Segesta Temple, Calatafimi-Segesta, Italy

Segesta was one of the major cities of the Elymians, one of the three indigenous peoples of Sicily. The hellenization of Segesta happened very early and had a profound effect on its people.

On a hill just outside the site of the ancient city of Segesta lies an unusually well preserved Doric temple. It is thought to have been built in the 420s BC by an Athenian architect, despite the city not having a large Greek population. The temple has six by fourteen columns on a base measuring 21 by 56 meters, on a platform three steps high. Several elements suggest that the temple was never finished. The columns have not been fluted as they normally would have been in a Doric temple and there are still bosses present in the blocks of the base (used for lifting the blocks into place but then normally removed). The temple also lacks a cella, any ornamentation, altar or deity dedication, and was never roofed over. The temple escaped destruction by the Carthaginians in the late 5th century.

References:

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User Reviews

Arthur N (5 months ago)
Totally worth seeing, it's a bit complex to get to though, you have to park, pay for parking and a shuttle bus, switch to another bus half way up the mountain, visit the amphitheatre, then hop back on the bus to get to the temple. All in all though it was pretty efficient and not expensive given what you get to see. Other than the young lady selling tickets the staff were a little unfriendly.

Brian Donhauser (5 months ago)
Yes, well-preserved ancient Greek temple. It is huge. But there isn't that much to it. It wasn't even completed in its own day. So, sure, go see it if you're nearby. It was 6EUR for us to get in.

Ksenia Markainesk (5 months ago)
Impressing construction! Loved the surroundings. Plenty of banks available to have some rest. The temple is not that far from the entrance, but the whole road is up the hill.

S Slerdums (6 months ago)
Tip: don’t follow directions of parking attendant when driving up to the site. Instead, go to the left, park at the parking a little further up the road and walk back. Beautiful place to visit but parking arrangements are very dubious. Driving up to the site a parking attendant directed us back to the parking apparently belonging to the site. There we had to pay 5 euros for a shuttlebus back to the temple. Though the temple and views are beautiful, it felt like a tourist trap.

Elo Cinquanta (Elodie50a) (6 months ago)
Beautiful temple in the middle of nowhere. So amazing to see it alone on it's hill. The theater is very nice too with a view on the sea

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