On the slopes of Mount Adranone, the encounter between an ancient city and the lush nature that surrounds it creates an archaeological site of remarkable beauty
Discover ancient Adranon, a colony of Selinunte, conquered by Carthage and razed to the ground by Rome The Greek-Punic city of Adranon (8th century BCE) was linked to the nearby Selinunte and Akragas and played an important role as a defensive outpost. Thanks to numerous archaeological excavations, carried out since 1968, the history of the colony has been reconstructed and the different areas that constituted it have been brought to light. The necropolis, the sanctuary, the commercial district and the city walls follow one another inside the site; the numerous finds discovered during the digs are preserved in the Archaeological Museum of Palazzo Panitteri.
A rocky cliff and an imposing wall, which in some places reaches 6 metres in height, define the 6 km perimeter of Adranon. Rebuilt at the beginning of the 4th century on the rubble of the previous settlement, the city had a double line of walls and an inner ring around the acropolis, as well as many dwellings with storehouses, shops, cisterns, and a second sanctuary on the city's median terrace.
In the necropolis, you can admire the famous Tomb of the Queen. Dating from the 6th-5th centuries BCE, it is considered one of the most interesting and monumental chamber tombs (2.20 m x 1.50 m) in Sicily. It is said that, at the time of its discovery in 1885, the tomb contained bronze and painted terracotta vases, with figures, which unfortunately have since disappeared.
Quick overview
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Opening days
Open daily
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Opening times
From 9:00 am till 6:30 pm
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How to reach
By car:
From Palermo, take the SS624 main road and exit at Sambuca di Sicilia - Web
Services
- Visits Available in Italian, English
Suggested periods
- Autumn
- Carnival
- Event
- Spring
- Weekend
Visiting Rules
Basic rules:
All visitors are invited to observe the basic rules of respect for the preservation of monuments and nature
Covid 19 rules:
Visitors are requested to wear a mask in enclosed or heavily crowded areas and to maintain the safety distance indicated by the regulations in force