apses the transept runs the width of the chapel. above the centre of the transept is a high dome. From the transept run a central naive which has 6 arabic pointed arches, 3 on each side, supported by older classical columns. On each side of the central naive are 2 smaller aisles. At the end of the central naive is a raised platform which is where the Frankish Carolingian throne was placed for the king to sit on. What makes the Palatine chapel one of Europe's great art treasures is its mosaic decorations. Every part of the interior of the chapel is covered with mosaics. The background color of the mosaics is gold which reflects the candles in such a way as to create a magic and mystical atmosphere that is almost overwhelming. Because the chapel is quite an intimate space the intricate flowing figures and patterns of the mosaic design crowd in on the senses and are almost overpowering. Each scene is surrounded by its own decorative border as can be seen in orthodox icon mosaics. The oldest mosaics are probably in the transept and date from about 1140. These magnificently crafted mosaics depict the Acts of the Apostles. These mosaics almost certainly made by the finest Byzantine craftsmen probably from Constantinople. The style of the design is heavily influenced by orthodox iconography and the inscriptions are in Greek. The Palatine chapel is a political statement from the 11th and 12th century. It is designed to appeal to Roman & Orthodox Christians, Jews and Muslims alike. Its mosaics depict biblical scenes as well as very rare secular mosaics and paintings on the ceiling depicting everyday life, animals and flowers. The Arabic style multifaceted ceiling, made from Nebrodi pine, is influenced by Iraqi Abbasid art. Lions & eagles are depicted and these paintings are the largest single Fatimid work of art of its day, seems to reflect the relaxed norms of a tolerant society. In the Palatine Chapel the Normans are sending out a secular message of tolerance to dogmatic Muslims. Add photos of Palatine Palace Palermo Mosaics to the cart as royalty free download or prints or download from our ALAMY STOCK LIBRARY page at https://www.alamy.com/portfolio/paul-williams-funkystock/byzantine-art-antiquities.html . Type - Palatine - into the LOWER SEARCH WITHIN GALLERY box. Refine search by adding background colour, subject etc USEFUL LINKS: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cappella_Palatina .

Pictures images photos of Noto, Sicily pictures, photos. Images of Noto Baroque buildings & architecture to buy on line as stock photos or photo art prints. Noto, rebuilt after the earthquake of 1693 on the left bank of River Asinaro, was planned on a grid system by Giovanni Battista Landolina. This new city occupied a position nearer to the Ionian Sea. The presence of architects like Rosario Gagliardi, Francesco Sortino and others, made the new Noto a masterpiece of Sicilian Baroque, dubbed the "Stone Garden" by Cesare Brandi and is currently listed among UNESCO's World Heritage Sites. The new structures are characterized by a soft tufa stone, which under sunlight assumes a typical honey tonality. Parts of the cathedral suddenly collapsed in 1996, and the exterior has recently been rebuilt One feature of Sicilian Baroque was the used of sculptured stone corbels to support them. Subuct matter ranged from decorative lines of horses to corbels that were designed to cause amusement in passers by. The best balconies in Noto are on the Villadorata palace. Add photos of Noto Cathedral & Baroque Balconies to the cart as royalty free download or prints or download from our ALAMY STOCK LIBRARY page at https://www.alamy.com/portfolio/paul-williams-funkystock/notosicily.html USEFUL LINKS: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noto_Cathedral Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noto Val di Noto UNESCO World Heritage Page https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1024-004

