Paestum

Welcome to Paestum: City of Art and Culture of the Magna Gracia, Unesco World Heritage Site, Pearl of Campania and ideal destination for your holidays.

History

Paestum was a major Graeco-Roman city in the Campania region of Italy. Founded around the beginning of the VII century B.C. by colonists from the Greek city of Sybaris, the city was originally known as Poseidonia, since it was dedicated to Poseidon. At the end of the V century B.C. Paestum was conquered by the Lucani, under whom the city lived a period of prosperity and reached its maximum territorial expansion. Later, it became a Roman colony with the name of Paestum. The city was abandoned by the IX century, due to numerous Saracen attacks and to its unhealthy climate. The area surrounding the city gradually turned into swamps and thus, Paestum inhabitants abandoned the city: it has been hidden and forgotten for about 900 years.

Temples

Recent excavations have partially uncovered the ancient city: delimited by imposing Greek walls, it is characterized by three great temples, two of which built in Doric style and the other in both Ionic and Doric style, considered to be some of the major examples of these styles. The Temple of Hera is the oldest surviving temple in Paestum and one of the greatest stone-built Greek temples; the Temple of Athena or Temple of Ceres is smaller and introduces ionic columns in the pronaos; the Temple of Neptune is the most beautiful example of Greek architecture in the West.

Art & Culture

Once you visit Paestum, you should certainly visit the famous Archaeological Museum, which allows you to retrace the splendors of the ancient city and admire pieces with an inestimable artistic and historic value, such as the famous "Tomb of the Diver."
But today Paestum has also become a famous tourist place, offering the chance to relax and have a good time with thousand activities: the hotel Meridiana proposes numerous offers and last minute deals to make you spend pleasant vacations or weekends in our hotel in Paestum.