Tourist Attractions & Monuments Sicily

The temple of the Concorde, elegant, harmonious and solemn, is one of the most perfect and best preserved Hellenistic temples in the world! Founded in 340 BC, it consists of calcarénite, a rock formed by an amalgam of limestone sand. But we must imagine that, originally, this Doric style temple was entirely covered with white stucco, both outside and inside. Some elements were polychrome, like the frise alternant alternant and triglyphes which overcame the columns, and its roof was covered with marble tiles. Today we are far from its original colourful aspect!

Its classical architecture consists of an peristyle of 34 elegant columns with cannelés drums, i. e. 13 columns on the lengths and 6 on the smallest sides, which rise over a four-degree the. The architects of the ancient world used techniques of trompe to strengthen the monumental aspect of the building. If the temple approaches its verticality we think it is perfect, looking closer to you can see that the columns are slimmer in their upper parts (on long sides), so the impression is that they are larger. To compensate, columns of smaller sides are slightly tilted towards the interior of the temple. A successful optical illusion!

According to the classical tradition, its plan consists of three internal spaces, the cella, the most important piece which often served as sanctuary, the pronaos, entrance vestibule, and the opisthodome, the posterior part of the temple where the offerings or sacred objects could be preserved. Note that the interior does not visit. However, you can guess its internal architecture by turning around.

Today we do not know who this temple was dedicated to. He owes his name to archaeologist Tommaso Fazello who was inspired by a Latin inscription, Concordia, found in the vicinity of the temple, which has no connection with the temple. However, two statues were found inside the place of worship, which caused the hypothesis of its attribution to the Dioscures, Castor and Pollux! Unfortunately, we lack historical elements to be able to assert this.

Why is the temple of Concorde so well Preserved? It is thanks to Bishop Grégoire who, in the th century. D.C., transformed the Doric temple into Christian basilica, which saved him from a certain destruction by Christians. Grégoire destroyed both pagan idols from Eber and Raps found in the temple before dedicating it to the apostles Peter and Paul. The architecture of the temple was modified by a series of arcades that enriched the cella, strengthening the conservation of the temple of La Concorde. In the west wall, burials were dug to form a christian necropolis. There were also tombs in arcosolium (circulaires niches surmounted by an arc). It was only after the restoration of 1788 that the temple regained its ancient form after having removed the internal additions from the christian era. Since then, the temple has undergone several restorations.

In front of the temple of La Concorde, a contemporary artist installed a beautiful sculpture depicting Icarus from the Sky. Son of the famous architect and inventor Maze, he wanted to escape from the maze with wax wings made by his father before flying too close to the sun… and to burn the wings! At night, the temple of the Concorde is lit and repère by far, sitting majestically on the Valley of Temples.