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.