Agropoli

Agropoli is the capital city and commercial heart of the pristine area called Cilento in the province of Salerno, in the Campania region of Italy, located at the beginning of the Cilento coast, on the Tyrrhenian Sea. It is the most important city in the Cilento area and offers all beauties of a town during every season. As one can assume due to the name, it concerns a Greek founding, which is a little older than Paestum (end of 7th Century B.C.). The place name Agropoli reminds immediately of the Akropolis in Athens. In fact this name here as well as in Athens is attributed to the elevated position (Akropolis = high city). There was also a temple on the hill (underneath the castle), which was dedicated either to Artemis or to Poseidon.

The promontary, on which Agropoli was established, limits the gulf of Salerno in the south. The situation on a relatively steeply dropping hill offered protection in connection with fortification plants against assaulting intrusion. From these plants only the castle from the 6th century, the town-walls and the town-gate from the 7th century, when Agropoli stood under Aragonian rule, kept preserved. At the end of the 9th century Agropoli fell for approx. 200 years into the hands of the Saracenes, which used the fortifications and this strategically favorable place for booty attacks. This was one of the reasons, why the city of Paestum was given up at the same time.

East of the hill (landinward) the small river Testene flows into the gulf and formed at that time a small natural harbour. Nowadays everything is strongly landed and the original use could not be maintained. Today's harbour of Agropoli lies on the other side of the hill and serves mainly as marina for many private sailing boats and yachts.

Since the 19th century the city expanded, substantially around the hill. Agropoli lives to a large extent from tourism. In the summer approximately twice as many people live here as in normal times. In addition to the beaches south , and north of the the hill there is a bit more to the south another pretty beach at Baia di Trentova , which also belongs to Agropoli. Once again (in 2002) the blue ribbon from the FEEE (Foundation for Environmental Education in Europe www.feee.org) was awarded to this place for its excellent water and beach quality. At Baia di Trentova begins the beautiful Cilento Coast.

Agropoli does not exclusively live on tourism and for tourism. Even during the season there is still the impression of a normal urban everyday life. Out of the season it's not becoming a "ghost town". The many cafes , and pizzerias remain still opened. In Paestum you may find luxury hotels with more than three stars - but not in Agropoli. Predominantly Italian families spend their vacation here. The town, where some tombs predating the Byzantine period were recently found, also houses the medieval ruins of San Francesco's monastery, and the Churches of the Holy Mary of Constantinople (16th century), San Marco, and San Francesco. The beaches of Trentova Bay contribute to make Agropoli an important seaside resort.

In the Municipal Antiquarian, there is a sizeable collection of archaeological finds, representing life in the area from prehistoric to medieval times.