Sicily Gela

A long stretch of coast and a rich and fertile soil. These are the principal characteristics of Gela, town of Doric origin situated on the southern coast of Sicily, transformed over the centuries in to a large industrial town. In the area of Molino a Vento, the Acropolis and the contiguous Archaeological Museum testify to the importance of Gela in the Hellenistic period.

Excavation work, in the Capro Sopriano area, has brought to light the exceptionally well conserved remains of ancient Greek fortifications, including an easily identifiable 300meter long stretch of wall, dating back to some time between the 4th and 3rd century B.C., period in which the town was completely rebuilt after having been razed to the ground by the Carthaginians.

Not far away, the remains of an old thermal baths can be seen. Now, each summer and in celebration of the glories of Hellenic Gela, a series of Greek tragedies are performed. In the historic center of Gela there are a number of churches, the most important of which being the Neoclassical Mother Church.