Paestum, Italy

Paestum, Italy

Paestum Italy

The town of Poseidonia - later known as Paestum - was established by Greek colonists from Sybaris, a previous Greek city in southern Italy, around 600BC. It flourished and prospered and now boasts some of the most extensive remains of Magna Graecia (Magna Grecia in Italian). In 410BC, the town was taken over by the Lucanians, a native Italian people, then in 273BC the Romans took control, renamed it to Paestum and started their own construction projects. As the Roman Empire fell, so did Paestum. Malaria and Saracen attacks led to the town being nearly abandoned and the development of Capaccio, a safer settlement on the hillside. Paestum itself was largely forgotten. An information board outside the old church paints a touching picture of the area as a deserted wilderness frequented by bandits. Things changed with the eighteenth-century rediscovery of the temples by road-builders, along with a renewed interest in antiquities and the visits of Grand Tourists and tireless travellers like Shelley and Goethe. The classical name Paestum was revived (though Capaccio is still the local authority). These days, most of the lost city of Poseidonia-Paestum is hidden under farmland. The ancient city walls, built with massive stone blocks, surround a large area of countryside, much of it unexcavated. Right in the centre is the archaeological zone open to the public, and a few later buildings housing small tourist businesses.
Recommended airport
Salerno Pontecagnano Airport (QSR)
Points of interest
  • Heroon of Paestum
  • Archaeological Park of Paestum
  • Mount Molaro
Nearby destinations
  • Salerno a 35.33 km
  • Amalfi Coast a 41.44 km
  • Positano a 49.70 km