Santa Maria dei Greci, Medieval church in old town center, Agrigento, Italy.
Santa Maria dei Greci is a medieval church in old Agrigento featuring three naves and a Gothic portal. Beneath its floor, glass panels reveal the foundations of an ancient temple and a crypt, showing layers of history in one space.
This church was built in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries directly over the ruins of an ancient Greek temple dedicated to Athena. This layering shows how new buildings sometimes rose atop sacred sites from earlier times.
The interior holds frescoes that show religious scenes and devotional practices from medieval times. These wall paintings reveal how the space was decorated to inspire prayer and reflection.
Enter through the Gothic portal and plan to view both the medieval church structure above and the ancient foundations visible below through glass panels. Moving slowly through the space helps you take in the full architectural story of the building.
Stone walls throughout the building feature engravings of the Triple Belt symbol, represented by three concentric squares. These mysterious markings suggest layers of spiritual meaning beyond the church's primary religious purpose.
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