Сиракуза, Италија
The Temple of Apollo is one of the many treasures that can be seen in the old part of the city of Syracuse - the island of Ortigia. The temple is the oldest known Doric temple in Western Europe. It dates from the 6th century BC. An inscription at the base of the temple tells us that the temple was dedicated to Apollo, but when Cicero visited Syracuse, he wrote that the temple was in honor of Artemis. It was later transformed into a Byzantine church, and with the fall of Sicily under Muslim rule, it became a mosque. During the Norman rule, the building was returned to its original form - a Christian church.
Today the temple is half-ruined, but its impressive dimensions are still preserved - 58 m long and 24 m wide - occupying a considerable part of Pankali square. An inscription with the name of the god to whom the temple is dedicated can still be seen on the last level of the foundation.
