Agrigento Temple Valley - A UNESCO Site

One of Sicily’s must-see sites is undoubtedly the Valley of the Temples, along the coastal road on the outskirts of Agrigento. In this impressive archaeological park you find eight well preserved Greek temples, and other remains, built between 510 BC and 430 BC; very much worth the nearly 2 1/2 hour drive. As you approach the site, impressive, ancient ruins perched on the ridge, unfold as one of the most outstanding monuments of Greek art and culture. Founded as a Greek colony in the 6th century B.C., it was one of the most important cities in the Mediterranean. Walk the ancient paths surrounded by olive trees. Visit the Temple of Jupiter (Zeus), which if completed, would have been one of the largest in the ancient world.

From the Tempio dei Dioscuri, only four of its columns stand today. Nearby you’ll find a sacred area dedicated to Demeter and Persephone – the underground gods – as well as two sacrificial altars. Possibly the oldest of all, the Temple of Hercules was built in the ancient Doric style. Eight of its columns have been restored. The Temple of Concord is the largest, most majestic and best-preserved of the Doric temples in Sicily. It has a peristyle of 34 tufa limestone columns, although its’ original stucco facing has disappeared. And last but not least, the impressive Tempio di Hera Lacinia (dedicated to Juno, or her Greek equivalent, Hera) with its partially-preserved colonnade. Its elevation offers an impressive view of the valley.