Ruins of the ancient city of Paestum in Italy
Rating: 7,8/10 (500 votes)  The ancient city of Paestum is a Sybarian colony founded at the beginning of the 4th century BC. Initially, the city was located on the western coast of Lucania, but due to the marshy soil and bad water, the city was moved to the depths of Magna Graecia. According to historical data, the city reached its heyday in the 540s years BC, as evidenced by the spacious temple of Hera. By the end of the 5th century BC. the Greek character of the city was lost, it became purely Lucanian. In 274 BC. the Latins colonized Paestum, in connection with which it lost its significance. At the end of the 9th century, the Saracens ravaged the city, after which it was abandoned. Thanks to this, the city has perfectly preserved three Doric temples, one of which was dedicated to Athena, the other two to the goddess Hera. In 1968, during archaeological excavations, a tomb with unique frescoes was discovered, dating back to 470 BC. Today it is the only surviving ensemble of Greek painting from the classical period. You can see the frescoes at the Paestum Archaeological Museum. Also of interest is the Temple of Peace, located on the forum, built in the II century BC The ruins of the city were included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.   
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