Cilento and Vallo di Diano
National Park
with the Archeological Sites of Paestum and Velia,
and the Certosa di Padula (1998)
Italy
|
|
The Cilento is an outstanding cultural landscape. The dramatic groups of
sanctuaries and settlements along its three east–west mountain ridges vividly
portray the area's historical evolution: it was a major route not only for
trade, but also for cultural and political interaction during the prehistoric
and medieval periods.
The Cilento was also the boundary between the Greek colonies of Magna Graecia and the indigenous Etruscan and Lucanian peoples. The remains of two major cities from classical times, Paestum and Velia, are found there.
|
Paestum is an ancient city of Italy, in Campania Region, on the Gulf of Salerno, southeast of the modern city of Salerno. Founded by Greek colonists from Sybaris between 650 and 600 BC, the city was originally called Poseidonia. It was subdued by the Romans, who established a colony there about 273 BC. During the 1st century BC, Paestum was famous for its roses, mentioned by several Roman poets, including Virgil. The town was sacked by the Saracens in the 9th century AD and finally abandoned in the 16th century. Paestum is famed today for the fine ruins of three large Doric temples: the temple of Poseidon, god of the sea; the Basilica; and the temple of Ceres, the Roman deity corresponding to Demeter, Greek goddess of agriculture. The temple of Poseidon in Paestum is one of the most perfectly preserved of ancient Greek temples.
Other World Heritage Sites in Italy (on this site). Inactive links are not described on stamps. Please refer to the UNESCO-listing, section Italy for further information about such sites.
Revised 01 aug 2006 |
|
