What to see in Paestum, itinerary including the main monuments and places of interest, including Tempio di Era, Archaeological Museum and Tempio di Athena.
Tourist information
Located in the Sele plain, Paestum is one of the most important archaeological sites located south of Naples and located in the Cilento National Park.
With origins dating back to around 650 BC, it first took the name of Paistos and later, in Roman times, it was called Paestum.
Abandoned in the ninth century, Paestum remained unknown until the first half of the 1700s, when Charles III of Bourbon began various recovery interventions, aimed at bringing to light the remains of the grandiose ancient temples.
Visited by tourists from all over the world, the archaeological area of Paestum is one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
The ancient city is surrounded by walls dating back to the Roman period, in which four doors open, each located in one of the four cardinal points, the names of these accesses are Porta Sirena, Porta Giustizia, Porta Aurea and Porta Marina.
The complex of temples, located a few tens of meters from each other, creates an evocative scenario.
The largest of them is the temple of Neptune, also known as Poseidon, dating back to 450 BC. and placed on a slight hill which contributes to increase its grandeur.
The ancient building consists of a base of three steps on which six columns rise on the short sides and 14 on the long sides, with connecting lintels equipped with splendid triangular pediments, there are also the remains of two altars used for sacrifices to the goddess Hera.
The temple of Era was built earlier, nicknamed Basilica and dating back to 550 BC, of which there remain a series of 50 Doric columns, some friezes from the architrave, the sacred well and the sacrificial altar.
What see
The temple of Athena is the smallest of the three in size and is surrounded by a portico with six Ionic columns, in which you can see the altar including the sacrificial well, as well as the bases of votive columns.
Recommended readings- Sapri (Campania): what to see
- Campania: Sunday day trips
- Amalfi (Campania): what to see
- Acciaroli (Campania): what to see
- Teano (Campania): what to see
Near these temples are the remains of other buildings and the forum, the place where the ancient Greek agora probably stood.
In the forum you can see the remains of the curia building, of the thermal baths, of the Italic temple and of the comitium.
The Roman amphitheater, dating back to the late Republican period, is an embankment complex with a terracing wall.
Outside the perimeter wall there are many necropolises, including the Gaudo necropolis, which is the largest in size.
The Archaeological Museum deserves to be visited, where archaeological finds from the surrounding areas are kept, as well as important slabs extracted from the Tuffatore tomb, which are the only examples of Magna Grecia mural painting, dating back to 490 BC, and painted tombs found in the Lucana necropolis.
In addition to the cultural aspects mentioned above, Paestum is also renowned as a seaside resort, with a very long sandy beach bordered by a lush pine forest, where there are equipped campsites, as well as tourist villages and numerous hotels.
In summer, among the cultural events, the Charlot Prize should be mentioned, an event to reward young talents who wish to take the first steps to become part of a new generation of Italian comedians.
