the Church of San Biagio was built. A late Hellenistic funerary monument erroneously labelled the "Tomb of Theron" is situated just outside the sacred area, and a 1st-century AD heroon (heroic shrine) adjoins the 13th century Church of San Nicola a short distance to the north. A sizeable area of the Greco-Roman city has also been excavated, and several classical necropoleis and quarries are still extant. Much of present-day Agrigento is modern but it still retains a number of medieval and Baroque buildings. These include the 14th century cathedral and the 13th century Church of Santa Maria dei Greci ("St. Mary of the Greeks"), again standing on the site of an ancient Greek temple (hence the name). The town also has a notable archaeological museum displaying finds from the ancient city. People Empedocles (5th Century BC), the Ancient Greek pre-Socratic philosopher, was a citizen of ancient Akragas. Tellias () of Akragas, described in ancient sources as a hospitable man; when 500 horsemen were billeted with him during the winter, he gave each a tunic and cloak. Karkinos () of Akragas, a tragedian Tigellinus (born c10 AD), a Prefect of the Praetorian Guard and infamous associate of the Emperor Nero, belonged to a family of Greek descent in Agrigento - although he may have been born in Scyllaceum in Southern Italy, where his father is supposed to have lived in exile. Paolo Girgenti (1767–1815), a painter active in Naples who served as president of the Accademia di Belle Arti di Napoli, was born in Agrigento. Luigi Pirandello (1867-1936), dramatist and Nobel prize winner for literature, was born at contrada u Càvusu in Agrigento. Giovanni Leone (b. 1967), an Italian geophysicist and volcanologist, was born in Agrigento. Vinnie Paz (b. 1977), the Italian-American rapper and lyricist behind Philadelphia underground hip-hop group Jedi Mind Tricks. Larry Page (b. 1973), co-founder of Google, became an honorary citizen of Agrigento on August 4, 2017. Twin towns – sister cities Agrigento is twinned with: Perm, Russia Tampa, United States Valenciennes, France See also Siege of Akragas (406 BC) Agrigentum inscription Battle of Agrigentum (456) List of mayors of Agrigento References Sources External links Yair Karelic's photos of the Valley of the Temples Agrigento Old Town Archaeological sites in Sicily Municipalities of the Province of Agrigento 580s BC Dorian colonies in Magna Graecia Colonies of Gela 6th-century BC establishments in Italy Populated places established in the 6th