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Syracuse and Surrounding

Residenza Alfeo

Syracuse and Surrounding

Antico Hotel Roma 1880

Syracuse and Surrounding

Algilà Ortigia Charme Hotel

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  • Art and History in Syracuse
    • - Arabic Syracuse

    The Island of Ortigia
    • - The Fonte Aretusa of Syracuse
    • - Judaica. Exploring Jewish Syracuse
      • - Mikva (Ritual Jewish Bath)
    • - The Seaside of Ortigia, in Syracuse
      • - Papyrus Museum of Syracuse
      • - The Maniace Castle
    • - Piazza Archimede (Archimede Square)
      • - The Fountain of Diana
      • - Palazzo Mergulese-Montalto
    • - The Piazza Duomo in Syracuse
      • - Palazzo Senatorio (1633), City Hall
      • - The Artemision of Syracuse
      • - The Duomo (Cathedral of Syracuse / Greek Temple of Athena)
      • - The Archbishop’s Palace
      • - The Hypogeum of Piazza del Duomo in Syracuse
      • - Santa Lucia alla Badia a Siracusa
      • - Palazzo Beneventano dal Bosco
    • - The Galleria Regionale of the Palazzo Bellomo in Syracuse
      • - Church of San Martino
    • - Piazza del Precursore in Syracuse
      • - Casa di Mario Minniti
    • - Santa Maria della Concezione in Syracuse
    • - The Temple of Apollo in Syracuse
    • - Maritime Museum
    • - Shopping in Syracuse
      • - The Ortigia Market

    THE MAINLAND
    • - Euryalus Castle in Syracuse.
    • - The Complex of Saint Lucia.
      • - The Church of Saint Lucia.
      • - Caravaggio, Burial of Saint Lucia.
      • - Catacombs of Saint Lucia in Syracuse.
      • - Chapel of the Tomb of Saint Lucia.
      • - The Tomb of Saint Lucia
    • - "Latomìe": the Ancient Greek Quarries of Syracuse.
      • - L’Orecchio di Dionisio (“The Ear of Dionysius”) in Syracuse.
      • - The Quarries of the Capuchins (Latomie dei Cappuccini) in Syracuse.
    • - The Archaeological Park of Syracuse.
      • - The Roman Amphitheater in Syracuse.
      • - The altar of Hiero II
      • - San Nicolò dei Cordari.
      • - The Greek theatre.
    • - The Archaeological Museum “Paolo Orsi” in Syracuse.
    • - Shrine of the Madonna delle Lacrime (Our Lady of Tears) in Syracuse.
    • - The complex of San Giovanni Evangelista
      • - The Ruins of the Church of San Giovanni Evangelista.
      • - Crypt of San Marziano.
      • - Catacombs of San Giovanni in Syracuse.

    WHAT TO EAT IN SYRACUSE

    With Children in Syracuse
    • - Marine Aquarium
    • - Papyrus Museum in Syracuse
    • - Puppet Lab and Theater in Syracuse
    • - Boat Outing in the Port
    • - Ciane / Anapo Rivers
    • - The Nature Reserve of Vendicari

    Nature and the Sea in Syracuse
    • - Getting around by bike
    • - Fontane Bianche (White Fountains beach)
    • - Ciane / Anapo Rivers
    • - The Nature Reserve of Vendicari
    • - Spiaggia di Calamosche (Calamosche Beach)

    SEASON OF THE GREEK THEATRE IN SYRACUSE

    Surroundings of Syracuse
    • - A Trip to Noto – Sicily's Capital of the Baroque
    • - The Roman Villa of Tellaro (Noto) and its Mosaics

    Tourist Offers
    • - St. Ambrogio and Immacolata Offer
    • - Visit Eastern Sicily Offer
    • - "Visit Syracuse and its Surroundings" Offer
    • - Syracuse and Cinema - "The Sicily of Montalbano and of The Leopard" Offer
    • - Romantic Getaway Offer
    • - "Winter in Sicily is Warm" Offer

    Sports and Recreation in Syracuse
    • - Enjoy yourself and play sports in Syracuse
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Shrine of the Madonna delle Lacrime (Our Lady of Tears) in Syracuse.

Completed only in 1994, the Shrine of Our Lady of Tears in Syracuse is a work of contemporary architecture began in 1966. This construction was marred by heated controversy for its impressive size (90 meters / 295 feet wide and almost as high), which for better or worse creates a visual reference point of primary importance in the city’s skyline.

Circular in shape, the shrine was built to accommodate the increasing number of pilgrims drawn to a small plaster image of the Madonna, from which tears were said to have miraculously emanated in 1953 in an impoverished house of Syracusan faithful.  The shape of the dizzying dome is meant to recall both a tear that falls and a tented pavilion serving as a sign of welcome to pilgrims.

Inside the building, the dome stands on a sleek structure of reinforced concrete pillars, open in all directions by lines of windows that create an elegant and luminous radial pattern.

The space consists of a place of worship, the shrine itself, and a second underground area that serves as the crypt.  

The sixteen chapels built around the base of the shrine house several well-preserved ancient and contemporary works of art, while the crypt’s eight chapels house modern mosaics and the remains of a Greek-Roman and Byzantine tomb, discovered during the excavation of the foundation.

Three museums are connected with the shrine (admission € 1,55, 9:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and 4:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m.): that of the tear-yielding statue (with material related to the event that resulted in the creation of the shrine), that of the ex voto (with more than a thousand ex votos, or devotional votives, on display), and lastly that of the vestments and crèches, which exhibits a collection of liturgical vestments, particularly from the 18th and 19th centuries.

From the Shrine of the Madonna delle Lacrime one can easily reach the Regional Archaeological Museum, the Catacombs of San Giovanni, and a little further away, the Archaeological Park of Syracuse.

External view of the Shrine of the  Madonna delle Lacrime of Syracuse. The atmospheric interior of the shrine’s cupola.

How to Reach the Shrine of the Madonna delle Lacrime from the Algilà Ortigia Charme Hotel and from the Antico Hotel Roma 1880.

The Shrine of the Madonna delle Lacrime of Syracuse is located a few steps away from the Museo Archeologico Regionale “Paolo Orsi” off the island of Ortigia. 
A route by foot is possible, but it will exceed one kilometer in distance. Those who do not have their own transportation can call a taxi from the reception desk at a special rate or use the bicycles that both the Hotel Algilà and the Hotel Roma offer to their guests for free. Alternately, one can take the (free) shuttle bus #20 from the nearby Piazza Archimede up to the bus station (near the train station) and then take either one of the following bus lines:  6, 8, 11, 12 or 13. 
Otherwise, from Riva Nazario Sauro (behind the nearby Piazza delle Poste) one can choose from the following bus lines 1, 2, 3, 4 or 12.

Visitor Information 
The Shrine of the Madonna delle Lacrime in Syracuse is open weekdays from 7:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and from 3:00 p.m. to 8 p.m. On holidays evenings the closing is delayed until 9:00 p.m. During functions visits are not permitted.  

Both male and female visitors are asked to avoid entering in clothes that are too skimpy, like shorts, sundresses, and the like. If one plans to walk about with light clothing it would be advisable to bring along clothing suitable for a visit.
For information: tel.: (++39) 0931 64077, email: info@madonnadellelacrime.it.

The sanctuary is wheelchair accessible.

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Algilà Ortigia Charme Hotel ****S

Via Vittorio Veneto, 93
I-96100 Siracusa, Italy
Phone +39 0931 465186
E-mail algila@algila.it

4 STAR HOTELS SICILY