Paestum & Archeo Museum

Explore the carefully preserved ruins in Paestum, which the Greeks founded around 600 BC as the city of Poseidonia, and see many of its excavated artifacts in the archaeological museum. The remains of three of the world’s finest ancient Greek temples still stand at Paestum. Two of them are dedicated to the goddess Hera, the other to Athena. Incredibly, the site was abandoned and forgotten for centuries after the nearby Silarus River silted up and created a malarial swamp. Excavations began in the 18th century and the wonders that have been unearthed present a fascinating glimpse into the world of the ancient Greeks and Romans. At the archaeological museum in Paestum, you will likely see a collection of terra cotta statues, decorative stone carvings of dancing women and war heroes, and a funerary painting of a man diving into water that may represent his transition into the afterworld.

HIGHLIGHTS:
• View the ruins of three Doric temples in Paestum that are among the finest in the world. • Gain insight into how Paestum was founded and its demise after the nearby river silted up. • Browse the enlightening artifacts in the archaeological museum in Paestum.