Pictures images & photos of the Nubia salt works museum and its windmill, World Wildlife reserve of Saline di Trapani and Paceco site, Trapani.The history of the Nubia and Trapani salt pans is very ancient and probably dates back to the Phoenician people some three thousand years ago. The origin is not certain because there is no material evidence, but it is very likely that the Phoenicians production of salt was a fundamental component of their economy, since their settlements were built along the coastal areas in the East of Sicily. The first true testimony of a salt works in Trapani is thanks to the Arab geographer Al-Abu 'Abd Allah Muhammad, better known as Idrisi or Edrisi, in his "Book for the amusement of those who love to travel the regions" written for the king Norman Roger II in 1154. For centuries the salt pans were of Trapani were known all over Europe, and they constituted the pride of a territory. The favourable climate with its strong het from the sun and winds from the sea, as well as a low rainfall, made salt production at Trapani and Bubia ideal. King Alfonso and Ferdinand of Aragon, 1346, signed the first act of concession for the exploitation of salt works to an individual, the physician Roberto de Naso for his work countering the plague epidemic that raged at that time.From 1440 the salt pans developed along the coast from Trapani to Masala. The techniques of cultivation and harvesting salt in salt pans has remained unchanged over the centuries, only at the end of the eighteenth century the windmills were also used for grinding salt as well as for moving saline into the salt pans through a large "Archimedes screw". The outbreak of world wars, the deterioration of the port at Trapani caused of the closure and abandonment of many of salt pans at Trapani and Nubia. Finally, 1965 a severe flood overwhelmed and covered the salt pans of many saltworks with debris, irreparably damaging the plants and machinery. Since 1991 the entire saltworks area of ​​Trapani and Paceco has been subjected to strict landscape restrictions with the establishment of the nature reserve oriented, whose management has been in charge of the World Wildlife Fund since 1995. The Nubia salt works museum and it picturesque windmill lie at the heart of the Nubia salt pans which are still in use today and can be visited. Flamingoes can be seen feeding in the salt pans many of which can be walked around by visitors. Add photos of Nubia Salt Pans & Museum Trapani to the cart as royalty free download or prints or download from our ALAMY STOCK LIBRARY page at https://www.alamy.com/portfolio/paul-williams-funkystock/trapanimaslalasaltpans.html USEFUL LINKS: World Wildlife http://www.wwfsalineditrapani.it/riserva.htm Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riserva_naturale_integrale_Saline_di_Trapani_e_Paceco

Pictures images photos of Palermo Sicily pictures, photos. Images of Palermo Cathedral, buildins & market to buy on line as stock photos or photo art prints. Palermo is a city in Southern Italy, the capital of both the autonomous region of Sicily and the Province of Palermo. The city is noted for its rich history, culture, architecture and gastronomy, playing an important role throughout much of its existence; it is over 2,700 years old. Palermo is located in the northwest of the island of Sicily, right by the Gulf of Palermo in the Tyrrhenian Sea. Add photos of Palermo to the cart as royalty free download or prints or download from our ALAMY STOCK LIBRARY page at https://www.alamy.com/portfolio/paul-williams-funkystock (scroll down and type palermo into lower search box).

Ragusa Ibla, Sicily pictures, photos. Images of the Baroque churches & medieval hill town. Ragusa Ibla hosts a wide array of Baroque architecture, including several stunning palaces and churches. The Cathedral of San Giorgio was built starting in 1738 by architect Rosario Gagliardi, in substitution of the temple destroyed by the 1693 earthquake, and of which only a Catalan-Gothyic style portal can still be seen. The façade is characterized by a flight of 250 steps and by massive ornate columns, as well as by statues of saints and decorated portals. The interior has a Latin cross plan, with a nave and two aisles ending in half-circular apses. It is topped by a large Neoclassical dome built in 1820. Add photos of Ragusa Ibla to the cart as royalty free download or prints or download from our ALAMY STOCK LIBRARY page at https://www.alamy.com/portfolio/paul-williams-funkystock/ragusaibla.html USEFUL LINKS: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ragusa,_Sicily#Ragusa_Ibla

