Second Temple of Hera in Paestum, Ancient Greek temple in Paestum, Italy
The Second Temple of Hera is a fifth-century BCE Greek sanctuary within the archaeological zone of Paestum. The rectangular building measures roughly 197 feet (60 m) long and 80 feet (24 m) wide, surrounded by 36 columns.
Construction began around 450 BCE when the Greek colony in southern Italy reached its peak. The sanctuary was dedicated to the goddess Hera and remained in use through the Roman period.
The inner chambers follow the traditional layout of Greek worship spaces, where priests stored offerings and performed daily rituals. Visitors today can walk around the foundation and see where worshippers once approached the goddess with gifts.
Access is through the main archaeological park, which opens daily and offers information panels in several languages. Visitors can walk around the entire perimeter and view the columns up close from multiple angles.
The building preserves its complete interior support framework, a rarity among Greek ruins of this era. The upper row of columns still shows how the construction distributed the weight of the original roof.
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