Monday, June 5, 2017

Sicily - Agrigento - Valley of The Temples. . . . . . . . . .


May 8, 2017 -   7 AM - Docked in Port Empedocles 

Sicily's most outstanding Greek heritage is the UNESCO World Heritage site
 at Agrigento, the Valley of the Temples. 
Founded as a Greek colony in the 6th century BC it became
 one of the leading cities in the Mediterranean world. 
Its supremacy and pride are demonstrated by the remains of the
 magnificent Doric temples of Olympic Jove, Hercules, Juno and Concord, 
all of which dominate the ancient town, much of which
still lies intact under today's fields, olive and almond orchards.

Our first sighting from the bus - the Temple of Concordia constructed from the yellow-orange
 rock from shell sediments, standing in its magnificence on the hillside.





The Temple of Concordia - named for the Roman goddess of harmony - was
 built c. 440-430 BC, and is known as the largest and best preserved Doric temple
 in Sicily and, apart from the Parthenon, in the world.




Kim (Toronto/California) and Michelle (Brisbane, Australia) - two very special
 traveling friends with whom I've seen many wonderful parts of the world.


Agrigento has a special place among classical sites in the history of the ancient
 world because of the way in which its original site, typical of Greek colonial
 settlements, has been preserved, as well as the substantial remains of a 
group of buildings from an early period that were not overlain by structures or
 converted to suit later tastes or cults.
 The great row of Doric temples here is one of the most outstanding monuments of
 Greek art and culture - an extraordinary testament of Greek civilization in its
amazing preserved condition.








11 comments:

  1. So stunning Mary. I love traveling through your eyes. You capture the best images.

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  2. The thing that most astounded us when we were on a tour there were the remains of the giant statues. This place still stays in my mind. All of Sicily was unexpected and diverse. Did you go to the villa they are still uncovering -
    http://www.wondersofsicily.com/villa-romana-del-casale.htm
    That was fascinating, too.

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  3. Impressive! And beautiful. It's been there a long, long time. Fun to see you and your peeps enjoying the site together.

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  4. So beautiful and amazing they are still standing. ben moreso that they were able to build them so long ago.

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  5. You look like a kid standing there :) Amazing photos .. I am enjoying this !

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  6. How wonderful! Oh I would love stopping here for the amazing sights from history. What treasures! So glad you were able to enjoy.

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  7. Amazing. Very impressive, Mary. Great photos, and a very good-looking travel group.

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  8. Your travels are so interesting - I learn so much - and your photos are so well framed and composed - simply lovely.

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  9. Ah, memories! I was there in 1987... in the month of October, so it would not have been as green anymore, but still hot enough!

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  10. Dear Mary - how fabulously you have captured Agrigento - the sunshine literally bounces off the screen. Looking at your 8th photo showing the remains of the Temple of Olympian Zeus I am reminded of those astonishing giant caryatid figures lying on the ground. If the temple had ever been completed it would have been absolutely huge.

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  11. It's incredible just how well preserved these temples are. You;ve really captured that in these amazing photos. Wow. Looks liek the weather was perfect too adn not too hot. Were you sick by this point or not, I wonder?

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