Agrigente

Agrigente is a city of approximately: 60000 inhabitants, located in Sicily, in the province of the same name in Italy.

“ most beautiful of the cities mortals ”, it is in these terms that Pindare presents in its Olympic Agrigente of V century before J. - C. Founded in 582 av. J. - C. on the southernmost coast of Sicily by Greek come from the city close to Géla, the city is essential very quickly like one of the most brilliant colonies and most prosperous of the Hellenic Occident. Rich person of the resources of his agricultural plain and the incomes which its Mediterranean big business ensured to him, Agrigente has in the middle of V century more temples than there is not on the Athenian acropolis. She will see at that time being born the philosopher Empédocle whose Renan could say that he was “ one of the extraordinary geniuses of presocratic Greek philosophy, one of truths founders of the science and the mechanical exploitation of the universe ”. Destruction perpetrated by the Carthaginian at the time of the bag of 406 av. J. - C. ruin the city but this one will ressuscitera on the initiative of Timoléon of Syracuse and will know a new prosperity with the favor of the Roman peace. In addition to the ruins of the large sanctuary of Olympian Zeus - largest of Greek Antiquity after the Artémision d' Ephèse and the Didyméion de Milet - the Valley of the Temples still offers in comparison with the visitors the imposing remainders of those of Héraclès, of Junon, the Dioscure S and the Concorde. On the hill of Girgenti, the church Santa Maria dei Greci itself is built on the ruins of a temple of Athéna and the church San Biagio on those of a sanctuary of Déméter.

History

Akragas , the ancient name of Agrigente, was founded into 582 before J. - C. by the city of Géla (it even Greek colony rested by Rhodos and the crétois), on the site of the current city. The city knows a geographical expansion at the VI century before J. - C. under the direction of the tyrants. The first was called Phalaris and the apogee arrives with Théron, victorious of the Carthaginois to the battle of Himère into -480. The city is embellished thanks to the labor captured at the time of this battle. The valley of the temples is surrounded by a wall of 12 km. Agrigente grows rich in the trade by the wine and oil, in particular with Carthage.

-406 : Hannibal besieges Agrigente: it prohibits the raising of the ramparts, destroyed the temple of Athéna and massacres part of the inhabitants.
-339 : the Carthaginians are overcome: Timoléon recontruit wall and the city. During the First Punic War (-264/-241), Agrigente was taken by the Romans in -262.
-211 : the city falls definitively into the bosom from Rome. Prosperity and expansion
828: the Arabs take the city then give up it. They rename it Kerkent or Gergent .

The archaeological zone

The city

Many Museum S, of which the archaeological museum which has the result of the excavations. Collections of objects out of terra cotta, and especially of beautiful craters.
Church San Lorenzo
Monastery San Spirito
Museo Civico
Duomo
Piazza Pirandello
Santa Maria dei Greci (12th century)

Famous births

Empédocle
Luigi Pirandello

Administration

Hamlets

Fontanelle, Giardina Gallotti, Monserrato, Montaperto, San Leone, Villagio the Loggia, Villagio Mosè, Villagio Peruzzo, Villaseta

Communes bordering

Aragona, Cattolica Eraclea, Favara, Joppolo Giancaxio, Montallegro, Naro, Palma di Montechiaro, Oporto Empedocle, Raffadali, Realmonte, Sant' Angelo Muxaro, Siculiana

Twinning

See too

List of the Italian cities of more than 25.000 inhabitants

External bonds

Welcome in the Valley of the Temples. The French-speaking site on Valléee of the Temples and Agrigento

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