Description of the attraction
The ancient city of Tindari was founded in 396 BC. Dionysus of Syracuse on a promontory on the northeastern coast of Sicily, 60 km west of Messina. The name of the city was given in honor of Tyndarius, the ruler of Sparta. Destroyed by a landslide and two earthquakes, Tyndari was discovered during archaeological excavations in 1838, but most of the city's ruins were excavated between 1960 and 1998. Here Roman mosaics, sculptures and pottery were discovered, which are now on display in the local museum. In addition, the ruins of the city walls and the temple of the so-called Black Madonna are well preserved.
Originally, the city walls of Tindari, which consisted of two parallel walls separated from each other by a small gap, were about 3 km long. Two square towers led to the top of the walls - part of the antique staircase is still visible today. The main gate, located in the southwest, was flanked by two other towers and defended by a semicircular outpost with battlements. The space between them was paved with cobblestones.
On the promontory, which offers a wonderful view of the Tyrrhenian Sea, the Aeolian Islands and the small lakes of Marinello in the distance, there was a Greek amphitheater. It was rebuilt during the Roman era. Today, musical and theatrical performances are held on its stage.
At the very edge of the cape stands the Temple of the Black Madonna, which housed a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary, carved from cedar and having a black color. She probably came here during the time of iconoclasm - the political and religious movement of the first half of the 8th century. The temple was destroyed by Algerian pirates in 1544 and rebuilt several decades later. It hosts a festival in honor of the Black Madonna every September.
And at the foot of the promontory lie the Marinello Lakes, called the "dry sea", which are an interesting sandy formation with several small bodies of water in the center. According to one of the most widespread legends, this place was formed after a little girl fell from the terrace of the temple. Miraculously, the child, who fell from a dizzying height, was found safe and sound. The girl's mother - a pilgrim who came from afar - thanks to the salvation of her child, she changed her mind about the statue of the Black Madonna, towards which she had some contradictory feelings due to its unusual color. According to another legend, at this very place in 310 A. D. died Pope Eusebio, elected just a few months earlier. Presumably, he was exiled to Sicily.
Near the beach there is a small cave, in which, according to legend, a witch lived, who lured sailors with her singing and devoured them. And when any of her victims refused to go into the cave, the witch in a rage plunged her fingers into the walls - hence the numerous holes inside the cave.
