The Temples at a Glance

The Archaeological Park of the Valley of the Temples is divided into eastern and western zones by Via dei Templi that leads to the temples from town. The temples that stand unfettered and unenclosed in the eastern zone are the most spectacular of all. The first of these is theTemple of Heracles, immediately inside the entrance to the right. Its origin is uncertain but it is believed to be the oldest of the lot, dating from the end of 6 BC. 8 of its 38 columns have been raised and you can wander around the remains of the rest.

Moving east past the remains of the ancient walls, the next temple along the path is theTemple of Concord, which is the only one to survive relatively intact. It was built around 430 BC and was converted into a Christian basilica in the 6th century AD; thankfully, the new tenants reinforced the main structures, giving it a better chance of surviving an earthquake. In 1748 the temple was restored to its original form. The architect in charge of the restoration, Tommaso Fazello, gave the temple its name – it is traditionally visited by prospective brides and grooms on their wedding day.

At the eastern end of the ridge, a further 400m on, is theTemple of Hera, partially destroyed by an earthquake in the Middle Ages. Just behind the eastern end is a long altar originally used for sacrifices; the traces of red are the result of fire damage, most likely during the Carthaginian invasion of 406 BC.

Across the path from the ruins is a little temple set on high base. It is known as theTomb of Theron, the Greek Tyrant of Agrigento, but in fact the structure dates from around 75 BC, during the Roman occupation, nearly 500 years after the tyrant’s death.

Across Via dei Templi in the entrance to the western zone, the main feature of which is the crumbled remains of theTemple of Olympian Zeus. Covering an area measuring 112m x 56m, with columns 20m high, it would have been the largest Doric temple ever built had its construction not been interrupted by the Carthaginian sack of Akragas. (The irony is that the foundations for the temple had been laid by Carthaginian prisoners captured after the Battle of Himera nearly 100 years previously). The incomplete temple was later destroyed by an earthquake. Lying flat on his back amid the rubble is aTelamon, a sculpted figure of a man with arms raised, intended to support the temple’s weight. One of several planned for the temple, the figure is 8m long.

Further on is the smallerTemple of Dioscuri, also known as the Temple of Castor and Pollux. It was built towards the end of the 5th century but was destroyed by the Carthaginians, later restored in Hellenistic style and then destroyed again by an earthquake. What you see today dates from 1832, when it was rebuilt using materials from other temples.

Just behind the temple is a complex of altars and small buildings believed to be part of theSantuario di Demetra e Kore, which dates from the early 6th century BC. Back at the crossroads just inside the entrance to the temples, the path south leads to theTemple of Asclepios, off the second fork to the left. The smallest of all the temples, it is distinguished by having solid walls instead of a colonnade.

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