The wonderful Delphic landscape

The vast plain of olive trees with the sea shining in the background was dedicated to Apollo and is one of Greece's most ancient beauties. The natural landscape from Arachova to Kirra, which joins the large olive grove of Amfissa and has at its centre the sanctuaries of Apollo and Athena in Delphi, is known worldwide.

The Delphic landscape includes the Pleistos Valley, the Chryssian Field, and the nearby gulf.

Recognising the area's great historical importance and value as a natural environment, UNESCO declared it a World Cultural Heritage monument in 1972, inextricably linked to the archaeological site of Delphi.

The archaeological site of Delphi

With its famous oracle, Delphi's sanctuary was founded at the foot of Parnassus, the Sacred Mountain of the ancients, in the evocative landscape formed between the two towering rocks of the Phaedriades.

According to the well-known myth, two eagles sent by Zeus from opposite directions to find the centre of the world met at Delphi, which has since been identified as the "navel of the earth."

For many centuries, it was a spiritual and religious centre, symbolising the unity of ancient Hellenism.

The oracle of Delphi flourished between the 6th and 4th centuries. B.C. and its oracles were considered the most reliable.

Ancient pilgrims, including wealthy individuals, rulers, and ambassadors of cities, expressed their gratitude for the prophecies given to them by flooding the sanctuary of Apollo with offerings of great artistic value.

The most important monuments

The temple of Apollo: In a prominent position was the temple of Apollo, where rites and divination took place. Construction began after the fire of 548 BC, which destroyed the first stone temple. It was a Doric pavilion and very impressive. It was built between 513 and 505 BC but was ruined by a natural disaster in 373 BC. The next one was completed in 330 BC, which is the ruins we see today. It is of the Doric style, similar in design and dimensions to the previous one. The Athenian sculptors Praxias and Androsthenes created the marble pediments. In the east, Apollo and the Muses were depicted, and in the west, Dionysus and the Maenads.

The theatre and the stage: The ancient theatre of Delphi hosted music and drama competitions. The first stone theatre must have been built in the 4th century. B.C., and in 159 BC, its repair was undertaken by Eumenes II, king of Pergamum. It is thought that it could hold 5,000 spectators. Additions were made during Roman times. In this theatre in 1927 and 1930, Angelos and Eva Sikelianou organised performances of ancient drama for the first time since antiquity. Their vision was to create a new "spiritual navel of the earth."

Above the sanctuary of Apollo, at the highest point of the archaeological site, you can admire the ancient stadium, one of the best preserved of its kind, where sports competitions were held. From an inscription found, archaeologists concluded that it took the form of a hairpin in the 5th century. B.C. Several centuries later, with a donation from Herodes Atticus, it acquired benches and a triumphal entrance. It held 7,000 spectators.

The Castalian Spring: Those who came to the oracle to ask for a prophecy had to go through it to wash and purify themselves. It is located in the Phaedriades ravine, at the base of the Flemboukos rock. The Pythia, the priests and the staff of the sanctuary also washed there. The oldest fountain dates back to the beginning of the 6th century. B.C. is the one we see today next to the main road.

The Thesaurus: On the sacred road leading to the temple of Apollo were statues, carved votives, and the so-called Thesaurus, which were small buildings dedicated by cities on the occasion of some important event. Votive offerings were placed there. Many of them—such as architectural sculptures, compositions in marble, metal, and ivory, statues, and small crafts—are exhibited in the halls of the archaeological museum. Uncovered during excavations, they capture the sanctuary's religious significance and highlight the ancient Greeks' artistic achievements.

Athena Pronea Sanctuary: On the eastern side of the archaeological site, which is divided into two sections by the main road, is the sanctuary of Athena Pronea, the gymnasium, the palaestra, the baths, the eastern cemetery, and other monuments. In the sanctuary of the goddess, the dome stands out, a circular building from 380 BC. It is famous for its architecture, but archaeologists do not know its use. Nearby rose the temples of the goddess among treasures of Parian marble. The gymnasium, with the palaestra and the bath complex of the classical period, is located near the Roman baths. What is preserved today shows that the Delphic gymnasium was one of the most complete sports complexes and dates back to the 4th century. B.C.

Delphi

The settlement previously existed in the Kastri location and was moved to the current location due to the excavations. From 1960 onwards, its old houses were demolished to build new ones. Thus, Delphi lacks traditional architecture. However, its location offers a unique view of the Delphic landscape up to the Gulf of Itea. It is a tourist settlement, with tavernas, steakhouses, souvenir shops, hotels, modern cafe-bars, and all-day restaurants.

The Museum of Delphic Festivals is housed in the house where Angelos Sikelianos and Eva Palmer Sikelianos stayed during the organisation and execution of the Delphic Festivals of 1927 and 1930. On its premises are exhibited Sikelianos' manuscripts, photographic material, clothes from Eva's performances, a custom-made piano-like keyboard instrument, and more.

The European Cultural Centre of Delphi, established in 1977, was the realisation of Constantinos Karamanlis's vision of building a European and global intellectual centre in Delphi. It is located on ​​100 acres.

It is worth walking in the large outdoor sculpture park that hosts works by Greek and foreign artists such as Takis, Varotsos, Tsoklis, Zongolopoulos, Gerard, Saiz, Noda, and others.

Vali Vaimaki is a columnist for Travel. Translated by Paul Antonopoulos.

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