Area archeologica di Morgantina
Remains of a Greek city abandoned in the 1st century AD, with an agora, an ekklesiasterion and Hellenistic bath complexes.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
Morgantina is a rather rare case in Sicily of an abandoned city: its history stops in the 1st century, and for this reason it has not undergone the transformations caused by the normal continuity of life. Between 1953 and 1955 the American Archaeological Mission began excavations at Serra Orlando, the site that was soon identified with Morgantina, with the participation of various Italian and foreign university institutes.
The oldest settlement dates back to the Early Bronze Age (2200–1600 BC). In the Cittadella area, in the Early Iron Age, large rectangular huts stood, replaced in the 6th century BC by a temple in the Greek style. Another important place of worship is San Francesco Bisconti: from there come the acroliths of Demeter and Kore, now in the Museo di Aidone, cult statues of the Archaic phase.
In the early Hellenistic period the buildings around the agora received an ambitious layout, perhaps linked to Hieron II of Syracuse. At the centre of the project is the ekklesiasterion, the monumental tiered seating that served as the meeting place of the assembly and linked the two levels of the agora. Two bath complexes date from the same period. In 211 BC the city was assigned to a community of former mercenaries, and it did not survive the reorganisation of Sicily carried out by Augustus after 36 BC. The visit routes signposted on site allow you to choose between monuments with different levels of difficulty.
Highlights
- Agora with the ekklesiasterion, the monumental tiered seating
- Two Hellenistic bath complexes
- Cittadella area with the 6th-century BC temple
- Sanctuary of San Francesco Bisconti
- Abandoned city, left almost intact
- Visit routes signposted on site
- Operated by
- Parco archeologico di Morgantina e della Villa Romana del Casale
- Visitors per year
- approx. 20,855
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €8 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €4citizens of the European Union aged 18 to 25 (the same concessions apply to citizens of non-EU countries on condition of reciprocity) |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 17 · Free admission for under-18s |
| Visitors with disabilities | freecompanion free · Free admission for people with disabilities and a companion |
Free admission: First Sunday of every month
Free admission for under-18s, people with disabilities and a companion, EU tour guides and interpreters, ICOM members, EU teachers and school groups accompanied by their teachers (with booking), and other categories set out in regional regulations. Free admission on the first Sunday of every month. A combined ticket exists with the Villa Romana del Casale in Piazza Armerina, the Museo archeologico di Aidone, the Museo della Città e del Territorio di Piazza Armerina and the Museo interdisciplinare di Enna.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible: no information
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome: no information
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The visit routes signposted on site vary in terms of the difficulty of the route.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Getting there & parking
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Amenities & dining
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
