Preserving Beauty: Together for the rebirth of the Kolymbethra Garden

A shared commitment to rediscover a unique landscape

At the heart of the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento, the Kolymbethra Garden stands as a powerful example of how collaboration can become a means of protecting and enhancing Italy’s cultural heritage.

It is from this shared vision that Dolce&Gabbana’s support for FAI – Fondo per l’Ambiente Italiano takes shape: a partnership founded on a common commitment to beauty, culture and the responsibility of caring for the land, preserving it for future generations while making it accessible to local communities.

A heritage returned to the community

Once the ancient water reservoir of the Greek city of Akragas, the Kolymbethra is now a flourishing garden that reflects the enduring relationship between people and nature. Before being entrusted to FAI, it had fallen into neglect and disrepair. Thanks to more than twenty years of dedicated work, it has been restored, returned to the public and transformed into a vibrant landscape rich in Mediterranean biodiversity and historical memory. It is no coincidence that, in antiquity, the word garden was closely associated with the idea of paradise: today, the Kolymbethra continues to embody that timeless meaning.

As part of this wider restoration project, the Case Montana—historic rural dwellings that housed the valley’s farming families until the 1960s—have also been carefully restored. Supported in part by Dolce&Gabbana, the intervention preserved the buildings’ original identity by retaining their historic walls and recovering fragments of the original flooring, meticulously restored by the skilled hands of local artisans. Among the restoration details, selected Dolce&Gabbana surfaces and floorings have been discreetly integrated into the project, creating a dialogue between contemporary craftsmanship and historical heritage.

Here, beauty is found not only in the site’s monumental landmarks, but also in the more intimate traces of rural life, now restored as an integral part of the visitor experience.

Sustainability, Biodiversity and Community

The collaboration between Dolce&Gabbana and FAI reflects a tangible commitment to sustainability, understood as the care and preservation of the land.

For centuries, the Kolymbethra has been cultivated with citrus groves, pistachio trees, almond trees and olive trees. Today, the Garden preserves Mediterranean biodiversity by protecting ancient local varieties and maintaining traditional agricultural practices, while its historic water management system continues to demonstrate a responsible approach to the use of natural resources. The very name Kolymbethra, meaning basin in Greek, recalls the ancient hydraulic system that once supplied the city of Akragas: a network of canals and irrigation techniques that continues to safeguard this precious resource.

At the same time, the restoration of the Case Montana strengthens the connection with the local community by creating spaces for hospitality, shared experiences and discovery. Through initiatives that bring together nature, culture and tradition, the project fosters a deeper appreciation of the region’s environmental and cultural heritage.

A future to build together

Supporting the Kolymbethra and the Case Montana means helping to safeguard a shared heritage: a place where history, landscape and human activity have coexisted in remarkable harmony for centuries.

The collaboration between Dolce&Gabbana and FAI reflects a shared commitment to protecting and enhancing places of exceptional cultural significance, preserving their identity while ensuring they can be experienced and appreciated by present and future generations.