The Paleochristian Necropolis of Agrigento lies within the Valley of the Temples, revealing a layered funerary landscape that bridges Roman, Greek, and early Christian traditions.

Sub divo tombs: Open-air burials carved directly into the rock, trapezoidal in shape (formae), often covered with stone slabs.

Catacombs and hypogea: Reused Greek cisterns and subterranean chambers adapted for Christian burials, including arcosolia and sarcophagi

>The Fragapane Catacomb: The largest and most elaborate burial complex, featuring a 25-meter gallery with cubicles, arcosolia, and formae tombs. Traces of wall decoration—garlands and floral motifs—still survive.

This necropolis offers a compelling narrative of ritual continuity and transformation

• Reuse of Greek infrastructure (cisterns, canals) suggests a symbolic appropriation of earlier sacred spaces.
• Christian iconography (roses, garlands) overlays older architectural forms, creating a palimpsest of belief systems.
• The Street of the Sepulchres, once a Greek canal, became a funerary axis—later even housing a medieval pottery workshop, blending sacred and artisanal functions.

References

• www.theworldofsicily.com
• www.enjoysicilia.it

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The Temple of Concordia in Agrigento is one of the best-preserved ancient Greek temples in the world, built around 440–430 BCE in the Valley of the Temples. It stands as a masterpiece of Doric architecture and a symbol of both continuity and transformation, having served as a pagan temple, a Christian basilica, and now a cultural landmark. Apart from the Parthenon, it is considered the best-preserved Doric temple in the Greek world.

The name “Concordia” comes from a Latin inscription found nearby, dedicated to civic harmony, but not directly linked to the temple’s original cult.

The temple’s exceptional preservation has made it a touchstone for travelers, artists, and writers. Goethe, in his Italian Journey, praised its “slender line” as the embodiment of beauty.

Today, it is the iconic centerpiece of the Valley of the Temples and the stage for cultural events such as the Almond Blossom Festival.

References

• 1. en.wikipedia.org
• 2. www.theworldofsicily.com

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The Scala dei Turchi (“Stair of the Turks”) is a dazzling white cliff on the southern coast of Sicily, near Realmonte (Agrigento), famous for its natural beauty, geological uniqueness, and legendary history.

A natural limestone and marl cliff shaped like a giant staircase, sloping into the Mediterranean. Its brilliant white color comes from marl, a sedimentary rock made of clay and lime, which contrasts dramatically with the turquoise sea. The cliff lies between two sandy beaches, making it a striking natural amphitheatre.

The name “Scala dei Turchi” comes from the Saracen and Barbary pirates (often generically called “Turks” by locals) who, in the 16th century, used the natural steps as a landing point during raids on Sicilian villages. “Scala” means “staircase,” referring to the smooth, terraced shape of the cliff. Over time, it became a symbol of Sicilian coastal identity, blending myth, fear, and beauty.

Part of the Trubi Formation, dating to the Lower Pliocene (about 5 million years ago). The marl layers record climatic and orbital cycles (21,000and 100,000-year rhythms), making it a site of geological interest as well as scenic wonder. Its smooth, rounded forms are the result of erosion by wind and waves over millennia.

References

1. www.lavalledeitempli.it
2. en.wikipedia.org

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