Page "Syracuse, Sicily" Paragraph 25

The city was struck by two ruinous earthquakes in 1542 and 1693, and a plague in 1729.

The 17th century destruction changed forever the appearance of Syracuse, as well as the entire Val di Noto, whose cities were rebuilt along the typical lines of Sicilian Baroque, considered one of the most typical expressions of art of Southern Italy.

The spread of cholera in 1837 led to a revolt against the Bourbon government.

The punishment was the move of the province capital seat to Noto, but the unrest had not been totally choked, as the Siracusani took part in the Sicilian revolution of independence of 1848.