The Complex of San Giovanni Evangelista, or Saint John the Evangelist, merged in an area that had been Roman catacombs, and in which, according to tradition, the first bishop of Syracuse, the holy martyr Marziano (or Marciano, 3rd century A.D.) was buried. This place of Christian worship arose in late antiquity, traces of which remain in an ancient crypt that still exists.

Abandoned during the Arab occupation of Sicily and rebuilt in the Norman period around 1092, the building finally collapsed during the earthquake of 1693.
Fragments of the remains were then recovered to partially rebuild the church, on a smaller area and rotated in orientation (that is to say, what today looks like the front was the right side of the original church). The beautiful portico in front of the façade, dating to the 14th century, was built using recovered material.

The area containing these buildings is now one museum complex, which one can visit by guided tour (reservations can be made in advance). The first area into which one enters contains the ruins of the church, where the ceiling is completely missing and which is now occupied in part by a lush garden.

The remains of the building’s Norman columns reveal that it made use of models of the Greek Doric columns visible in the Duomo, but it is even possible that some parts of them are actually authentic Greek columns, stripped from a former temple to Demeter and Kore.

A steep staircase, on the right side of the church’s ruins, provides the descent to the ancient crypt of San Marziano, or Saint Marcian, which remarkably survived through centuries and earthquakes.

This space, originally a hypogeum, was transformed into a church around the 6th century, when the remains of San Marziano were brought there. After the period of Arab rule in Sicily, it was rebuilt in Norman times (the very beautiful capitals of the four pillars that support it date from this era).  

The crypt contains numerous frescoes, unfortunately mostly in precarious states of conservation, which date from the 5th century to the 17th century.

St. Paul, in one of his Epistles, mentions landing in Syracuse, as was normal at the time for people traveling to Italy from the East. His voyage would take him by sea from Palestine to Rome to make a plea before the Emperor for his trial.  St. Paul stopped in Syracuse for three days, and legend has it that on this occasion the Holy Apostle joined the local community and celebrated Mass on an altar similar to the one present in this crypt.  Although this story lacks any historical grounding, the fact remains that this altar was a place of veneration of the memory of the Apostle Paul since early Christianity, as evidenced by the decoration and inscriptions.

The Catacombs of San Giovanni and the ruins of the Church of San Giovanni Evangelista above are located a few steps from the Museo Archeologico Regionale “Paolo Orsi” and a short distance from the Archaeological Park of Syracuse off the island of Ortigia. A route by foot is possible, but it will exceed one kilometer / 0.62 miles 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 the Hotel Algilà offers to its 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.  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 opening and tours of the catacombs and ruins of the church are entrusted to the cooperative Kairòs (for information: phone (++39) 0931 64694, fax (++39) 0931 66751, email info@kairos-web.com).  

Visits take place in the form of guided tours every 15 to 30 minutes, from Tuesday to Sunday, 9:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and 2:3-4:30 p.m. (5:30 p.m. in the summer). Closed on Monday. The ticket costs € 8 (€ 5 reduced) including the cost for the guide. The guide, who is kind, provides an explanation of the history and significance of the site although sometimes he speaks in a rather Italianate kind of English)

Groups led by a cleric can also book the celebration of a Mass in the crypt of San Marziano. The visit requires, calculating a possible wait for the group’s departure, no more than 30 minutes.

The catacombs, which are all on one level with a bare floor, are easy to navigate, but the entrance itself is Via a steep staircase, which does not allow access to people with difficulty walking without proper assistance. The visit is also not recommended for people who suffer from claustrophobia, owing to the absence of an external opening.