Syracuse's showpiece square is a masterpiece of baroque town planning. A long, rectangular piazza flanked by flamboyant palazzi, it sits on what was once Syracuse's ancient acropolis (fortified citadel). Little remains of the original Greek building but if you look along the side of the Duomo, you'll see a number of thick Doric columns incorporated into the cathedral's structure.

　　To the north of the Duomo, over Via Minerva, Palazzo Municipale (or Palazzo Senatoriale) is home to Syracuse city council. It was built in 1629 by the Spaniard Juan Vermexio, who was nicknamed 'Il Lucertolone' (the Lizard) – you can see the architect's signature (a small lizard) carved into a stone on the left corner of the cornice. On the other side of the Duomo, the elegant, 17th-century Palazzo Arcivescovile is home to the Biblioteca Alagoniana and some rare 13th-century manuscripts.

　　Over the square, in the northwestern corner, is the Palazzo Beneventano del Bosco, which sports a pretty 18th-century facade, while at its southern end is the Chiesa di Santa Lucia alla Badia.