Delfhi – believed in ancient times to be the centre of the earth

We are currently doing some more wild camping down by the sea at Pachi (N37.97313 E 23.36137), overlooking the tiny island of Salamis.

Sonny, the motorhome in his spot for the night and enjoying the cool sea breeze

We left the marina at Itea early this morning to travel the short distance to Delfi.  We got there at 9am and it was already busy with tourists already! 

The ancient site of Delfhi is set in a beautiful natural setting, framed on all sides by the Parnassós Mountains (a popular ski resort for Greeks).

Delphi

For over a millennium a steady stream of pilgrims converged on Delphi to seek divine direction in matters of war, worship, love and business.  For a small fee, they would submit their questions inscribed on lead tablets, and the Pythian priestess would chant her prophecies from a tripod positioned over the oracular chasm. Delphi became one of the major sanctuaries of Greece, its oracle widely regarded as the most truthful in the known world.

Entering the Sacred Precinct (Temenos of Apollo) you come to the foundations of memorials and treasuries to the Temple of Apollo, where gold, bronze and painted marble figures once stood, some of which are now housed in the museum.

Treasury of the Athenians

Athenian Stoa on the right – which housed trophies from an Athenian naval victory of 506 BC.

Approaching the temple of Apollo

The Temple of Apollo, dates from the mid-fourth century BC.

The Temple of Apollo with the Tripod of Plateans on the left-hand side. 

The Theatre, built during the fourth century BC had a capacity of 5,000 seats and is associated with Dionysos the god of ecstasy, the arts and wine who ruled Delphi during the winter when the oracle was silent.

The Stadium is situated high up in the pine groves and was levelled in the 5^th century BC to a length of 178 metres, and seated 7,000.  It is where they held the Pythian Games, held in honour of Apollo every 2 years after each Olympic Games.

Inside the Delphi’s museum are collections of sculptures spanning the Archaic to the Roman eras.  Along with pottery, friezes and various treasures.

The Sphinx of the Naxians (565 BC) – body of a lion, wings of a bird and face of a women.

A collection of friezes of the gods

Marble figures

The colossal Dancers Column and on the left the Marble Omphalos. 

The Omphalos was found northeast of the temple of Apollo.  According to mythology the Omphalos marked the centre of the earth, the point where the two eagles released by Zeus from two opposite ends of the world eventually met at Delphi.

The most famous exhibit is the Charioteer, one of the few surviving bronzes of the 5^th century BC.

The Charioteer

Leaving Delfi at just after 12:30, temperatures had reached 38°C so we headed south to the sea to enjoy a nice cool dip in the beautiful clear sea waters!  Tomorrow we move on to mighty Athens.

Sally x