Locri Epizefiri Archaeological Park

Locri Epizefiri Archaeological Park preserves the remains of one of the most important ancient Greek colonial cities in the western Mediterranean, located on the Ionian coast of Reggio Calabria Province in Calabria, near the modern town of Locri. Founded circa 680 BCE by colonists from the Greek city-state of Locris in central Greece, ancient Locri Epizefiri — 'Locri facing the west wind' — was renowned throughout antiquity as the first Greek city to codify a written legal system, attributed to the lawgiver Zaleucus in around 660 BCE. The archaeological park covers a large area of the coastal plain and hillside where the ancient city stood within its defensive walls; the remaining visible structures include sections of the ancient circuit walls, a theatre carved into the hillside, a Doric temple to the Dioscuri (of which some column fragments survive), bath complexes, and a large burial ground with numerous grave goods. The museum adjacent to the site houses the celebrated Pinakes of Locri — thousands of terracotta votive tablets depicting mythological scenes offered at the sanctuary of Persephone, the most important cult sanctuary in the ancient city, which was located on the low hill called Mannella. The tablets, many depicting the abduction of Persephone or scenes of feminine ritual, constitute one of the most significant corpora of Greek votive art from southern Italy; the originals are divided between this site museum and the Museo Nazionale della Magna Grecia in Reggio Calabria. A visit typically begins with the on-site museum before moving through the park to the theatre, temple ruins, and walls. The site is accessed from Contrada Marasà, 3 kilometres north of Locri town centre; a taxi or car is required from Locri station.