Pictures photos and images of the picturesque Scopello Tonnara, Castellmare del Golfo, Sicily. On the coast near to the small village of Scopello on the Golfo del Castellmare in Sicily is a picturesque tonnara, tuna processing plant. Known as the Scopello Tonnara it was one of the most important tuna processing plants in Sicily. The Scopello Tonnara is situated in a breathtakingly beautiful rocky cove that forms a natural harbour. Surrounded by high cliffs with small defensive towers built on them, the Scopello Tonnara buildings nestles at the head of the cove protected from storms by sea stacks that run from the cliffs out to sea as can be seen in our photo gallery. The Scopello Tonnara was founded in the 13th century but the buildings seen today were built in the 15th century by the Sanclemente family who then sold it to the Society of Jesus and then finally to the Florio family. The tradition of catching the bluefin tuna that migrate past Sicily in May and June were started in the 9th century by the Arabs who ruled Sicily but. The Tuna are caught in a procedure known as the mattanza, from the old Spanish word matar meaning to Kill. A series of huge nets encircle shoals of tuna and are slowly tightened up until the Tuna are trapped in a restricted area surrounded by fishermen in boats. The tuna are then speared and dragged onto the boats. The blue fin tuna can reach as long as 4.3 meters ( 14 feet) weighing up to 800 kilos (1800 pounds) which would have made catching them with nets from small boats impossible. Once trapped and clubbed or speared to death these giant tuna are much more manageable and can even be tied to the side of the small fishing boats and taken back to the Tonnara. Sicilian tonnara like that at Scopello can be found all around the coast of Sicily. In the Tonnara the tuna were gutted and cut into fillets. Before canning the tuna flesh would be preserved in oil, salted or smoked to preserve it. All of the tuna was processed in the Tonnara and its produce could then be shipped across Sicily and to European markets. The main processing buildings remain at the Scopello Tonnara as do some small fishing cottages. Its beauty has been recognised by writers such as Gavin Maxwell who lived at the Scopello Tonnara. The Scopello Tonnara has also been used as a location in films such as Oceans Twelve and the Sicilian detective series Montalbano. Add photos of Scopello Tonnara to the cart as royalty free download or prints or download from our ALAMY STOCK LIBRARY page at https://www.alamy.com/portfolio/paul-williams-funkystock/scopello-zingaro.html

Pctures images & photos of the Greek Temples of Selinunte, Sicily. Photos by photographer Paul E Williams. It is often forgotten that Greek city states stretched as far beyond Greece and that some of the biggest Greek Temples can be found on Sicily. Selinunte (Greek: Σελινοῦς; Latin: Selinus) is an ancient Greek archaeological site on the south coast of Sicily. The ancient city of Selinunte was one of the most westerly in Sicily and therefore came into constant conflict with the invading Carthaginians. Around 409 BC a massive Carthaginian army of around 100,000 men overwhelmed Selinunte killing 16,000 inhabitants and taking 5,000 as prisoners. The city was rebuilt but in the first Punic War in 250 BC was again destroyed by the Carthaginians and was never rebuilt. The huge archaeological site of Selinunte is situated on a promontory that juts out into the sea. Its raised situation would have given it good defences with a natural harbour below. The archaeological site contains five temples centered on an acropolis. Of the five temples, only the Temple of Hera, also known as "Temple E", has been re-erected and is a splendid Doric order temple. Add photos of Selinunte Greek Temple to the cart as royalty free download or prints or download from our ALAMY STOCK LIBRARY page at https://www.alamy.com/portfolio/paul-williams-funkystock/selinuntetemple.html USEFUL LINKS: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selinunte Visit our CLASSICAL WORLD HISTORIC SITES PHOTO COLLECTIONS for more photos to buy as buy as wall art prints https://funkystock.photoshelter.com/gallery-collection/Classical-Era-Historic-Sites-Archaeological-Sites-Pictures-Images/C0000g4bSGiDL9rw

Scicli, Sicily. pictures, photos. Sicili is a city in the south seat of Sicily in the Val di Noto. Sicili is a UNSESCO World Heritage site due to the quality of its Baroque buildings built after the earthquake of 1693 flattened the southern cities of Sicily. UNESCO reports: “In Scicli the Via Francesco Mormina Penna stretches to the nearby Beneventano palace, perhaps the only one in Sicily to display fantastic decoration, in an urban setting where churches rise alongside patrician buildings of late Baroque age.” Indeed Sicili has classic examples of Sicilian Baroque which represent the culmination and final flowering of Baroque art in Europe. like the other Baroque towns of the Val da Noto sicili also depicts distinctive innovations in town planning and urban building. Buy as high resolution stock royalty free images of travel images to download on line or buy as photo art prints.

