Italic Temple of Paestum
Walk the road that cuts along the eastern edge of the archaeological park and the Italic Temple appears almost without ceremony — a squat, roofless structure set slightly apart from the more celebrated Doric temples nearby. It belongs to a different tradition: built during the Lucanian period that followed the Greek founding era, it reflects the moment when the city of Poseidonia had already passed into other hands.
The temple sits within a site that has been continuously revealing itself since the 18th century, when the ruins were rediscovered beneath centuries of malarial marsh and overgrowth. Come in spring and the surrounding plain is thick with scarlet poppies.
💛 What travellers fall for
People who make a second trip tend to arrive early and walk the SP276 road first, before the tour groups reach the main temples. From there the Italic Temple reads differently — less isolated, more legible as part of a layered city. The free first-Sunday admission is worth knowing, though the site is busier for it.
The story behind Italic Temple of Paestum
The city that became Paestum was founded around 600 BCE as Poseidonia by colonists from Sybaris, on a fertile coastal plain with access to both the sea and the Lucanian hills inland. Around 410 BCE the Lucanians took control, and it is within this period — between Greek foundation and Roman absorption — that the Italic Temple was constructed, representing a local building tradition distinct from the canonical Doric order of the three main sanctuaries.
In 273 BCE Rome established a Latin colony here and the city was renamed Paestum. Gradual silting of the Silarus River created malarial conditions; a raid by Muslim forces in 871 CE effectively ended habitation, and the ruins lay largely forgotten until the 18th century.
Good to know
Trenitalia runs from Salerno in about 35 minutes; from Naples, around an hour. The entrance near Porta Sirena is a kilometre from the station. A single ticket (€12 March–November) covers the archaeological area, the museum, and the Velia site, and stays valid for three days. The museum closes Mondays.
Summers are hot and dry — the exposed site offers almost no shade, so mornings are considerably more comfortable than midday. Spring is the most rewarding season, when the plain around the temples fills with wildflowers. Winter visits are quieter and cooler, with shorter opening hours.
Where is Italic Temple of Paestum?
More tickets & tours for Italic Temple of Paestum
Book directly at the provider
What travellers say about Italic Temple of Paestum
The older of the two temples o the southern side of the park, was built in the Archiac period. Was probably dedicated to Hera. It is the best preserved temple from this period. In fact because it is built with odd number of pillars nobody is really sure it was in fact a temple.
In the Wikipedia sais . Hera was an Olympian goddess in the Greek pantheon, known as the queen of the gods. She was the goddess of marriage, family, childbirth, and women. Hera was the wife, and sister, of Zeus, and many of her most famous myths center around her jealous retributions to Zeus's infidelity. Here in parco archeologico di paestrum, the temple of Hera is Amazing and gives a lot of inspiration and good energy Even Hera was terrible she also have a great and helpful side for people Is interesting that is a lot of ants … that looks like eating the rocks If you are around is really so good and nice place to visit
Beautiful ruins of the temple dedicated to our lady Hera.
The Basilica of Paestum is the only Greek temple from the Archaic period in which the peristasis, here composed of 50 columns, is preserved in its entirety.
The oldest temple in Pestum. It's incredible to think how, with the resources of the time, they were able to build a marvel of such dimensions. The signatures on the columns are unique and special for the Greek world.
More of Paestum
Discover where to stay, what to do and the best deals for your trip.
Explore Paestum →More attractions in Paestum
All of Paestum →
Background adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA) · map data © OpenStreetMap contributors · ratings & place photos via Google · other photos with per-image credit. Ticket links may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you.