Ortigia was the name given by the Greeks to the island south of the city of Syracuse, the greatest city in the Greek Empire after its capture in 415 BC. Situated on the western coast of the island, it is in the area of Sicily known as ‘La Sicilia Orientale’.
Throughout its history Sicily was fought over and colonized: Greeks, Phoenicians, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Normans Hohenstaufens, Angevins, Aragonese and Bourbons all left their mark. Examples abound throughout the island: in Syracuse one finds crumbling baroque façades of great splendour adorning earlier Catalan-Gothic buildings, while the Greek temple of Apollo was simply transformed into the ‘Duomo’, the city’s cathedral, leaving the original columns intact.
Because of its proximity to Africa, this region of Sicily has an almost tropical climate. This is the only area where blood oranges are grown; cactus, eucalyptus, lemon and grapefruit trees are also cultivated, while almonds, pistachios, saffron, vines and olives thrive in the rich volcanic soil. Black lava is ubiquitous: in the soil and rocks, in the building material of the majority of the buildings in Catania, where even the cement of the houses is black. It is an omnipresent reminder of Mount Etna – Europe’s highest active volcano – both beautiful and sinister, realm of the God Vulcan, and home to the Cyclops.
The island’s history, reflected in the uniquely rich and layered culture that is found in Sicily today, has inspired the Ortigia range.
The company Ortigia features a range of personal care inspired by this cultural wealth and natural beauty – all of the colors, scents and aesthetics are Sicilian, and all of the plants used to create the range are indigenous to Sicily. All of Ortigia's products are made from natural and traditional ingredients, such as olive oil, palm oil, almond oil, lanolin, naturally distilled lavender and vegetable dyes. Traditional products with a modern ethic.
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Ortigia Sicilia
Ambra Nera Collection
Spicy exotic woods, vetiver, patchouli and cedar over an amber
base of labdanum, oak musk, galbanum and resins.
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Fico D'India
A dry, almost
velvety scent, which mirrors the plant: dusky pale green with
explosions of remarkable orange flowers.
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Lavanda Collection
Distilled from organic Lavandula Officinalis and Lavanda
Vera, the true lavender essence indigenous to the Mediterranean.
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Melograno Collection
The exotic pomegranate fruit with its dry and dusty scent - pomegrante was the personal symbol
of Roman Maximillian I and Catherine of Aragon, both rulers of Sicily.
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Sandalo Collection
The essential oil of this exotic tree with narcissus, cedar,
teak, vetiver rose and jasmine.
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Sicilian Lime Collection
A rich citrus mixture with a base of bitter orange,
aromatic woods, vanilla and lime.
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Zagara Collection
A highly aromatic citrus scent with a neroli, petitgrain and woody base.
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