Temple of Dioscuri, Ancient Greek temple in Valle dei Templi, Italy.

The Temple of Dioscuri, also called Temple I, is a Doric peripteral temple of 6 by 13 columns built around the mid-5th century BCE in Akragas, now Agrigento. Its north-west corner was rebuilt in 1836 and 1856 with four columns and part of the entablature, using fragments from different periods found nearby. The stylobate measures 31 by 13.39 metres, and the geison fragments set into the ruin did not originally belong to this temple.

The temple was built in the 5th century BCE, at a time when Agrigento was among the most prosperous Greek cities in the Mediterranean world. Over the centuries it was largely destroyed by earthquakes and later construction, and the columns visible today were reassembled in the 19th century.

The name linking the ruin to Castor and Pollux, the Dioscuri twins, is a traditional attribution; the sources state the actual dedication of the temple is unknown. The four reassembled columns have become a popular emblem of Agrigento, reproduced on souvenirs sold to visitors. Around the ruin lie remains of other sanctuaries, including one to the chthonic gods, with rectangular and circular altars.

The temple is part of the Valle dei Templi archaeological park, which is explored on foot along marked paths. Comfortable shoes are a good idea since some surfaces are uneven, and visiting in the early morning or late afternoon makes the walk more comfortable when the sun is strong.

The four standing columns are not in their original arrangement but were assembled by an archaeologist in the 19th century using fragments gathered from different parts of the site. This means that what you see today is partly a three-dimensional puzzle built from the remains of more than one ancient structure.