Its name precisely means "upper city." According to some archaeologists, it could be the ancient acropolis of Paestum; in fact, it is assumed the presence of a temple dedicated to Poseidon... #tuttitaly
On a promontory overlooking the sea stands Agropoli, which owes its name to its geographical position.
During the Greek-Gothic War (535-553), the Byzantines needed a safe and secure landing place south of Salerno, so they fortified this site.
At the end of the 6th century, the bishop of Paestum was forced to take refuge in Agropoli due to the Lombard invasion, making it the seat of a bishopric and the main center of the surviving Byzantine territories of Tyrrhenian Lucania.
In 882, the town fell into the power of the Saracens, who settled there, creating a fortified base from which they left to plunder the surrounding populations. However, they were defeated in 915, and Agropoli returned under the jurisdiction of the bishops.
Later, the town underwent the succession of the Normans, Swabians, Angevins, and Aragonese.
The barbarian raids of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries depopulated the territory until the number of inhabitants was reduced to only a few hundred.
From 1660 to 1806, the fiefdom of Agropoli belonged to the Sanfelice and Delli Monti. Today, the marble coat of arms of these two noble families, who were the last feudal lords of the city, can be seen on the seventeenth-century entrance portal.
The Angevin Aragonese Castle, which stands majestically on the promontory, has become an important cultural attraction. It has been the subject of continuous renovations to be adapted to the innovations of military art.
In addition to its history, Agropoli fascinates us with its legends and the beauty of its landscapes—a truly enchanting place.
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