Valle dei Templi - Agrigento

In the Valley of the Temples, which was declared in 1997 by UNESCO "World Heritage“, is one of the largest archaeological sites in the Mediterranean.

Akragas was one of the most important Greek colonies in Sicily, extended about 450 hectares, founded around 582 BC by settlers from nearby Gela and from Rhodes.

Hill of the Temples: As of the end of the sixth century B.C. begins to take shape with the construction of the temple perpetrated of Heracles, the monumental structure of this sector of the eastern hill. This monumental work during the fifth century, particularly between 450 and 430 B.C. finds its highest definition with the construction of the temples of Juno and Concordia. This is the best preserved and has a peristyle (colonnade) of 6x13 columns and retains the character of the best Doric architectural style. To the north of the temple are the remains of an early Christian and Byzantine necropolis to whom belongs the Necropolis called Cave Frangipane, the most important catacomb complex of Agrigento. You can also visit the Antiquarium of "Peace House“, an old farmhouse that collects documents from the early Christian necropolis of Agrigento and from other sites in the province.

Temple of Jupiter and the Sanctuary of the Chthonic Deities: The temple of Olympian Zeus erected after the battle of Himera, the colossal size, filed a false colonnade of 7x14 columns and a sequence of giant figures (Telamons) placed at a certain height on the wall of space closure existing between each siphon. Of these giant figures, one has been reassembled at the Archaeological Museum of Agrigento. Behind the Temple, after an inhabited area, probably built in feature of the sanctuary is a sacred area in which you recognize the remains of a temple built in the sixth century BC, rebuilt in the fifth and in the course of the third century. BC opened on a large square slab bordered to the north and east by a portico with L form.

Immediately to the west, past the ruins of door V, you reach the so-called Shrine of the chthonic deities, the most important complex of religious buildings dedicated to the worship of chthonic deities (Demeter and Kore) in life from the Archaic (sixth century BC.) to the Hellenistic period . This shrine is characterized by the presence of open fences with one or more altars inside. To the fifth century. B.C. Date, however the remains of the temple periptero cd Dioscuri of which retains the north-west corner. One last sacred area is finally located at the western end of the terrace that overlooks the Colimbetra, the wide depression identified with the large pool which Diodorus speaks about. The area was recently assigned to the FAI and has been the subject of interesting environmental restoration and returned to fruition.

Hellenistic-Roman Quarter: This is an important area of ​​town that offers the most significant documents in the history of urban of the ancient Agrigento. The entire complex of monumental remains in sight is referable to the Late Hellenistic and Roman times, but essays found in-depth have disclosed that the urban date back to the sixth century. BC. The regular urban design seems to be set, in this area, on four north-south arteries which stood on a major road that runs along the east-west from the North fenced area within which are in sight twenty homes. The houses were decorated with painted plaster and pavements are a simple type (earthenware tiles with insertion of white marble) and mosaics with geometric motifs in black. To the II - III century. AD, are dated, however the beautiful mosaics, sometimes with a central emblem placed in the center of the floor.