Visit Italy > Sicily > Agrigento
Visit Agrigento
Agrigento is one of the most important cities in Sicily, and is situated on the southern coast of the island.
Agrigento history
Recent excavations have shown that the Agrigento area was inhabited from the Neolithic age and that the Greeks, coming perhaps from nearby Gela, lived in close contact with the Sicilians until the seventh century BC. The Greek colony of Akràgas was founded in the first half of the sixth century (according to tradition in 580) by the inhabitants of Gela and it had a great importance, becoming in the fifth century, following the victory of Imera against the Carthaginians, the second largest city in Sicily after Syracuse. The name, Akràgas, perhaps derives from the river surrounding the city to the south (now San Biagio), which joins the Ipsas River (today 'Drogo').
Thousands of prisoners were used in the construction of public works and in particular the great temple of Olympian Zeus, of dimensions roughly equal to that of Selinunte (112.70 and 56.30 metres). But the temple remained unfinished and was heavily damaged by the Carthaginians in 406 BC. Together with Selinunte, Agrigento is the richest city of temples of Sicily, nearly all intact, such as the Temple of Concord which is the best preserved of all the temples of Sicily. Others include the temple of Hercules (late 6th century BC), Demeter and Athena on the Acropolis (early 5th century), that of Licinia (second half of the 5th century), and finally, the most recent Vulcan, Castor and Pollux and Aesculapius (late fifth century).
The historical events of Agrigento follow those of Sicily; in 210 BC it came under Roman rule (under the name Agrigentum), then it was conquered by the Vandals, Goths and Byzantines and, in the early ninth century (827), it was conquered by the Arabs and finally by Roger Guiscard (1031-1101). In the eighteenth century the city was under the Bourbons and it became part of the kingdom of Italy with the Unification of 1860.
The Valley of the Temples
A visit to Agrigento starts in the Valley of the Temples with the best preserved temple of all: the so-called Temple of Concord. It was named for a Latin inscription added much later, probably in the age of Augustus (63 B.C.-14 A.D.) or Trajan (53-117 A.D.), which was found near the temple that referred to a monument erected to Concord. It is said that the temple had been erected by Theron (535-472 B.C.), and is more than 40 metres long and 20 metres wide. The lintel of the temple is intact and supported by tapered columns, with friezes of triglyphs and metopes; through a step about 50 cm high, you enter the cell where the statue of the god was held, on the sides of which there are two spiral ladders leading to the lintel, where you can admire the countryside and sea.
Also very beautiful and striking is the Temple of Hera Licinia, i.e. the goddess Juno. It is almost as big as the Temple of Concordia, with the same number of tapered columns, but of which only 25 out of 34 are standing. It was severely damaged by the Carthaginians, who burned it and then it was again rebuilt, but it suffered very serious injuries after an earthquake in the Middle Ages.
Near the so-called Golden Gate (Porta Aurea) you can see the ruins of the Temple of Hercules, of which only a single column remains, without capitals - originally it was even bigger than the Temples of Concord and Juno at 64 meters long and about 28 wide and it had 15 columns on either side,with two steps leading to the cell of God, which presents two sides of staircases leading to the lintel. Inside the cell, according to the testimony of Cicero (106-43 B.C.), there was a bronze statue of Hercules, and formerly there was also a painting of Zeus. Across from the Golden Gate was the Temple of Olympian Jupiter, the plan of which was made up of two squares. Not for nothing was it called The Palace of the Giants, and 'giants' (statues) stood in the temple with raised arms to support the roof (now only a few remains).
Of the Temple of Castor and Pollux little remains but it was a remarkable temple, and now you see only four columns and one lintel. Not much remains also of the other two temples, including that of Aesculapius, where, according to Cicero, there was a beautiful statue of Apollo, a work by Myron (480-440 B.C.) that was stolen by the Carthaginians, then returned and again stolen by Verres (120-43 B.C.) when he was proconsul in Sicily (he also tried, according to some evidences, to steal the bronze statue of Hercules).
Very suggestive also is the so-called sepulchre of Theron at more than nine meters high, and of great importance is the Oratory of Phalaris ('-554), near the San Nicola church.
After the Valley of the Temples, visit the Regional Archaeological Museum, which has a truly outstanding collection of exhibits, prior to the colonization and settlement, among them stands out the very important statue of the Agrigento Ephebe. But the findings preserved are all of an exceptional historical importance: the civilization indigenous Protohistory VII-VI sec. BC. with potterries, terracotta, metals (bronze figurative, instruments), a little bull in bronze, of the VII-VI sec. BC.
Elsewhere in Agrigento
In the modern city visit the Norman Cathedral with artistic contributions from many ages: Arabic, Gothic, Renaissance (bell tower) and Baroque (sanctuary). The church is in the form of a Latin cross, 100 metres long and 40 metres wide. The Cathedral Museum is also rich in precious materials with artefacts ranging from the twelfth to the nineteenth century, and a collection of paintings ranging from Mannerism to Baroque, Naturalism and Classicism: among these the San Carlo Borromeo in Prayer by Pietro D'Asaro (1579-1647), and the Adoration of the Child probably by Pompeo Buttafuoco (1578-1645). By Guido Reni (1575-1642) is the Madonna with Sleeping Child, and the St. John the Evangelist and Saint Paul, by Giuseppe Vinci [active in the XVIII century] (1763).
Places to visit near Agrigento and local cuisine
From a tourist point of view, Agrigento is not just the Valley of the Temples, but also the beach of San Leone and the island of Lampedusa.
For those who like to try the local cuisine, it is very tied to tradition and available in considerable variety. Try the noodles with sardines, stuffed calamari, and an excellent fish couscous. The cuisine of this province has its roots in Greek and Roman Ages and it reflects this, focusing on agriculture producing legumes and vegetables. The pasta sauces are simple and wholesome, such as the Pirandello spaghetti with tomato sauce and nuts, while on the coast it is seasoned with fish sauce, elsewhere with vegetables or, more simply, with extra virgin olive oil and pecorino. Also very tasty is the so-called cuccìa, a soup of boiled wheat, which is flavoured with cheese from sheep; and the tagànu of Aragon (ruled macaroni, eggs, Tuma chopped meat broth, cinnamon, parsley and black pepper). Not forgetting the the sausage from Aragon and the leg of mutton, the so-called abbuttunato, and the fine local wines, it would be possible to pass a whole visit trying the local cuisine!
Click here to add your comments, suggestions or recommendations
Places to visit near Agrigento, Italy
|
Please Give Us Your Feedback