| :. Intro | ||
| :. Castelcivita grottoes | ||
| :. Castellabate | ||
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| :. Paestum | ||
| :. Padula Charterhouse | ||
| :. Palinuro | ||
| :. Velia | ||
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| :. Typical food products | ||
| :. Diving in Cilento | ||
| :. Public transportation | ||
| :. Maps | ||
| :. Email us |
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In the Ascea area is the ancient Greek village of Elea that was home to the philosophical schools of Parmenides & Zenones. Elea was founded around 540 BC. One of the most important branches of Greek Philosophy, the Eleatica School, was founded in Elea and two of its major exponents were Parmenide and Zenone. Elea changed its name to Velia after conquest by the Romans. Thanks to its mild climate and stunning landscape, many illustrious Romans had summer villas here- among them Cicero and Horace. Eventually, due to a combination of devastating floods, barbarian invasions and a variety of other disasters over the centuries, Velia declined in importance. |
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Only a few remnants of the ancient civilizations that once existed here have come to light in the last few decades - most are still buried and forgotten. Of particular historical and architectural value are “La Porta Rosa” (the Pink Door), datable to the 4th Century BC, a clear indication that the Greeks had already discovered the uses of the arch, and that it was not an Etruscan or Roman invention. The perfection of La Porta Rosa and the harmony of its dimensions are not accidental: just think that the light of the arch exactly registers two circumferences one over the other having a diameter the width of the total arch. |
