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'{{Infobox World Heritage Site | WHS = Archaeological Area of Agrigento | Image = [[Image:Agrigento-Tempio della Concordia01.JPG|230px|Temple of Concord]] | State Party = [[Italy]] | Type = Cultural | Criteria = i, ii, iii, iv | ID = 831 | Region = [[List of World Heritage Sites in Europe|Europe and North America]] | Year = 1997 | Session = 21st | Link = http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/831 }} [[File:Akragas-sitemap-bjs.jpg|thumb|Parco Archaeologico e Paesaggistico della Valle dei Templi]] The '''Valle dei Templi''' (English: '''''Valley of the Temples''''', [[Sicilian language|Sicilian]]: '''''Vaddi di li Tempri''''') is an archaeological site in [[Agrigento]] (ancient Greek ''Akragas''), [[Sicily]], southern [[Italy]]. It is one of the most outstanding examples of [[Greater Greece]] art and architecture, and is one of the main attractions of Sicily as well as a national monument of Italy. The area was included in the [[UNESCO Heritage Site]] list in 1997. Much of the excavation and restoration of the temples was due to the efforts of archaeologist [[Domenico Lo Faso Pietrasanta|Domenico Antonio Lo Faso Pietrasanta]] (1783–1863), who was the Duke of [[Serradifalco]] from 1809 through 1812. The term "valley" is a misnomer, the site being located on a ridge outside the town of Agrigento. ==Overview== The Valley includes remains of seven temples, all in [[Doric style]]. The ascription of the names, apart from that of the ''Olympeion'', are a mere tradition established in Renaissance times. The temples are: *Temple of [[Juno (mythology)|Juno]], built in the 5th century BC and burnt in 406 BC by the [[Carthaginians]]. It was usually used for the celebration of weddings. *Temple of Concordia, whose name comes from a Latin inscription found nearby, and which was also built in the 5th century BC. Turned into a church in the 6th century AD, it is now one of the best preserved in the Valley. *Temple of [[Heracles]], who was one of the most venerated deities in the ancient ''Akragas''. It is the most ancient in the Valley: destroyed by an earthquake, it consists today of only eight columns. *Temple of Zeus Olympic, built in 480 BC to celebrate the city-state's victory over Carthage. It is characterized by the use of large scale [[Atlas (architecture)|atlases]]. *Temple of [[Castor and Pollux]]. Despite its remains including only four columns, it is now the symbol of modern Agrigento. *Temple of [[Vulcan (mythology)|Vulcan]], also dating from the 5th century BC. It is thought to have been one of the most imposing constructions in the valley; it is now however one of the most eroded. *Temple of [[Asclepius]], located far from the ancient town's walls; it was the goal of pilgrims seeking cures for illness. The Valley is also home to the so-called Tomb of [[Theron of Akragas|Theron]], a large [[tuff]] monument of pyramidal shape; scholars suppose it was built to commemorate the Romans killed in the [[Second Punic War]]. [[image:Agrigente 2008 IMG 1912.JPG|left|thumb|250px|Temple of Juno.]] ==Temple of Juno Lacinia== This temple was constructed on a mostly artificial spur. It dates to c. 450 BC, measuring 38.15 x 16.90&nbsp;m: it is in [[Doric style]], [[peripteros]] 6 columns wide by 13 long, preceded by a [[pronaos]] and [[opisthodomos]]. The basement has four steps. Current remains (including [[anastylosis]] from the 18th Century onwards) consist of the front colonnade with parts of the [[architrave]] and of the [[frieze]]. Only fragments of the other three sides survive, with few elements of the [[cella]]. The building was damaged in the fire of 406 BC and restored in Roman times, with the substitution of clay marble roof tiles with ones and the addition of a steep rise in the area where today can be seen the remains of the altar. Nearby are [[arcosolia]] and other sepultures from Byzantine times, belonging to the late 6th century AD renovation of the Temple of Concordia into a Christian church. ==Temple of Concordia== [[File:Agrigent BW 2012-10-07 13-09-13.jpg|thumbnail|Temple of Concordia]] [[image:Agrigento-TempleF-Plan-bjs.png|thumb|250px|Plan of the temple of Concordia.]] Due to its good state of preservation, the Temple of Concordia is ranked amongst the most notable edifices of the [[Ancient Greece|Greek civilization]] existing today. It has a [[peristasis (architecture)|peristatis]] of 6 x 13 columns built over a basement of 39.44 x 16.91&nbsp;m; each Doric column has twenty grooves and a slight [[entasis]], and is surmounted by an architrave with [[triglyph]]s