Pictures images photos of Syracuse, one of the most famous cities of the Ancient Greek world. The city was founded by Ancient Greek Corinthians in the south of Sicily and became a very powerful city-state. Syracuse was allied with Sparta and Corinth, exerting influence over the entire Magna Grecia area of which it was the most important city. Archimedes (. 287 BC – c. 212 BC), the Greek mathematician, physicist, engineer, inventor, and astronomer, lived and died in Syracuse. He was considered to be the greatest mathematician of antiquity and one of the greatest of all time calculating a remarkably accurate approximation of pi. The Roman’s besieged Syracuse in 212 BC and eventually broke and and sacked the city. The soldiers were under orders not to harm Archimedes but unfortunately an over zealous soldier who may not have recognized Archimedes killed him. Syracusa became the Roman capital of Sicily but its glory faded as did its status. After the fall of the western Roman Empire Syracuse was taken first by the Vandals then recaptured for the Eastern Byzantine Roman Empire by by Belisarius in 535. In the 9th century Muslims started to conquer Sicily and Syracuse fell to the Aghlabids after another siege in 878. The new Emirate of Sicily moved the capital of the Island from Syracuse to Palermo. The Cathedral was converted into a mosque and the quarter on the Ortygia island was gradually rebuilt along Islamic styles. The city, nevertheless, maintained important trade relationships, and housed a relatively flourishing cultural and artistic life: several Arab poets, including Ibn Hamdis, the most important Sicilian poet of the 12th century, flourished in the city. In 1038, the Byzantine general George Maniakes reconquered the city, sending the relics of St. Lucy to Constantinople. The eponymous castle on the cape of Ortygia bears his name, although it was built under the Hohenstaufen rule. In 1085 the Normans entered Syracuse, one of the last Arab strongholds, after a summer-long siege by Roger I of Sicily and his son Jordan of Hauteville, who was given the city as count. New quarters were built, and the cathedral was restored, as well as other churches. In 1542 and 1693 southern Sicily was devastated by two earthquakes. The reconstruction was carried out in the style of the Baroque and Syracuse Cathedral is a wonderful example of Sicilian Baroque. After the Unification of Italy of 1865, Syracuse regained its status of provincial capital. In 1870 the walls were demolished and a bridge connecting the mainland to Ortygia island was built. Add photos of Syracuse Sicily to the cart as royalty free download or prints or download from our ALAMY STOCK LIBRARY page at https://www.alamy.com/portfolio/paul-williams-funkystock/syracusesicily.html USEFUL LINKS: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syracuse,_Sicily

Pictures images photos of Taormina, Sicily. The theatre of Taormina has one of the most dramatic backdrops of any ancient Greek Theatre. Taormina sits high above the sea protected by precipitous slopes that drop 250 m (800ft) to the coast below. The town sits on a narrow plateau with 150 m high cliffs behind it rising to the Saracen castle above . Situated at the the top of the town the Taormina thaetre has a clear view out across a bay below to the smoking Volcano cones of Etna. The well preserved back wall of the Theatre is made of brick which means that the Romans built on an earlier Greek theatre. From the fragments of architectural decorations still extant we learn that it was of the Corinthian order, and richly ornamented. The greater part of the original seats have disappeared, but the wall which surrounded the whole cavea is preserved, and the proscenium with the back wall of the scena and its appendages, of which only traces remain in most ancient theatres, are here preserved in singular integrity, and contribute much to the picturesque effect, as well as to the interest, of the ruin. At 109 meters in diameter the Taormina Theatre is the second biggest in Sicily after Syracuse. Today Taormina is high on the tourist sights of Sicily and especially with cruise liners that can anchor in the bay below. Add photos of Taormina to the cart as royalty free download or prints.Buy as high resolution stock royalty free images of travel images to download on line or buy as photo art prints. Visit our SICILY PHOTO COLLECTIONS for more photos to download or buy as prints https://funkystock.photoshelter.com/gallery-collection/2b-Pictures-Images-of-Sicily-Photos-of-Sicilian-Historic-Landmark-Sites/C0000qAkj8TXCzro

