Giardini della Kolymbethra, Archaeological museum and tourist office in Valley of the Temples, Agrigento, Italy
The Giardini della Kolymbethra sits in the Valley of the Temples and combines history with living gardens. Citrus trees, olives, and native Mediterranean plants grow where the ancient Greeks once built water systems.
The site began in the 6th century BC as a water reservoir for the Greek city of Akragas. Later it became an orchard, and Arab methods brought new crops and irrigation techniques to the land.
The garden shows how different peoples lived and farmed here over time. You can still see the water channels built by Greeks and the citrus trees that Arabs brought later.
Access is through Gate V with parking nearby. Tours of the gardens can include the underground chambers called hypogea if you want to see more.
The garden preserves rare orange varieties like Sanguigno and Sanguinello Moscato oranges. These traditional varieties are grown using old farming methods across five botanical zones.
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