The Cathedral of the Nativity of Mary Most Holy, built in the 7th century, is incorporated in what was the main sacred temple of Doric style of the Greek colony of Syracuse, dedicated to Athena. After being damaged during the earthquake in Sicily in 1693, it was restored in a rococo style in the 18th century. Since 2005, the cathedral is protected by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
The church of San Martino dates back to the Norman period (1091-1194) and much of the structure has been preserved from this period. The architecture of the apse and the columns surrounding it are even older, probably dating from the sixth century AD, and other elements such as the rose window and the entrance portal date from 1300 - 1400.
The church of San Giovanni Battista, better known as San Giovannello, was built in the 14th century on top of another early Christian basilica from the 4th century. It has a beautiful 15th-century portal, a rose window and the top of the façade which are not in line with each other, due to the changes the church has undergone over the centuries, especially in the 18th century. It also has two bell towers on the left of the building, which are now roofless. The interior is in the form of a Latin cross, with three naves, separated by columns alternating with ogival arches.
The Church of the Holy Spirit was built during the Spanish rule of Sicily by the architect Pompeo Picherali in 1727. It stands on the site of a church dating from the fourth century. In the 14th century, a church of the Holy Spirit stood here but was destroyed by the earthquakes of 1542 and 1693.
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