Paestum

Written by David

Photos by Kelli

The settlement of Paestum was as fascinating to visit as it was to research as the docent for our visit. I had read any detail I could about the monuments and history of the town, from its founding by the Greeks to its decline due to swamping and floods. 

The temples, though somewhat similar to Roman ones like the Rectangular Temple in Rome, evoked a more grand and natural feeling with their more bulbous columns and impressive size. Notice simple details that I had read about, like the second altar being smaller for the Roman road to pass by, or the twenty-four flutes on the columns instead of the usual twenty, was exhilarating, even beyond the usual feeling of seeing something we have learned about in the classroom.