The construction of Eurialo Castle (from the Greek euryelos: wide base nail) is attributed to the military genius Dionysius. After the war events that saw Syracuse besieged by the Athenians (415 – 413 BC) and revealed the weakness of that defensive sector, between the years 402 and 397 the tyrant enclosed the city within a 27-kilometer-long wall that had the castle as its advanced stronghold inland. It was a feat that ancient historians handed down to us with a tone of admiration; in any case, we are dealing with a truly colossal work (15,000 sq. m.) for that time.
After the Roman conquest of the city (212 BC), the great military complex of Eurialo was modified several times, up to the Byzantine age when a part of it was rebuilt using spolia material from other ruined parts.
The keep was preceded by three wide moats: the second and third are visible; the first is buried and was at the level of the current ticket office entrance.
The well-cut blocks visible inside the second moat belong to the perimeter structures.
From the third moat, which lay at the foot of the keep, a network of galleries and tunnels branched out. Also in this third moat, there was a barbican connected to the castle by means of a drawbridge.
The keep was protected in the Greek era by a triangular spur (of which collapsed remains survive) later replaced by five towers reaching a height of 15 meters; it is likely that catapults were placed on top of them.
From the plateau, it is still possible to see the northern stretch of the walls where there was a sally port (a pincers gate structure).
Information about Eurialo Castle
Via Siracusa,
96010 Syracuse (Syracuse)
0931711773
soprisr.area@regione.sicilia.it
Source: MIBACT
