Agrigento's Kolymbethra Garden history documented in new book

The Fondo per l’Ambiente Italiano (FAI), the Valley of the Temples Archaeological Park, and the University of Milan have presented ‘La Kolymbethra di Agrigento – Un giardino d’eccezione’. This first book chronicles 2,600 years of history regarding the Kolymbethra Garden, a cultural landscape in the heart of Agrigento that integrates archaeology, biodiversity, and traditional agricultural practices.

Edited by Professor Claudia Lambrugo and archaeologist Chiara Fizzotti, the multidisciplinary work features contributions from 35 Italian and international scholars. The volume utilizes archaeological excavations, agronomic, architectural, and botanical research, alongside an extensive iconographic section including maps and archival photographs.

The book traces the garden's evolution from an ancient artificial lake in Akragas to a fertile irrigated valley featuring olive, almond, carob, and citrus groves. It also highlights the restoration and management efforts led by the FAI since the late 1990s.