The Paestum temples and archaeological park

Paestum is known the world over for its magnificent temples. But when one arrives in the ancient city, one is already fascinated by the city walls: almost 5 km of very well-preserved walls that could be 7 metres high and that enclose the city centre. There are four main gates located along the cardinal axes: Porta Sirena, Porta Giustizia, Porta Marina and Porta Aurea.

History

Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, ancient Poseidonia was a city founded in the 7th century B.C. by Greek colonists from Sybaris, and it is very likely that there was already a human settlement there when the Sybarites arrived. Under the Greeks it reached its greatest splendour before falling into the hands of the Lucanians first (they changed its name to Paiston) and then the Romans. Conquered by Rome in 273 B.C., the city changed its name to Paestum and its splendour continued in Roman times until, according to an account by Strabo, the area began to swamp due to the Salso river whose mouth began to silt up. The swamp then began to grow and the urban settlement retreated further and further around the temple of Ceres until its inhabitants decided to abandon the area in the 9th century AD.

Paestum, what to see

Today you can breathe in almost 3,000 years of history as you walk along the Via Sacra, brought to light in 1903, 9 metres wide and paved with large blocks of limestone. On both sides were the public or cult areas as well as the residential areas of the city centre, and the Roman pavement follows the ancient Greek layout. You can also observe the Forum area, laid out in Roman times, rectangular and flanked by other public and religious buildings. On the north side of the Forum is the so-called “Tempio Italico”, probably the Capitolium of the Roman city. It is a hexastyle temple on a high podium, preceded by a wide flight of steps with a simple rectangular altar.

The Temples Of Paestum

Archaeological Park of PaestumBut undoubtedly what most impresses the visitor is the sacred area: three Doric temples in the city, miraculously arrived to us in excellent condition. The temple of Hera is the oldest of the three large buildings, and belongs to the first generation of the great stone temples: its construction began around 560 B.C. The gables are missing and the inner hall is divided by a row of central columns, which is why for a long time there were doubts about its function, so much so that it is still called the “Basilica”. Then we have the Temple of Athena, the only one of which the deity to whom it is dedicated, Athena, is known with certainty. It is located north of the public spaces and was built on the highest point of the city around 500 BC.

But the largest and most majestic temple by far is the Temple of Neptune, built in the mid-5th century B.C. It is built of huge boulders connected by simple dowels and without mortar: it is probably precisely this construction technique that enabled the temple to survive earthquakes and other calamities. The inner cella was divided into three naves by two tall two-storey colonnades that can still be admired, while the roof was supported by wooden beams. The attribution of this temple to the god Neptune is still a matter of debate: in the 18th century it was thought that, being the largest temple, it was certainly dedicated to the god from whom the city Poseidonia took its name. But some argue that the temple was instead dedicated to Hera, the city’s main deity, and another hypothesis sees the temple dedicated to the most important god for the Greeks, Zeus.

Also worth mentioning is the sanctuary of Hera, an ancient extramural place of worship near the mouth of the Sele River, which is said to have been founded by the Argonauts, and the many necropolises outside the city walls.

We also recommend a visit to the National Archaeological Museum of Paestum, with its exhibits and especially the beautiful painted tombs from the necropolis such as the famous Tomb of the Diver.

Paestum timetables

Archaeological Area (the Temples): open daily from 8.30 am to 7.30 pm (last ticket at 6.50 pm). A cloakroom service is available at the ticket office at Porta Principale to store backpacks, bags and luggage.

The Museum is open from 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. (last ticket issue at 6:50 p.m.) – 1st and 3rd Monday of the month from 8:30 a.m. to 1:40 p.m. (last ticket issue at 1:00 p.m.)

Please visit the official website as opening hours vary according to season, with early closure during the winter period.

The archaeological area and the Museum are closed on 1 January and 25 December.

Tickets

December to February: Full price €10.00 – Reduced price for 18 to 25 year olds €2.00

Ticket from March to November: Full 15,00€ – Reduced for 18 to 25 year olds 2,00€

You can buy tickets online at Tiqets to skip the queue and secure your place. Paestum audio guide included.

PAESTUM MIA annual ticket (archaeological area + museum + initiatives included in the ordinary ticket): €15.00 – €7.50

The ticket is valid for 3 days and also includes entrance to the Velia park.

Admission to the park is free on the first Sunday of the month for #domenicalmuseo.

If you are travelling to Campania for a few days, also consider the Campania Artecard option with discounts and concessions on many museums and sites in Campania.

REDUCTIONS

Those aged between 18 and 25 are entitled to a cost reduction for all other concessions consult the MiBACT page