Pictures images photos of Trapani and Masala salt pans , Sicily. Images of Trapani salt pan windmills and of salt production. In the far west of Sicily are the coastal towns of Trapani and Masala. Between Trapani and Masala are lagoons full of salt pans. Sea water is let into a salt pan which is a flat square with low walls. The water is left to evaporate for a few days then it is pumped into another salt pan and so on. In this way the salinity rises in consecutive pans and eventually the salt crystalizes and can be dug out of the salt pan. The water is pumped between the salt pans by windmills which with the flocks of Flamingoes that feed in the pan make a picturesque scene. Trapani boasts some of Europe's oldest salt marshes and its milled salt is sold throughout the world. Add photos of Trapani & Masala Salt Pan photos to the cart as royalty free download or prints or download from our ALAMY STOCK LIBRARY page at https://www.alamy.com/portfolio/paul-williams-funkystock/trapanimaslalasaltpans.html USEFUL LINKS: World Wildlife http://www.wwfsalineditrapani.it/riserva.htm Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riserva_naturale_integrale_Saline_di_Trapani_e_Paceco

Pictures, photos. Images of Villa Palagonia,, Villa of Monsters, Sicily, the Baroque chateau & grotesque statues. In 1705 Francesco Gravina, prince of Palagonia and Knight of the Golden Fleece, commissioned Dominican Monk and architect, Tommaso Maria Napoli, to build him a Villa. The resulting Baroque Villa Palagonia is a fine example of the style complete with a lavish mirrored ball room and sumptuous decorations. This was an age of excess and the Villas that the aristocracy built had to outshine their neighbours. When Francesco's grandson, the hunchback Ferdinando Gravina Alliata, inherited the Villa Palagonia things changed dramatically. It is fair to say that Ferdinando was eccentric in the extreme and his mind had probably been warped by the stigma of his hunchback. He hung mirrors that distorted the reflections of his visitors and hid spikes under velvet cushions. He placed grotesque statues at the gates of the villa Palagonia which led to it being known as the "Villa of Monsters". Grotesques were part of the theatrical style of the Baroque as can be seen in the paintings of Gaetano Gandolfi, but Ferdinando took the practice to a malicious level. His wife had many lovers so in revenge Ferdinando commissioned statues of them to be made. The result were cruel grotesque caricatures sculpted in rough tuff volcanic stone that he arranged along the garden wall of the Villa Palagonia for all to see. As the main rooms of the Villa are on the first floor this meant that the statues were at eye level whenever Ferdinando and his wife glanced out of the window. History does not record the effect of the statues had on Fernando's wife or her lovers but it does record the outrage of Goethe who visited Bagheria as part of The Grand Tour. He described hideous depictions of hunchbacks, dwarfs, Turks, men and women with animal bodies or double headed monsters. Goethe described 200 statues, of which 60 remain today, and his indignation made the Villa Palagonia a "must see" for aristocrats and the wealthy from all over Europe who took The Grand Tour of Italy and Sicily. Add photos of Villa Palagonia to the cart as royalty free download or prints or download from our ALAMY STOCK LIBRARY page at https://www.alamy.com/portfolio/paul-williams-funkystock/villapalagonia.html USEFUL LINKS: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Villa_Palagonia Visit our SICILY PHOTO COLLECTIONS for more photos to download or buy as prints https://funkystock.photoshelter.com/gallery-collection/2b-Pictures-Images-of-Sicily-Photos-of-Sicilian-Historic-Landmark-Sites/C0000qAkj8TXCzro

