The ear of Dionysius is an artificial limestone cave carved in the rocks Temanite in Syracuse. The name of this tourist attraction derives from its similarity to the shape of the human ear.

Probably, the Ear of Dionysius was formed on the site of an old quarry that was famous town. The cave is 23 meters in height, and its length deep into the rock is 65 meters. If you look at it from above, we can see that the cave has a bend in the form of the letter S. And the entrance to the cave has the shape of a drop. It is because of this form in the cave incredibly good acoustics – even the quietest whisper can be heard throughout the room.

The name of the cave got in 1586, and it is none other than the great Italian artist Caravaggio. The name refers to the tyrant of Syracuse, Dionysius I. According to the legend (possibly also invented by Caravaggio), Dionysius used the cave as a prison for political opponents and, thanks to the wonderful acoustics overheard their plans and ferret out secrets. Another, more terrible, legend has it that Dionysius ordered to dislodge the cave in the shape of the ear to amplify the cries of the captives who have been here cruel torture. Unfortunately, today it is impossible to enjoy the excellent acoustics, as access to its Central point is closed.

Incidentally, the Ear of Dionysius is also called the type of the auditory tube with a flexible hose, and this term is used to refer to surveillance, especially for political purposes.

But in General there are very serious grounds to believe that the cave has a natural origin. Because it is located in a low hillside, consisting of solid rock, it may have developed as a result of the action of rain in prehistoric times. Similar to education, having the shape of the canyon, many of which can be seen in the U.S. state of Utah. The narrowness of the upper part of the cave and the expansion in the bottom part along with serpentine-shaped are also characteristic of the slot canyons. And just polished walls serve as further proof of long-term action of water. This natural sight in conjunction with incredible acoustics, most likely, led to the fact that the ancients revered this place sacred, and therefore it is well preserved.