Piazza Armerina, Sicily
La Valle degli Dei (The Valley of the Gods) enchants and delights the visitor with its
extraordinary remains of temples found within massive, fortified city walls. The ancient grandeur of Akragas (the ancient name of Agrigento), majestically diplayed, beckons one to close the eyes and be transported back to the 5th century B.C. when this was the most flourishing western Greek colony. Founded about 582 B.C. by colonists coming from Rhodes and Gela, Akragas is on a plateau naturally protected by two ridges and surrounded by two rivers. Over time the city became a rich and powerful one and when allied armies defeated the Carthaginians in battle in 480 B.C., the acquired supply of labor and wealth allowed for a massive public works program; thus are some of the picturesque Doric temples whose colossal remains are seen today.Agrigento was one of the most culturally advanced cities of the ancient world; its archaeological ruins bear witness to its genius.
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