Pictures images photos of the Roman mosaics of the Villa Romana del Casale , Piazza Armerina , Sicily. Around 1160 a huge mud slide in the Morgantina hills near Piazza Armerina in central Sicily buried an abandoned Roman Villa and its associated buildings which became to be known as the Villa Romana del Casale. Fragments of exposed wall from the villa drew little attention until the 1950s when the Villa Romana del Casale was excavated to reveal 3,500 square meters of exquisite Roman mosaics perfectly preserved by the mud. These mosaics at the Villa Romana del Casale are the largest area of Roman mosaics in situ in the world and are listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Villa Romana del Casale mosaics have been dated to the first quarter of the fourth century AD. The clothing and themes in the pictures point to it being owned by Emperor Maximinianus. The scale of the mosaics at Villa Romana del Casale is breathtaking. Animals are depicted from the 5 Roman African Diocese. Panthers from Mauritania, Antelopes from Numidia, Wild Horses from Tripolitana, the now extinct Berber Lion from Morocco and Wild Boar from Byzaena now Tunisia. The animals are loaded into ships to be transported to Rome for the games in the Colosseum. Two figures wearing traditional hats from the Pannonia Province Maximinianus came from stand watching the animals being put aboard a ship. Next to them is an Elephant which were reserved for the Emperors games in the Colosseum only. Next to the Elephant are the letters "MA" which stand for Maximinianus Augustus, lending more weight to this being the Emperor's Villa. The floor of every room is decorated with lavish mosaics each having a different theme. The exercise room of the Villa has a gigantic mosaic of the Circus Maximus in Rome complete with racing chariots. Children's rooms have mosaics of children chariot racing at a miniature Circus Maximus. Mosaics in other rooms depict musician or mythical figures and the extent of the Empires influence is celebrated with depictions of people from as far away as India. One of the most surprising mosaics of the Villa Romana del Casale for modern viewers is nicknamed the Bikini Girls. This shows 10 young women in bikini style tops and bottoms . They appear to be in competition with each other as one of them, presumably the winner, is about to be crowned with a laurel crown. USEFUL LINKS: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Villa_Romana_del_Casale Roman Mosiacs Photo Collection https://funkystock.photoshelter.com/gallery/Roman-Mosaics-Roman-Mosaic-Pictures-Photos-and-Images-Fotos/G00008dLtP71H_yc/C0000q_tZnliJD08 Add photos of Villa Romana del Casale Roman mosaics to the cart as royalty free download or prints or download from our ALAMY STOCK LIBRARY page at https://www.alamy.com/portfolio/paul-williams-funkystock/villaromanadelcasale.html

Pictures images photos of Scopello, Tonnara di Scopello & Zingaro Nature Park, Sicily. Scopello is a small village in the west of Sicily near Castellmare del Golfo which was prized since ancient times for its good Tuna fishing. Scopello has a picturesque old Tuna fishery, The Tonnara di Scopello, with fisherman’s cottages that have been turned into a hotel. The picturesque Tonnara is situated in a rocky bay with high stacks of rock running out to sea. The Greek for rock is Scoupelos, hence Scopello. Sitting on the cliff tops above the Tonnara are two ancient watch towers from where lookouts could see pirate ships approaching and light warning smoke beacons. Gavin Maxwell, the Scottish naturalist and author of Ring of Bright Water, stayed in the Tonnara di Scopello and wrote “ when I first came to Scopello I thought it was the most beautiful place I had ever seen." The coast of Sicily was famous for On the hill above the Tonnara the tiny village has an enclosed fortified village square with small cafes and shops around it. Behind Scopello is the high Monte Sparagio on which was the Scopello forest a hunting reserve of Bourbon King Ferdinand III. Today a reserve still runs along the coast from Scopello, Zingaro Nature Park, the first on Sicily. The dramatic coast of Zingaro Nature Park with its small bays is only accessible by foot or by boat. Zingaro Nature Park starts in Scopello at one ends at San Vito lo Capo. The park can be accessed by foot from either end and the first bays are usually full. The more remote bays in the middle of Zingaro are less crowded and the water is crystal clear. The park has a unique bio system with ten species of unique plants including a Dwarf palms [ Chamaerops humilis ] that gives a sub tropical look to the coastal flora. Add photos of Scopello and Zingaro Nature Park to the cart as royalty free download or prints or download from our ALAMY STOCK LIBRARY page at https://www.alamy.com/portfolio/paul-williams-funkystock/scopello-zingaro.html Visit our SICILY PHOTO COLLECTIONS for more photos to download or buy as prints https://funkystock.photoshelter.com/gallery-collection/2b-Pictures-Images-of-Sicily-Photos-of-Sicilian-Historic-Landmark-Sites/C0000qAkj8TXCzro