and [[Metope (architecture)|metope]]s; also perfectly preserved are the [[tympanum (architecture)|tympani]]. The cella, preceded by a pronaos, is accessed by a single step; also existing are the pylons with the stairs which allowed to reach the roof and, over the cella's walls and in the blocks of the peristasis [[entablature]], the holes for the wooden [[beam (structure)|beam]] of the ceiling. The exterior and the interior of the temple were covered by polychrome [[stucco]]. The upper frame had gutters with lion-like [[protome]]s, while the roof was covered by marble tiles. When the temple was turned into a church the entrance was moved to the rear, and the rear wall of the cella was destroyed. The spaces between the columns were closed, while 12 arched openings were created in the cella, in order to obtain a structure with one nave and two aisles. The pagan altar was destroyed and sacristies were carved out in the eastern corners. The sepultures visible inside and outside the temple date to the High Middle Age. ==Temple of Asclepius== The temple of Asclepius is located in the middle of the San Gregorio plain. Its identification is based on a mention by [[Polybius]] (I, 18, 2), who states that the temple was "in front of the city", one mile away. However, as the actual distance does not correspond and the size of the building is relatively small, scholars remains dubious about this attribution. The small temple, probably dating to the late 5th century BC and measuring 21.7 x 10.7&nbsp;m, rises over a basement with three steps. Its peculiarity is the fake opysthodomus with two semi-columns in the external side of the rear cella. Also extant are parts of the entablature, with lion-like protomes, a frieze and a ''[[geison]]'' [[pediment]]. The sanctuary housed a bronze statue of [[Apollo]] by [[Myron]], a gift to the city by [[Scipio Africanus|Scipio]], which was stolen by [[Verres]].<ref>[[Cicero]], ''Verrinae'', II 4, 93.</ref> [[File:AgrigentoTemples-pjt2.jpg|thumb|350px|Remains of the Temple of Heracles.]] ==Temple of Heracles== The traditional name of this temple comes from another mention by Cicero<ref>Cicero, ''Verrinae'', II 4,94</ref> about a temple dedicated to the classical hero "not far from the forum"; however, it has never been proven the latter (the ''[[agora]]'' of the Greek city) was located in this point. Stylistically, the temple belongs to the last years of the 6th century BC. It has been also suggested that this temple was one of first built under [[Theron]]. Also the [[entablature]], of which parts have been found, would date it to the 470-460s or the middle 5th century BC (though the more recent remains could be a replacement of the older ones). One hypothesis is that the temple was begun before the [[Battle of Himera (480 BC)|Battle of Himera]], to be completed only in the following decades. [[Polyaenus]] mentions a temple of Athena being built under Theron outside the city, which could be identified with that of "Hercules", though also with a new one in the inner [[acropolis]]. The building, with 20th-century anastylosis, measures 67 x 25.34&nbsp;m, with a peristais of 6 x 15&nbsp; Doric columns and a cella with pronaos and opysthodomus, is located over a three-step basement. It is the first example (later become common in the Agrigento temples) of pylons inserted between the pranos and cella, housing the stair which allowed inspections of the roof. The columns are rather high and have wide [[capital (architecture)|capitals]]. On the eastern side are remains of the large altar. [[image:Agrigento Telamon.jpg|thumb|left|Remains of one [[atlas (architecture)|atlas]] in the Olympeion field.]] ==''Olympeion'' field== {{main|Temple of the Olympian Zeus, Agrigento}} On the other side of the road running through the Golden Gate of the ancient city, is a plain commanded by the huge ''Olympeion'' field. This includes a ''platea'' with a large temple to Olympian Zeus, plus other areas still under investigation. These include a sanctuary, with remains of a paved square, a complex ''[[sacellum]]'' ("holy enclosure") and a ''[[Tholos (Ancient Rome)|tholos]]''. This, after another gate, is followed by a sanctuary of [[chthonic]] deities, an archaic sanctuary, the so called ''colimbetra'' (where was a still unknown gate) and the tip of the spur where the sanctuary is located, with the temple of Vulcan. The Olympeion complex's main attraction is the huge temple of Olympian Zeus, which was described with enthusiastic words by [[Diodorus Siculus]] and mentioned by Polybius.<ref>IX 27,9.