Greek Theatre

Oldest and best preserved monument of Taormina, the Greek Theatre is located on a panoramic spot from which you can admire Etna and the Ionian Sea.

Most likely it was built in the third century B.C. by the will of the wife of the tyrant Hiero II, Philistis, whose name is engraved on some steps of the theater. Then it was rebuilt in the second century A C.
The auditorium, made and carved into the hillside, has a diameter of about 109 meters and is divided into nine sectors.

At the top of the steps there is a double portico covered by a vault; along the wall of the portico we can see thirty-six small niches which were maybe used to accommodate the statues.
In late imperial era, the theater was renovated and enlarged to welcome performances which were popular in Roman times, such as gladiator fights and the hunting of wild animals.
The stage has three large openings, flanked by niches and columns relocated here in the nineteenth century.

Today, the Greek Theatre, the second of Sicily for dimensions after that of Siracusa, has emerged on the international scene as unique and fascinating setting for awards and cultural events.