Timoleon’s Walls

Timoleon’s Walls are the only remaining example of Greek fortification with a raised part in raw bricks – they represent an extraordinary and almost obligatory destination for those who love to breathe and relive the ancient Hellenic culture.

The stretch is about 300 meters long, 3 m thick and 3.20 m high on average. The excellent state of conservation is certainly due to the sand dunes, which characterize the territory of Gela and covered most of the Greek city for more than 2000 years after its destruction.

The Fortifications date back to the 4th – 3rd century BC, when Timoleon, after defeating the Carthaginians, worked on the reconstruction of all the Greek cities that had been destroyed by Himilko’s armies a few decades earlier, including Gela (405 BC).

Recent studies have made it possible to consider the raising structure in raw bricks as unitary, confirming however that its construction is to be referred to a hasty intervention to complete the entire work, only justifiable in a moment of military difficulty.

Located within a large urban archaeological park, the area is a beautiful terrace overlooking the sea.

Immersed in the scents and essences of the Mediterranean maquis, the Walls overlook the hill and the Gulf of Gela.

Written by: Giuseppe La Spina