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History of Paestum
Once called Poseidonia, the city was founded in the VII century BC by Greek colonists from Sybaris. During Greek occupation the city achieved its greatest heights before falling under Rome control.
The city continued to prosper until the mouth of the river Salso started to be buried by sand and the area turned into a swamp. As the swamp grew the urban settlement pulled back to the central temple until citizens left the place for good in the IX century AD.
Paestum today
Today it’s a UNESCO Heritage site. You can fill your lungs with almost 3000 years of history simply by walking through Via Sacra. It was opened back to the world in 1903. Public areas and sacred places can be found on both sides of the street as well as residential buildings and the Roman paved road matching the ancient Greek path. The Forum area was rehabbed during the Roman period, it is surrounded by many other buildings aimed at public life and religious custom.
To the north side of Forum there’s the so-called Italicum Temple which probably was the Capitolium of the city during Roman time. It’s an esastylium temple placed on a high podium at the top of a few wide stone steps, equipped with one altar only.
The sacred area is certainly the place that amazes visitors the most. The three temples in Greek Doric order remain well-preserved as by some miracle. Two of them were devoted to Hera and one to Athena.
The Artist – Franco Palmentieri
Franco was born in Salerno, Italy. He alternates between creating drawings, painting, sculpture, reliefs, and designing exclusive living spaces. He was the image designer of the Settimane Musicali of Salvatore Accardo at the Teatro S. Carlo in Naples and the International Del Cinema Salerno. He creates art that is exhibited in galleries, books, artistic short films, and applied art that is showcased around Italy. He designs, builds, and inaugurates art in his atelier and showroom in the city of Cava de Tirreni.
Bee Cave Arts Foundation 