The district Graziella, Ortigia, Siracusa

One of the most beautiful district in Ortigia's island, the historical center of Syracuse, is the Graziella. The name of the district derives from the fishermen, local residents, devoted to Madonna of Grace. Before embarking, it is said, that the fishermen gathered in the square of Graziella, to pray before the statue of the Madonna of the Grace, to ask for protection during their time at sea.   The neighborhood is influenced by Arabic. The streets, the squares, the entire system architecture is messy and original. After the earthquake of 1963, the neighborhood was rebuilt, but the rubble of the earthquake, were not taken away, but piled on the sides of the road, which is why some little streets are at a lower level than the squares or main street. Most likely, the temple of Apollo, given its proximity to the neighborhood of Graziella, was in the X century, an Arab mosque, perhaps the most important of the city.   In the temple we can find an engraving greek Muslim confirms this. The signs of the presence of Islam are also found objects and pottery found and stored in the regional museum of Palazzo Bellomo.
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