</ref> Today it is reduced to ruins due to destruction begun in antiquity and continued through the 18th century, when the temple was used as a quarry for the port of [[Porto Empedocle]]. Near the south-western corner of the temples is a small edifice (12,45 x 5,90&nbsp;m) with two naves and a deep ''pronaos'', a double entrance and what has been identified as an altar. Its dating is controversial, though scholars have assigned it to the archaic era, due to the discovery of numerous 6th century BC vases. Also archaic is another ''sacellum'', which later was replaced by a classical edifice. These are followed by the scant remains of a temple (called "Tempio L") dating to the mid-5th century BC, measuring 41.8 x 20.20 meters, to which, in the 3rd century BC, a Hellenistic entablature was added. [[image:Agrigento - Dioskurentempel.jpg|thumb|The re-assembled remains of the Temples of "Castor and Pollux".]] ==Temple of the Dioscuri== North to the Tempio L are the corner of "Temple of [[Castor and Pollux]]", which is in a fact a modern reconstruction from the early 19th century, created using pieces from various other temples. It includes four columns and an entablature mounted over the foundings of an originary temple 31 x 13.39&nbsp;m, and which would have been a Doric perypteros with 6 x 13 columns, and which dated to about the mid-5th century BC. ==Temple of Vulcan== On the other side of the valley is the last spur of the hill, commanded by the remains of the Temple of Vulcan. It is a Doric-style building from the 5th century BC, with an archaic ''sacellumm'' enclosed into a Classic-era cella. The ''sacellum'' measures 13.25 x 6.50 meters; its decoration, dating to c. 560-550 BC, has been recently reconstructed. The classic temple, a Doric perypteros, measured 43 x 20.85 meters, rising mounted on a four-step ''krepidoma'' and having 6 x 13 columns; it dates to around 430 BC. ==Other remains== On the western side of the city are the remains of Gates VI and VII, the first probably lying on the road to Heracles, the second having two towers and two external bastions (one having 15-metre thick walls); northwards are the remains of Gates VIII and IX, now surrounded by illegal buildings. At the western tip of the area in which the Temple of Concordia lies, are parts of a late-ancient or early-medieval necropolis, constructed on existing cisterns. Other tombs and [[catacombs]] are visible in the so-called ''Grotte Fragapane'', dating to the 4th century AD. These late-Roman and Byzantine necropolises lie in an area used for tombs since ancient times. One of these, the so called Tomb of [[Theron of Acragas|Theron]], is a ''naiskos'' sepulchre with square plan. Gate IV is located near the tomb of Theron: probably one of the most important in the city, as it led to the sea. West of the ''Olympeion'', are remains of two insulae (residences) 38&nbsp;m wide, connected by a square to the ancient Gate V. It is likely that they were built re-using structures belonging to the sacred area of the ''Olympeion''. Nearby is a sanctuary with an L-shaped [[portico]] from the early 5th century BC, which is annexed to Gate V. In the area are also two archaic (mid-6th century BC) temples. On the northern side of Gate V is a large stone square leading to the "Sanctuary of the Chthonic Gods". The so-called "Oratory of [[Phalaris]]" is in fact a Roman temple, measuring 12.40 x 8.85&nbsp;m. == References == {{reflist}} == See also == {{commons category|Archaeological Area of Agrigento}} *[http://www.valleyofthetemples.com/ The Valley of the Temples. A visitor's guide to the Valley of the Temples] *[[Architecture of Ancient Greece]] *[[Greek temple]] *[[List of Greco-Roman roofs]] * [http://www.yairkarelic.com/Albums/Sicily_agrigento/index.html Valley of the Temples] - photo gallery {{World Heritage Sites in Italy}} {{coord|37|17|26.14|N|13|35|07.71|E|type:landmark_scale:10000_source:frwiki|display=title}} [[Category:Buildings and structures in Sicily]] [[Category:Agrigento]] [[Category:Archaeological sites in Italy]] [[Category:Temples of Asclepius]] [[Category:Visitor attractions in Sicily]] [[Category:Museums in Sicily]] [[Category:Archaeological museums in Italy]] [[Category:Museums of Ancient Greece]] {{Link FA|de}} [[ar:وادي المعابد]] [[bg:Долина на храмовете]] [[ca:Vall dels Temples]] [[de:Archäologische Stätten von Agrigent]] [[es:Valle de los Templos]] [[fr:Vallée des Temples]] [[ko:신전의 계곡]] [[it:Valle dei Templi]] [[nl:Akragas]] [[ja:神殿の谷]] [[pt:Zona Arqueológica de Agrigento]] [[ro:Valle dei Templi]] [[scn:Akragas (Girgenti)]] [[th:พื้นที่โบราณคดีแห่งอากรีเจนโต]] [[uk:Акрагант]] [[zh:神殿之谷]]'