Valley of the Temples (Valle dei Templi) Reviews (Sicily, Italy)

Agrigento - The Valley of the Temples

Ayr, Scotland, United Kingdom

November 21, 2005

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Best of IgoUgo Visiting Agrigento is a walk through ancient Greece where serried ranks of gods commanded the heavens and earth. Besides the ruins of the temples dedicated to the gods, there are cemeteries, houses, and streets. There is a small amphitheatre, ...Read more Visiting Agrigento is a walk through ancient Greece where serried ranks of gods commanded the heavens and earth. Besides the ruins of the temples dedicated to the gods, there are cemeteries, houses, and streets. There is a small amphitheatre, several auditoriums, and a fine archaeological museum. One can only imagine how beautiful this area was when it was a thriving city and the temples were almost all complete.

Founded as a Greek colony in the 6th century BC, Agrigento had a good harbour, fertile soil, and the protection against attack of the surrounding cliffs. As a flourishing capital of 200,000 people, it became known for its wealth and promoting the arts, philosophy, and chariot racing. It is one of the most important archaeological sites in the world, and in 1997, it became a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Doric-style temples were all built within a century. They face east to enable the rising sun to smile on the statue of the different god housed in each temple. On walking south through the valley, the first temple reached is The Tempio di Giunone (Juno) dedicated to the goddess of marriage and childbirth and commanding a superb view of the valley. In 406 BC, the Carthaginians ransacked the city and set the temple on fire. Of the 34 original columns, 30 remain standing, 16 of which still keep their capitals. A sacrificial altar stands in front of the temple.

The beautiful Tempio della Concordia (Concord) is perhaps the best-preserved Greek temple in existence. Its name comes from a Latin inscription found near the temple. Thirty-two Doric columns surround its large interior. It owes its state of preservation to it becoming a Christian church in the 6th century and restoration work in the 18th. To the left of the temple is a Palaeochristian necropolis--early Christian tombs cut into the rock and dug into underground catacombs.

The Temple of Castor and Pollux (Dioscuri), dedicated to Leda and Zeus's twins originally, like Juno, had 34 columns. The four standing come from other buildings, making it absurd that these four columns are the most photographed of all the temples and the symbol of Agrigento.

The oldest temple is the Tempio di Ercole (Temple of Hercules), dating from the 6th century B.C. It is now a jumble of ruins, from which nine of its original columns still emerge.

Though never completed, the Tempio di Giove (Jupiter) became the eighth wonder of the world. Completed, it would have been the largest temple in the Greek and Roman world, being 330 feet in length. Its design is unique among Doric temples, as it did not have the usual colonnade of freestanding columns but half columns attached to a solid wall. Inside the temple is a cast of one of the 38 Atlas-like figures that supported the temple's massive roof.

The valley is strewn with a jumble of other temples and monuments. Close

From journal Palermo and Agrigento – where civilisations meet

Valle dei Templi

by travelman

toronto, Ontario

March 11, 2001

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Best of IgoUgo This has to be one of the best preserved Greek Temple Ruins -even better than in Greece itself. It is made up of various temples set in a beautiful valley between the city above on the heights (bus #1) and the Ionian Sea. There is also an adjacent ...Read more

From journal Springtime in Sicily

Valley of the Temples

by Jen

Milan, Lombardia, Italy

August 26, 2000

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Best of IgoUgo The most impressive view of the temples is at night, when they are all lit up. However, the best time to explore them up close is obviously during the day. There are 5 Greek temples up on a ridge, and they are in surprisingly good condition. Note ...Read more

From journal Sicily - an adventurer's paradise

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Valley of the Temples (Valle dei Templi)

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Agrigento - The Valley of the Temples

Valle dei Templi

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Agrigento - The Valley of the Temples

Valle dei Templi

Valley of the Temples