The Altar of Hiero II of Syracuse.

The altar (ora ara) of Hiero (or Hieron) II, was built by the "tyrant" (Greek king) Hiero II of Syracuse (who reigned from 269 to 216 B.C.) in the third century before Christ.
This is the largest surviving altar of Greek antiquity; in fact, it is a little longer than a stadion (corresponding to 192 meters / 630 feet) and 23 meters / 75.5 feet wide.

Originally it was surrounded by porticos; in Roman times a garden of trees was planted in the courtyard.
 

The Altar of Hiero II in Syracuse.

On this huge altar it was possible to celebrate grandiose religious ceremonies, with the sacrifice of up to 450 bulls in a single day. This was one way to propitiate the gods but also to remind friends and enemies that Syracuse had plenty of resources and subjects...

Unfortunately, only the base of this huge structure remains, carved into the rock that rises from the ground to save the excavation of the foundations. Everything else (i.e., the walls of square blocks, columns, access ramps, statues) was demolished by the Spanish, who in the 16th century plundered the ancient Greek and Roman monuments in order to obtain stone to build the fortifications of Ortigia.

It is left to the imagination to picture, based on the surviving “floor,” the grandeur of this building (the reconstruction of the (wider) Pergamon Altar, now in Berlin, can give an enlarged idea about it).

Another view of the Altar of Hiero II in Syracuse.

How to Reach the Altar of Hiero II from the Algilà Ortigia Charme Hotel.
The Altar of Hiero II is part of the Archaeological Park of Syracuse, which is located off the island of Ortigia and more precisely at the extreme north of the ancient city (Neapolis).  A route by foot is possible, but it will exceed one kilometer / 0.62 miles in distance.
Those who do not have their own transportation can call a taxi from the reception desk at a special rate or use the bicycles that the Hotel Algilà offers to its guests for free.
Alternatively, one can take the (free) shuttle bus #20 from the nearby Piazza Archimede up to the bus station (near the train station) and then take either one of the following bus lines:  6, 8, 11, 12 or 13.
Otherwise, from Riva Nazario Sauro (behind the nearby Piazza delle Poste) one can choose from the following bus lines 1, 2, 3, 4 or 12.

Visitor Information
Like all of the monuments in the Archeological Park, the Altar also suffers from staff shortages, which in turn require closing parts of the museum area. For this reason, the entrance to the enclosure that surrounds the altar may not be permitted.
However, the park’s road (paved) passes close to the monument and allows an excellent view from above.

All of the sights within the Archaeological Park can be visited with a single ticket of entry (full price € 6, with reduced-priced tickets available for those aged 18 to 25 years and free entry for citizens of the European Union under 18 or over 65). Remember not to throw away the ticket to go from one area to another.
Admission is free for people with disabilities and for those who accompany them.

The park is open every day, including holidays, from 9:00 a.m. until two hours before sunset.

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