Sicily – Discover the Heritage
of Ragusa Written and Photographed by Melanie Ast
Being Sicilian is something somewhat unique. I am a northwestern
Sicilian. I was born and raised overlooking the beautiful Castellammare
gulf, in a town where, it is said, the Italian language was born.
Having Sicily been conquered by the Elims, the Phoenicians, the
Greeks, the Romans, the Carthagineans, the Arabs, the Normans,
the Spanish and the French, our culture is unique indeed. It is
a mix, a rich mix where each conquering people left a little of
its own culture behind, to be amalgamated, rather than rejected,
creating a real Sicilian melting pot. We are proud of it. I grew
up breathing history, it is impossible not to.
At every corner, you encounter a piece of the past, whether it
is Greek or Baroque, Arabian or simply a survivor of feudal times,
the past, in Sicily, is very much present. I know my native island
reasonably well; yet, there is always an element of surprise in
travelling through it. Although one has seen a particular place
million times, the emotions it creates are always new. And there
are places where I have never been, through lack of time or maybe
overlooked. This time, I want to put it right. This journey takes
us to the southeast side of Sicily, to the city of Ragusa, an
area often shadowed by the more famous Catania and Taormina, beautiful
in their own right, but maybe a little overrated.
The Ragusa province lies in between the Agrigento province, on
the left, and the Syracuse province on the right. It concentrates
mainly inland but it expands as well towards the Mediterranean
sea. We leave behind the hotels and the holiday villages and we
travel, in style, with a camper van. The journey, from Palermo,
takes around three hours. The Sicilian countryside, especially
in the summer, is a spectacular canvas of yellows, reds, ochre
and greens. Wild and desolated, the naked mountains are surrounded
by long and sunny yellow fields, where wheat has just been harvested;
there they meet the ochre and red of the soil and the green of
the vineyards. Once in a while, it is possible to spot cattle
grazing or the odd stream flowing lazily under the harsh summer
sun. Except for the motorway, there is little sign of modern life.
We arrive at our first destination, the town of Ragusa and its
older sister, Ragusa Ibla. Ibla, or Lower Ragusa, was populated
by the indigenous Siculi in ancient times and was called “Hybla
Heraea” from which the name Ibla derives. The town became
a major centre in southeast Sicily and was soon Hellenized after
coming into contact with the Greeks of nearby Syracuse, around
the 5th century BC.
Ilba seemed to have declined with the arrival of both Romans
and Arabs, but it flourished again during the 15th and 16th centuries.
In 1693, an earthquake raised it to the ground. The reconstruction
that followed, brought Ilba towards two different directions:
the lower side, the old Ibla, and the new town, on the upper side
of the mountain, known as Ragusa. Ibla was, therefore, rebuilt
on its ashes and declared recently a “Unesco World Heritage
Site”.
The two city centres are linked by a flight of 250 steps and by
a steep road. Both towns contain a vast array of exquisite Baroque
style buildings and churches and challenge more famous Sicilian
Baroque strongholds such as nearby Noto and Modica. Ibla is built
on a rock and it still looks tenaciously hanging on to it, a confused,
and yet neat, mosaic of little houses, like a Christmas “presepe”,
or Nativity scene, forever immutable.
It is fascinating strolling around its cobbled streets, its nearly
deserted alleys, its steep flights of steps and marvel at the
little gems that meet your gaze. Plus, they give your photographic
creativity a huge boost!
A map is somewhat superfluous, better going with the flow, though
there are at least three buildings of note: the Cathedral, the
church of Santa Maria dell’Itria and the Palazzo della Cancelleria.
The Cathedral, or the church of San Giorgio, is quite an imposing
sight. Its construction started in 1739 and finished in 1820.
The façade is richly adorned and features Corinthian style
columns. The top of the façade features a bell tower and
a clock, striking the time passing by. The “cupola”
is a massive 43 meters high and neoclassical in style. It reminds
me of the cupola in St Peter’s in the Vatican with its elegance
and size.
The church of Santa Maria dell’Itria is easily spotted
by its blue porcelain cupola. Hidden behind a narrow alley, it
is reputed to having been built on an earlier byzantine church
and it seems that its construction was requested by the Order
of the Knights of Malta, whose emblem is still visible on the
front door. Next door to the church lies the Palazzo della Cancelleria
and the Sicilian Baroque technique at its best.
Leaving Ibla, after a quick dip in the cool Mediterranean waters
of Punta Braccetto, we continue on towards Punta Secca, a small
fishing village, now known to most Italians as the site of a popular
television fiction series. This small quaint village contains
lovely examples of Sicilian Baroque style and a good sized beach.
The cooking style of this part of the island greatly differs
to what I am used to in my native northwest. It feels richer,
heavier, more Greek/Turkish than Arabian. The presence of meat
is more ubiquitous here but the cheese and tomatoes are renowned
worldwide and they are delicious.
It feels like the perfect holiday: sun, sea, good food and sightseeing;
Sicily really has it all!
Melanie
Ast is a Sicilian living in Ireland, Belfast. She obtained
a degree in languages and literature, and simply loves travelling,
photography and writing. She is also passionate about art,
culture and archeology.
