Temple of Zeus

The Temple of Zeus in Agrigento, Italy, was one of the largest and most original Doric buildings. It was located in an almost continuous sacred area along a ridge that formed part of the city's defenses. The temple was still unfinished in 406 BCE when the city was ravaged by the Carthaginians. Sadly, its ruins were quarried in the 18th century to build jetties, and very little of the structure remains today.1

Agrigento itself was an ancient Greek city founded around 581 BCE. It was a significant center of the arts and reached a peak in 480 BCE after a victory against the Carthaginians. While it experienced periods of democracy and tyranny, it was eventually sacked by the Romans and Carthaginians before falling to Rome in 210 BCE. The city is renowned for its well-preserved Greek remains, including seven Doric temples, two of which are particularly notable for their remarkable preservation.1