Unesco Valley of the Temples card

 Year of inclusion in the World Heritage List: 1997

 Short description of the site

 The Greek colony founded in the sixth century BC has become one of the main cities of the Mediterranean basin. The remains of the magnificent Doric temples that dominate the ancient city, a part of which is still buried and intact under modern fields and orchards, testify to its supremacy and pride. A series of careful excavations in the area have shed light on the Hellenistic and Roman city and the burial practices of the early Christian inhabitants

 The criteria adopted by Unesco for the inscription of the site in the World Heritage Site:

The Committee decided to enter the area on the basis of criteria (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) considering that Agrigento was one of the largest cities in the Mediterranean area, and has been preserved intact in exceptional conditions. The Doric temple complex is one of the main examples of Greek art and culture.

Useful information:  

Location: Agrigento (AG) - Sicily N371723 E133536

Unesco document:  ICOMOS N ° 831 (.pdf)

Unesco web page: Access the Unesco area
Site area: 934 hectares
Buffer zone: 1869 hectares
Unesco Site Management Plan: Access the Management Plan

 Link to the institutional website: Valley of the Temples

Area map recognized by Unesco pdf 12,5 Mb)

© Helios Study Center