Valley of the Temples

It is one of the largest, most representative, and best-preserved archaeological sites of classical Greek civilization, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1998. The archaeological area corresponds to the remains of ancient Akragas, the original nucleus of modern Agrigento: on a rocky ridge, bordering the southern plateau on which the classical settlement stood, emerge the imposing remains of Doric temples dedicated to the Greek deities. The area also houses the Pietro Griffo Regional Archaeological Museum, which houses 5,688 artifacts illustrating the history of the area from prehistory to the end of the Greco-Roman era.

The city of Agrigento sits atop two pleasant hills (about 230 meters above sea level): the Girgenti hill to the west and the Rupe Atenea to the east. These hills were once separated by a depression artificially created by the philosopher Empedocles to allow healthy air to circulate in the malaria-ridden city below. To the east, from the Porta di Ponte, one enters Via Atenea (formerly Via Maestra). The city's main street, long and winding, winds along the foot of the historic center and ends in the Piazza Municipio. Further east lies the Rabato neighborhood, severely damaged by the landslide of July 1966. To the west, next to the Church of San Calogero, begins a long (1 km) tree-lined avenue, Viale della Vittoria, commonly known as "the promenade." Begun in 1848 to provide work for the city's unemployed, it led to urban expansion outside the ancient medieval walls, eastward, up to the Rupe Atenea, with buildings mostly dating back to the period before the Second World War. On the right, Villa Bonfiglio with the War Memorial (1923), designed by Mario Rutelli. From the avenue, there is a magnificent view of the Valley of the Temples below and the Mediterranean Sea.