Valle dei Templi and the Greek temples above Agrigento

Valle dei Templi in Agrigento is a vast archaeological park where a line of ancient Greek temples crowns a limestone ridge above the Sicilian coast, tracing the history of Akragas from Magna Graecia to a UNESCO World Heritage landscape inscribed in 1997.

Akragas on the ridge above the sea

Valle dei Templi lies just outside Agrigento in southern Sicily, on a long rocky ridge that once formed the southern edge of the ancient Greek city of Akragas.long limestone ridge The temples stand above the plain of the Akragas river, with the modern town rising on a higher height to the north.modern city to the north

The archaeological area corresponds to the monumental core of Akragas, founded as a Greek colony and later known as Agrigentum under Roman rule.monumental heritage of Akragas Across more than 1,300 hectares, the park preserves temples, fortifications, burial grounds and urban quarters in a landscape where olive, almond and carob trees frame the ruins.extends for 1300 hectares

Doric temples of Magna Graecia

The most striking feature of Valle dei Templi is the sequence of large Doric temples aligned along the ridge, built when Akragas was one of the major cities of Magna Graecia.Greek temples of Agrigento On the eastern side stand the temples known as Juno, Concordia and Hercules, while the western sector includes the temples of Olympian Zeus and the Dioscuri as well as the garden of the Kolymbethra.eastern and western sectors

The Temple of Concordia, standing along the ridge, is one of the best preserved Doric temples of the Greek world, with its colonnades still largely intact.Temple of Concordia Nearby, the temples attributed to Juno and Hercules survive in varying states, with rows of columns rising from a platform of weathered stone and fallen blocks visible around them.list of major temples

An archaeological park and World Heritage landscape

Since 1997 Valle dei Templi has formed part of the UNESCO World Heritage List, recognised for the exceptional integrity of its classical Greek remains and their setting in the Sicilian landscape.listed in 1997 among the world heritage The inscription covers both the ridge with the temples and the wider archaeological area, including the ancient city grid, sanctuaries and necropolis zones.UNESCO World Heritage in November 1997

By regional law of the Regione Siciliana, Valle dei Templi has been organised as an archaeological and landscape park since 2000, bringing together conservation, research and visitor access over one of the largest protected archaeological areas in Europe and the Mediterranean basin.archaeological and landscape park Within or near the park perimeter stands the Museo Archeologico Regionale Pietro Griffo, where thousands of artefacts trace the story of the territory from prehistory through the Greco-Roman period.Pietro Griffo Regional Archaeological Museum

Visiting Valle dei Templi: what travellers from Western Europe should know

• Valle dei Templi lies just outside Agrigento in southern Sicily, with the archaeological park reached from the town along roads such as Via Panoramica Valle dei Templi.
• The temples stand on a ridge above the river plain, and visiting them involves walking on uneven stone surfaces and earthen paths, with gradual inclines and flights of steps around the monuments.
• The archaeological park sits close to the Sicilian coast, and the exposed ridge means that sun and weather are direct on the routes between the main temple groups.
• The official language is Italian and the currency is the euro.

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Frequently asked questions about Valle dei Templi

Where is Valle dei Templi located?

Valle dei Templi is in Agrigento, in the Province of Agrigento in southern Sicily, Italy, on a ridge above the coastal plain.

What should visitors expect on a visit?

Visitors walk through an extensive archaeological park, moving between large Doric temples, ancient city remains and Mediterranean vegetation along paths on and around the ridge.

What makes Valle dei Templi distinctive?

The park combines one of the most complete lines of Doric temples from Magna Graecia with a broad protected landscape, recognised on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1997.