Archaeological Park of Locri

The remains of the Greek settlement in the locality of Centocamere, and those of the Tempio di Marasà, which have yielded a great variety of relics related to religion, art, and culture, have more recently been added to those of a sanctuary dedicated to Demetra Thesmophoros, stretches of the Greek city walls, and significant monumental evidence from the Roman Imperial age, such as the Museale Casinò Macrì complex.

In the first half of the fifth century BC, the Locrians demolished their archaic temple and rebuilt a new temple in the Ionic style. The temple was designed by Syracusan architects around 470 BC, based on the idea of Hiero I of Syracuse.

The new temple occupies the same place as the previous one but it has a different orientation. The temple was destroyed in the 11th century. The dimensions of the temple were 45.5 by 19.8 metres. The cella is free of supports on the central axes. The pronaos had two columns. The temple has seventeen Ionic columns on the long side, and six on the front. The height of the temple was 12 metres.

The theatre was built in the fourth century BC not far from the ancient city, in the Contrada Pirettina, taking advantage of a hillside slope. The original structure had space for more than 4,500 people; now only the central part of the theatre is visible. Part of the Cavea was cut into the rocks. Each plane was divided in 7 wedges between 6 scales. A horizontal separation divided the upper theater from the lower theatre.

Address

Contrada Parapezzi, Locri, Italy

Details

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