Colonne di San Basilio

Lentini, Italy

The Colonne di San Basilio (Columns of St Basil) are an ancient Greek structure, which take their name from the mountain of San Basilio where they are located, in the territory of Lentini.

The summit of the mountain shows trances of ancient settlement from the prehistoric period, with clear traces of the postholes of a hut, probably belonging to the Casteluccio culture.

A little way away is the imposing structure itself, carved in the limestone rock and measuring 18 x 16 metres, with 32 columns designed to support rock slabs. Part of the structure has collapsed, but many of the columns remain standing.

The structure was later reused by the Byzantines, who converted it into a church. Some traces of religious frescoes are even visible on some of the columns, but they are not legible.

References:

Wikipedia

Address

Unnamed Road, Lentini, Italy

See all sites in Lentini

Details

Founded: 5th century BC
Category: Prehistoric and archaeological sites in Italy

More Information

en.wikipedia.org

Rating

4.7/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Andrea G. Calí (2 months ago)
Lovely but sadly abandoned temple

paolomarc66 (12 months ago)
Very interesting site due to the presence of countless Heroa, Greek sanctuaries dedicated to the cult of heroes, used both as a temple of veneration and as tombs of the hero himself. It should be visited several times to discover all the hidden beauties of both archaeological, geological and naturalistic interest. The site is located on an ancient, partially collapsed volcano and the first certain evidence of man's presence dates back to the Copper Age.

Salvatore Casa' (3 years ago)
Sicilian Magical Place

Mauro Manca (3 years ago)
Beautiful and magical full of history

Vincenzo Agliata (5 years ago)
Extraordinary mix of history, geology, art, archeology,

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Finest Norman castles in Italy

Exploring the History of Northern Poland

Discovering Slovenia's Historic Wonders

Photo from Flickr, copyright Wikimedia Commons

Historic Site of the week

Château du Lude

The Château du Lude is one of the many great châteaux of the Loire Valley in France. Le Lude is the most northerly château of the Loire Valley and one of the last important historic castles in France, still inhabited by the same family for the last 260 years. The château is testimony to four centuries of French architecture, as a stronghold transformed into an elegant house during the Renaissance and the 18th century. The monument is located in the valley of Le Loir. Its gardens have evolved throughout the centuries.