Agira
Place of Interest
Townscape of Agira
Agira
Former Greek stronghold in Sicily
The unassuming little rural town Agira looks back on a great history. In the 4th Century BC, more than 20,000 inhabitants lived here in the Siculi town of Agyrion. Although Agira was allied with the Greek Syracuse, the town was conquered 339 BC by Timoleon, who settled 10,000 Greeks in the area. In ancient times, the Herakles sanctuary in the town was also known beyond the island's borders. The Greek historian Diodorus Siculus was born in Agyrion in the 1st Century BC. His universal history is still the most important source for the ancient history of Sicily.
Besides the picturesque townscape, the numerous baroque churches and palaces number among the sights worth seeing in Agira. The Church of San Salvatore at the Piazza Roma and the Arab-Norman castle are especially worth a visit.
Tweet