Santa Croce Camerina is a small town which is about 20 kilometers from the center of Syracuse.
The place immediately becomes very characteristic due to the presence of several townships all very beautiful and special. Here's what you need to know about the Sicilian marvel in its pure essence.
The origins of Santa Croce Camerina
This area of Sicily was formerly chosen by the Greeks, who in 598 BC founded a colony named Kamarina. The colony prospered for a very long time until the arrival of the Romans, who razed it to the ground. The inhabitants who managed to save themselves from the attack found a refuge near Punta Secca, where they managed to found another colony called Kaucanea.
Towards the XNUMXth century various settlements began in the internal part, towards Contrada Mirio. Here a church and a sanctuary were erected where a painting of Saint Helena, the mother of the Emperor Constantine, was kept inside. It is precisely from the presence of this painting that the name we know today, namely Santa Croce Camerina, was born. Furthermore, according to one legend, here Constantine would have discovered the Cross of Christ.
What to visit in Santa Croce Camerina
Once you arrive in this charming village, it is really easy to go and visit some prominent monuments, such as Peace Palace, a structure built in Liberty style. Also, here you can visit the ancient Mother Church which was built in the XNUMXth century. The structure was refurbished between the end of the eighteenth century and the beginning of the nineteenth century. The facade of the religious structure presents one Baroque style, characterized by an excellent degree of sobriety.
The structure of the church has its own beautiful bell tower which makes it clear to a more trained eye that it has three naves inside. Inside the church there are various beauties to admire, among which a perfect reproduction of Caravaggio's Madonna dei Pellegrini stands out, with the presence of a very valuable statue depicting St. Joseph. But the surprises aren't over yet!
One of the aspects that make Santa Croce Camerina a very popular destination is represented by ruins of Kaukana and Kamarina. In this area, in addition to the crystal clear sea, there is the possibility of going and seeing with our own eyes the remains of an ancient civilization that preceded us. In Kamarina, in fact, there is a regional museum near the sea. Right here it is possible to admire many archaeological finds recovered in the necropolis.
An extraordinary experience, that of arriving with a flash of imagination towards a very distant past of an ancient and respectable civilization, with the special presence of these ancient beauties close to the Sicilian sea. After visiting the museum, it is a very tempting idea for tourists to decide to spend the rest of the day on the beach, perhaps in one of the most beautiful in the area, such as that of Punta arm. The remains of the are also available ruins of the temple of Athena, in a scenario reminiscent of Africa. Here are housed various remains, both terrestrial and from the depths of the sea.
Another very important stage is that of Archaeological Park of Kaukana, where it is possible to visit some houses of the time. In these parts, there are about twenty-five residential remains. The houses are all located around a small church, which still retains its original floor.
Santa Croce Camerina, a universe to be discovered
Overall, the town of Santa Croce Camerina knows how to offer its visitors a set of truly unique scenarios. There is nothing left to do to discover this small all-Sicilian masterpiece and live an experience to remember.
© Image by Alexdechi, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
