History, art and culture
The wonderful city of Agrigento, known in past times as Akragas Agrigentum, is located in the South of Sicily at 230 metres above sea level. The city is a splendid example of ancient traditions mingling with modern-day life as if set in a frame of times gone by.
The Valley of the Temples that lies to the southernmost part covers the ruins of the ancient city and bears testimony to earlier Greek culture. The story of Agrigento began around 580 BC when settlers from Gela and Rhodes founded their first colony there. The story continued for more than a thousand years ending with the fall of the Roman Empire and invasions by Barbarians between the 7th and 9th centuries. The temples here that date back to the 5th century BC were built in the Doric style using local limestone tuffs.
Akragas, from the very beginning became one of the most important cities of the Magna Grecia (Greater Greece) and in Sicily was second only to Syracuse. The town was surrounded by walls and had nine gates.
It fell to the Romans after 210 and was governed by them until the Arabs invaded and subsequently stared rebuilding.
Nowadays, Via Antenea, the main street of the historical centre, boasts wonderful palaces and ancient churches on either side of it.
Agriculture is extremely important and the surrounding countryside is dotted with trees growing olives, vines and almonds. There are wheat fields, grape vines and citrus fruit trees planted right down to the sea. Handcrafted articles also play an important role in the local economy, especially regarding working with cork that is a speciality of this region and includes Sicilian characters in wood and local musical instruments (ciarameddi, tamburelli, bummuli) that are used particularly in folk groups.
The Valley of the Temples
The Valley bears witness to the classical Greek culture of ancient times and is home to temples dedicated to the Gods and Goddesses as well as the Necropolis and the Extra-Moenia sanctuaries.
Temple of Juno
was erected in the 5th century BC in the highest point in the valley and dedicated to Hera Lacinia. It was set on fire by the Carthaginians in 406. The Greeks celebrated marriages after a ritual of appeasement in this temple that was dedicated to the goddess of marriage and childbirth.
Temple of Concorde is found along Via Sacra and was also built around the 5th century and is the only one to remain relatively intact possibly because it was converted to a Christian church in the 6th century. The temple got its name from a Latin inscription found near the temple.
Temple of Heracles (Hercules) This was the first temple built and was dedicated to Hercules who was the national hero of Sicily and Agrigento in particular. Inside the temple there was a bronze statue of this character. The temple was destroyed by an earthquake and now only 8 of its original 38 columns remain.
Temple of Zeus (Jupiter) was built to thank Zeus for their victory against the Carthaginians at Himera in 480 BC. One of the features of this temple was the telamons, which are giant human figures, used between each column to support the building.
Temple of Castor and Pollux (Dioscuri) dedicated to Leda (the queen of the Spartans) and Zeus’s twins. This temple is now the symbol of Agrigento and has only four remaining columns.
Temple of Vulcan Very little is left of this temple that was built in the 5th century that must have been a very imposing sight. Traces of an earlier temple have been found beneath its foundations.
Temple of Asclepius (Esculapius) was built well outside the city walls and was a place visited by sick pilgrims hoping to be cured. The temple walls were covered with messages from those who had been cured.
The Tomb of Theron, was built near the Porta Aurea and is a significant monument built from local volcanic tuff. The tomb is pyramid shaped and was built to honour the dead from the 2nd Punic war.
UNESCO INSCRIPTION
The archaeological area of Agrigento was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1997.
The Committee decided to inscribe this site on the basis of criteria (i), (ii), (iii) and (iv), considering that Agrigento was one of the greatest cities of the ancient Mediterranean world, and it has been preserved in an exceptionally intact condition.
Its great row of Doric temples is one of the most outstanding monuments of Greek art and culture.
