Il Cannito

Temples

by sandysmith

Although there are roman remains on the complex the 3 greek temples are the main attraction - more details in the must see section.
. My lasting impression is the optical illusion of the shape of vvases in the spaces between the columns - this one is the temple of Poseidon

Temple of Hera II

by sandysmith

This temple is unusual in being the only temple in Italy with a naos divided into two by the columns. such a division could be due to the temple having a double dedication, which would probably have been to Hera and Zeus.
The only other such Greek temples are found in Crete at Dreros and Prinià, but in both cases the dividing columns were of wood on stone bases. The Cretan temples are the oldest Greek temples known, so this similarity confirms the dating of the Temple of Hera.

Underground shrine

by orlandom

This is a Shrine not a Tomb and 3 of it's 4 sides are underground The one that is not has no access to it . The excavators who climbed down into the interior through the roof found eight bronze vases containing honey, an Attic black-figured vase from the end of the 11th century bc,and 5 iron spears arrayed on 2 adjacent blocks to form a table-like structure . It is almost certain that this is a monument erected in honar of a person elevated to hero -status after Death

Paestum - an isolated gem of Greek civilisation

by T&THartin

Around 600 B.C. the Greeks settled in "Poseidonia," named in honor of the god of the Sea. After the Romans conquered the south they founded a Latin colony called Paestum here. But, as in many of the coastal areas, population declined seriously in the Late Empire--some fleeing to the hills to avoid malaria, others falling in Saracen raids. Paestum was lost to the world by the 12th century, discovered by road crews in 1752 and "re-discovered" in the 18th centuries when poets like Goethe, Shelley, Canova, and Piranesi visited and wrote about the ruins while on the "Grand Tour."

An amazing sight - three beautifully preserved Greek temples in a tranquil countryside setting. It was also very pleasurable to wander along the uncovered and partly overgrown ancient streets and houses and just enjoy the view of the three giants - the temples of Athena, Neptune and Hera. Best preserved Greek temples we've ever seen!

The Temple of Athena, goddess of wisdom and art, was built around the 6th century BC and is commonly referred to as the Temple of Ceres. It was dedicated to the cult of Athena - known to the Romans as Minerva. This has been confirmed by the presence of numerous votive offerings and teracotta statues within the temple.

Temples of Neptune and Hera.

Some interesting information about the temple of Hera:
The site's closing doesn't seem to stop couples wanting to make a baby, according to one of the sources we've come across:

"Childless couples flock to the temple of Hera to copulate beneath the night sky, in the belief that making love within the shrine of the goddess will call forth her fertilizing influence and thereby insure pregnancy. At Paestum, Hera is not only a goddess of fertility; she is also a goddess of childbirth."