Agrigento: Antiquity, Museums and Urban History

Agrigento Between Greek Antiquity, Churches and Urban History

Agrigento combines Greek antiquity, historic churches, literature and a cultural landscape. The Archaeological Area of Agrigento, also known as the Valley of the Temples, was founded as a Greek colony in the 6th century BC and developed into one of the leading cities of the Mediterranean region.

Archaeological Landscape, Hypogeum Paths and Tours in the Historic Centre

The Giardino della Kolymbethra combines archaeology, biodiversity and traditional agricultural practices within a rare archaeological and agricultural cultural landscape. The underground hypogeum paths in the garden are 185 m long; when planning a visit, this distance can be considered as a separate, clearly defined section.

In Agrigento's historic centre, MUDIA is an open-air museum tour through several sites.

Sacred Architecture, Acoustics, Temple Remains and Folklore Throughout the Year

The Cattedrale di San Gerlando displays a 17th-century style in its present form. The cathedral also features an acoustic effect: a word whispered at the entrance can be heard from the apse 85 m away. The Chiesa di Santa Maria dei Greci was built on the remains of a Greek temple dating from the 5th century BC. The Festival Internazionale del Folklore in Agrigento takes place every year between February and March. This period can be taken into account as a scheduling window when planning a cultural trip to Agrigento.

The Biblioteca Lucchesiana has 80,000 volumes. These include 32 Arabic codices and 300 manuscripts, as well as 410 incunabula and rarities from the 16th century.

Literature, Pirandello Collections, Libraries and Places of Remembrance

Since 1987, the Casa di Pirandello and the Biblioteca Luigi Pirandello have formed a joint institution. Luigi Pirandello's birthplace is located in Contrada Caos near Agrigento. It is a rural building dating from the late 18th century. The Casa di Pirandello contains photographs, reviews and honours. It also features first editions with handwritten dedications, paintings dedicated to the author and posters for his best-known works.

Agrigento's regional Archaeological Museum is located in Contrada San Nicola just outside the city limits. From there, visitors can enjoy a panoramic view of the Valley of the Temples. This view establishes a connection with the Archaeological Area of Agrigento. Its location just outside the city limits can be taken into account in spatial planning alongside the sites in the centre.

Monastero di Santo Spirito: Foundation, Stucco Work and Confectionery

The Monastero di Santo Spirito was founded in the 13th century. Its interior features serpottic stucco work. Visitors can also sample confectionery there. These sweets are prepared by enclosed nuns according to traditional recipes.

More Destinations

For more destinations, you can also view San Leone, Montevago, Caltabellotta, Racalmuto, Alessandria Della Rocca, Porto Palo Di Menfi, Sant'angelo Muxaro and Sciacca.

To the overarching travel overview: Agrigento.