Impressive Paestum

Paestum in Campania is an ancient Greek and later Roman settlement, with the best preserved Greek Doric temples worldwide. They date back to the colonization of Magna Graecia, constructed between 550 and 450 BC. Paestum was a common destination on the Grand Tour of the 17th to 19th centuries, as an example of the Ancient Greek heritage.

This basin had a fascinating explanation. It is considered a sanctuary with a pool. On one end, the pillars might have supported a wooden construction used for rituals. Veneralia was worshipped here by the women of Paestum. First a statue of the goddess was washed in the pool and beautifully clothed afterwards, before the women themselves had a bath during a special ritual. Of course, it is just a hypothesis, but I found it enchanting.

After visiting the archaeological site and the museum, we stopped at one of the Buffalo farms, famous for their mozzarella cheese. We had heard about a special one, which is organic and entertains their buffalo ladies with music, showers and rotating brushes. They freely enter the milking station when ever they please and are only treated with homeopathic remedies. We found out, they make very good mozzarella, but also yoghurt and ice cream!

Our next destination will be famous Pompeii, which we have visited before, but walking through the streets of this town never looses its fascination. More on our next post!