February 29, 2024 – 9:21 pm
An 8-metre-tall statue was erected for the 2,500-year-old Temple of Zeus in Agrigento, Sicily – Writes live Sicily. The statue depicts Atlas, and there were originally 38 statues, and they decorated the wall of the largest Doric church ever built.
The erected statue of Atlas – Photography: ANSA
The city of Agrigento, located on the southern coast of Sicily, was founded by the Greeks in 582 BC. The city flourished very quickly, tens of thousands of people lived here, and seven huge churches were built. However, in 406 BC, they were attacked by the Carthaginians and captured most of the city and then destroyed it.
The largest church of the era was built in the short-lived city. This was never finished because the Carthaginians destroyed the walls before building the roof. On the other hand, there are still 38 special atlas sculptures standing in front of the walls and intended to hold the roof structure, completing the building. In Greek mythology, Atlas is the giant who carries the sky on his shoulders.
After its capture, the Carthaginians occupied the city for a long time, then the Romans occupied it in 210 BC. At that time, its population began to grow again, and churches were built again, but the previous Greek churches were not rebuilt.
The statue with other Greek churches in the background – Photography: ANSA.
The remains of the Atlas statue were found in 1812 by Briton Charles R. Cockerill, when he attempted to excavate the ruins of a Greek temple. Cockerill later identified other pieces of the statue. Now, after 20 years of research, the statue has been put back together again, which anyone can see if they travel to Sicily.
