Page 120 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Sicily

118  SICIL Y AREA B Y AREA

1 Agrigento VISITORS’ CHECKLIST

There are two main sights in Agrigento: the magnificent Practical Information
remains of the Greek colony in the Valle dei Templi (see Road map C4. * 59,000. n STR
pp120–21) and the rocky hill where the medieval town was (0922-20391). Valle dei Templi
Tel 0922-621 611. Open 8:30am–
built. The town of Akragas was founded by the Greeks, then 7pm daily (to 11pm Jul–mid-Sep).
conquered by the Romans in 210 BC, who gave it the name of ∑ parcodeitempli.net Museo
Agrigentum. During a period of barbarian invasions the town Archeologico: Tel 0922-401 565.
moved from the valley to the rock. It was then ruled by the Open 9am–7pm Tue–Sat,
9am–1pm Sun, Mon & hols. &
Byzantines and for some time by the Arabs, whose dominion
came to an end with the Normans in 1087. Transport
~ Palermo. V from Palermo
892 021.
F Teatro Pirandello
Piazza Pirandello. Tel 0922-590
360/590 220. two large spiral columns and a
∑ teatroluigipirandello.it large bell tower. Both interior
Founded in 1870 and originally and exterior have a series of
called Teatro Regina Margherita, allegorical statues representing
the Teatro Pirandello was the Christian Virtues, executed
renamed after the Agrigento- in the early 1700s by Giuseppe
born playwright (see p26 and and Giacomo Serpotta, and a
p29). Part of the Town Hall, Madonna of the Pomegranate
it was designed by Dionisio attributed to Antonello Gagini.
Sciascia, and the decoration Near the church, under a
was executed by Palermo stone lion, is the Ipogeo del
architect Giovanni Basile. Purgatorio (Hypogeum of
Façade of Agrigento Cathedral E Museo Civico Santo
(11th century) Spirito Cathedral and Vulcanetti di
Macalube
Via Santo Spirito 8. Tel 0922-590 Museo Diocesano VIA PLEBIS REA
Cathedral and Museo 371/401 450. Closed Sat & hols. VIA IMERA
Diocesano Collegio dei Filippini: Via Atenea VIA DUOMO San Lorenzo
Piazza Don Minzoni. Museo Diocesano: 270. Open Sun & public hols. VIA GIOENI VIA CICERONE
Museo
PIAZZA
Teatro
Tel 0922-490 040. Open daily. This museum, which Pirandello Civico Santo VITTORIO
EMANUELE
∑ museodiocesanoag.it is located next to the VIA GARIBALDI SINATRA Spirito Santo Spírito
PIAZZA
Agrigento’s Cathedral was old Convento Suore VIA ATENEA VIA MINERVA
VIA S.
F RANCESCO
founded in the 12th century Benedettine, houses VIA EMPEDOCLE MARCONI
PIAZZA
and subsequently enlarged medieval sculptures and an Train Station VIA GIOVANNI XXIII
and altered, as can be seen in ethno-anthropological section. VIA ESSENETO VI AL E D EL L A V IT T ÓR IA
some of the exterior details. For The nearby Collegio dei V I A M A N Z O N I VIA CALLICRATIDE
example, the bell tower has a Filippini contains paintings VIA F. CRISPI
series of Catalan-Gothic single from the 14th–20th centuries. VIA PE TRARC A
V I A U. LA MALFA
lancet windows, while others San Biagio
are in the original style. R San Lorenzo Museo VIA DEMETRA
Inside is the Cappella di Piazza del Purgatorio. Open daily. 0 kilometres 1 Archeologico
San Gerlando, named after Little remains of this church 0 miles 1 Regionale
the bishop who founded the (also known as Chiesa del San Nicola
church, with a Gothic portal. Purgatorio), which was rebuilt in Roman Quarter
Hellenistic
The ceiling features painted and the Baroque style in the 1600s.
coffered sections dating from The two-stage façade has an V I A D E L T E M P L I
the 16th and 17th centuries. An interesting portal flanked by Temple of
acoustic phenomenon known Temple of Olympian Zeus PIAZZALE Temple of
as the portavoce takes place in Agrigento Castor and Pollux DI TEMPLI VIA SACRA Concord Temple of
the chapel: those who stand Tomb of Temple Hera
Theron
under the apse can clearly hear 1 Cathedral and Museo Diocesano of Heracles SS 115
the whispering of people at the 2 Teatro Pirandello V a l l e d e i T e m p l i
other end of the nave, 80 m 3 Museo Civico Santo Spirito
(262 ft) away. 4 San Lorenzo Hypsas Temple of
The Museum has some 5 Convento di Santo Spirito Asclepius
Roman sarcophagi and a series 6 Piazza Vittorio Emanuele
of frescoes taken from the 7 Museo Archeologico Regionale PORTO EMPEDOCLE,
KAOS
Cathedral walls in 1951. 8 Valle dei Templi (see pp120–21)
For hotels and restaurants in this region see p203 and pp213–14
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