The Valley of the Temples in Agrigento

The Valley of the Temples is a truly splendid place to visit, this archaeological area is located in Sicily in Agrigento and boasts a truly unique landscape and monumental heritage.

It extends for about 1300 hectares and its state of conservation is truly extraordinary. The archaeological remains are from the ancient city of Akragas.

In the 1997 the Valley of the Temples is has become part of the UNESCO list of world heritage sites.

History and characteristics

This important tourist destination is one of the main symbols of Sicily and one of the largest archaeological complexes, its history has ancient origins.

Akragas was one of the Greek colonies of greatest interest, this was about 450 hectares in size and was founded in 582 BC. about by settlers from Gela and Rhodes.

The place that was chosen is located on a plateau which is protected in a natural way by the Athenian cliff and the Colle di Girgenti in the north, then by the long hill of temples in the south. While on the sides of the site there are the two rivers Akragas and Hypsas, these to the south flow into a single course which leads to what was the ancient port.

Akragas was organized by terraces and also had a regular urban layout.

The acropolis, located on the Athenian cliff served as a sacred and also a defensive area. The monumental sanctuaries were located on the Collina dei Templi. The public and residential buildings were located in the central part, instead their deceased were placed outside the city or in the necropolises.

Akragas, towards the end of the 6th century BC, was equipped with a large city wall.

12 kilometers long with nine gates.

The city came to have power and fame under the tyrant Terone (488-471 BC) and later (471-406 BC) because of the democracy that was thanks to the philosopher Empedocles. During this period many Doric temples were built on the southern hill.

Over the centuries the city was destroyed and rebuilt, passing from hand to hand and going through alternating periods of prosperity and misery. When it was conquered by the Romans, these changed its name to Agrigentum.

During the Christian era churches and cemeteries were built on the Hill of Temples. In 829, the place was conquered by the Arabs and already on the Colle di Girgenti the residential area was perched, where today there is Agrigento.

In addition to the many temples present, in the valley there are also. The field of the Olympeion, tombs and necropolis, shrines, residential blocks, various finds and the museum.

In addition, the landscape is full of centenary almond and olive trees.