(updated 2021) Add photos of Norman World Heritage Sites in Sicily to the cart as royalty free download or prints or download from our ALAMY STOCK LIBRARY page at: Palatine Palace - https://www.alamy.com/portfolio/paul-williams-funkystock/palatinepalacepalermo.html Monreale Duomo - https://www.alamy.com/portfolio/paul-williams-funkystock/monrealeduomomosaics.html Cefalu Duomo - https://www.alamy.com/portfolio/paul-williams-funkystock/cefalusicily.html Pictures of Arab Norman Palermo Unesco World Heritage Sites Sicily. Located on the northern coast of Sicily, Arab-Norman Palermo includes a series of nine civil and religious structures dating from the era of the Norman kingdom of Sicily (1130-1194): two palaces, three churches, a cathedral, a bridge, as well as the cathedrals of Cefalú and Monreale. Collectively, they are an example of a social-cultural syncretism between Western, Islamic and Byzantine cultures on the island which gave rise to new concepts of space, structure and decoration. They also bear testimony to the fruitful coexistence of people of different origins and religions (Muslim, Byzantine, Latin, Jewish, Lombard and French). The new Norman rulers built various structures in what has become known as the Arab-Norman style. They incorporated the best practices of Arab and Byzantine architecture into their own art. It is important to note that a different builder constructed each of the sites, they are linked together because of their shared architecture and time period.[3] These sites work to create a shared identity among the areas that they are built in. USEFUL LINKS: Wikipedia Palatine Palace https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cappella_Palatina Wikipedia Cefalu Duomo https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cefalù Wikipedia Monreale Duomo https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monreale_Cathedral_mosaics UNESCO World Heritage https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1487

Pictures photos images of Syracuse, Siracusa, Cathedral. Images & photos of the great Baroque Duomo. The Cathedral of Syracuse (Duomo di Siracusa), is an ancient Catholic church in Syracuse, Sicily, the seat of the Catholic Archdiocese of Siracusa. Its structure is originally a Greek doric temple, and for this reason it is included in a UNESCO World Heritage Site designated in 2005. The present cathedral was constructed by Saint Bishop Zosimo of Syracuse in the 7th century. The battered Doric columns of the original temple were incorporated in the walls of the current church. They can be seen inside and out.[3] The building was converted into a mosque in 878, then converted back when Norman Roger I of Sicily retook the city in 1085. The roof of the nave is of Norman origin, as well as the mosaics in the apses. As part of the increased building activity after the 1693 Sicily earthquake, the cathedral was rebuilt and the façade redesigned by architect Andrea Palma in 1725–1753. The style is classified as High Sicilian Baroque, a relatively late example. The double order of Corinthian columns on the facade provide a classic example of carved Acanthus leaves in the capitals. Sculptor Ignazio Marabitti contributed the full-length statues on the facade. Add photos of Syracuse Cathedral Sicily to the cart as royalty free download or prints or download from our ALAMY STOCK LIBRARY page at https://www.alamy.com/portfolio/paul-williams-funkystock/syracusesicily.html USEFUL LINKS: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syracuse,_Sicily Visit our SICILY PHOTO COLLECTIONS for more photos to download or buy as prints https://funkystock.photoshelter.com/gallery-collection/2b-Pictures-Images-of-Sicily-Photos-of-Sicilian-Historic-Landmark-Sites/C0000qAkj8TXCzro

Pictures images photos of Palermo Cathedral. Images & photos of the medieval Palermo Duomo. Also buy stock photos & photo art prints. The church was erected in 1185 by Walter Ophamil (or Walter of the Mill), the Anglo-Norman archbishop of Palermo and King William II's minister, on the area of an earlier Byzantine basilica. The upper orders of the corner towers were built between the 14th and the 15th centuries, while in the early Renaissance period the southern porch was added. Add photos of Palermo Cathedral to the cart as royalty free download or prints or download from our ALAMY STOCK LIBRARY page at https://www.alamy.com/portfolio/paul-williams-funkystock (scroll down and type Palermo Cathedral into lower search box)