THE WAY WE WORSHIPPED

Turn back the wheels of time and relive the extraordinary feats of Sicily’s early inhabitants on a private tour of one of the island’s most enthralling archaeological sites.

The impressive remains of Akragas still stand at the summit of a rocky plateau in Agrigento, remarkable evidence of a once thriving, innovative Mediterranean civilization. You will discover the history of this age-old settlement, from its founding by Greek colonists as far back as 580 BC, to its rise and expansion under the reigns of tyrants Phalaris and Theron. It was then that Akragas became a formidable martial power and grandiose monuments were erected within its mighty twelve-kilometre-long walls. A population of about 200,000 lived in the city, a considerable number for those times. A period of decline and rivalry between Akragas and Syracuse culminated in the 406 BC Carthaginian siege and the subsequent destruction of the city by Hannibal and his troops. Despite successive reconstructions, struggles and lootings that occurred down the centuries as Akragas was taken over by the Romans, Byzantines, Moors and Normans, traces of the city’s glorious Greek heyday miraculously live on to this day and continue to offer a fascinating glimpse into a bygone era and culture.

Your guide will lead you through the ruins and illuminate the past with tales and curiosities of the city’s ancient residents, from ambitious rulers to faithful worshippers. The excavations, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997, stretch over 1,300 hectares in a splendid setting, amidst almond groves and centuries-old olive trees. Surviving archaeological treasures include the gymnasium, where athletic, educational and recreational activities once took place; pagan and Palaeochristian necropolises; ruins of workshops, taverns and patrician villas.

The highlights of the site are the majestic Doric temples, originally built between 510 BC and 430 BC to celebrate the city’s military victories and financial prosperity. The Temple of Hera, perched atop a hill affording sweeping views of the countryside and dark blue Mediterranean Sea beyond, was once the ancient city’s voguish venue for weddings while the Temple of Asclepius, dedicated to the god of medicine, at one time attracted pilgrims in search of miracle cures. Not to be missed are the perfectly proportioned and astoundingly well preserved Temple of Concord, the eight surviving pillars belonging to the oldest shrine of Akragas, dedicated to Heracles, and the gigantic ruins of the Temple of Zeus, which would have been the largest Doric temple ever built had its construction not been interrupted by the Carthaginian invaders. The iconic Temple of Castor and Pollux, whose four columns have become the symbol of the city of Agrigento, is also among the poignant sights of this tour.

Although 2,500 years have gone by since Akragas reached the height of its opulence and magnificence, as you roam through the ruins you might well understand what prompted the ancient Greek poet Pindar to call this place “the most beautiful among the cities of mortals”.