Delphi, the navel of the ancient world

Delphi is the most sacred place in ancient Greece, mostly known for the temple of Apollo and the Pythia oracle. But for ancient Greeks, it was “the Navel of the Earth”.

I believe you are familiar with some places that emit special energy and serenity. So, it was not surprising that Delphi was the religious centre of the Greek world. Even today, surrounded by beautiful nature, mountains and greenery, Delphi enchants you with fresh air and serenity.

Because of its extraordinary historical importance, Delphi was inscribed on the UNESCO Heritage List in 1987.

I hope that history lovers will enjoy the story, as I enjoyed walking around the divine sanctuary.

 

 

How to get to Delphi

Delphi archaeological site is located about 400m from the present-day village of Delphi, in the territory of Phocis. Actually, it is nestled on the lower slope of Mount Parnassus in central Greece, between the pair of rocks of the Phaedriades, which are about 700 m high. On the other side of the rock, the valley of the small river Pleistos makes a natural passage from eastern to western Greece.

Delphi is 10 km far from the Gulf of Corinth and 181 km from Athens.

 

I have to say that Delphi has been on my travel list for many years. When I saw that the agency “Mayak Tours” had an excursion to Delphi in their New Year’s program, I knew that it was time to see it 🙂

Usually, visiting Delphi is a one-day excursion or weekend getaway from Athens.
The best way to reach Delphi is by car, depending on your accommodation.
The second option is by bus from Athens’ KTEL Liosion bus station, and the ride lasts 3 hours. The one-way ticket costs about 18 EUR, but check the KTEL schedule first.

The third way to reach Delphi is by organised tours of travel agencies from Athens, or via Get your Guide or Viator booking platforms.

 

Tickets for Delphi archaeological site

The ticket price includes a visit to the Archaeological Museum and Delphi archaeological site.

♦ Summer season: 1st April – 30th October: 12 EUR and the reduced ticket is 6 EUR.
Opening hours: every day 8 AM – 8 PM, except Tuesday 10 AM – 5 PM.
◊ Winter season, 1st November – 31st March: 6 EUR, for all visitors.
Opening hours: every day 8.30 AM – 4.30 PM.

Children under 5, EU citizens under 25 and students are not paying for tickets.

Check more information about opening times and closed holiday days on the website here.

 

Tips: what to know before visiting Delphi

Delphi Sanctuary is one of the most important Greek archaeological sites, and it can be crowded.

♦ If you come individually, the best time to visit is early in the morning, or afternoon, to avoid the bus tours.
◊ There is a small free car park near Delphi’s museum. But mostly, the cars and buses are parked near the road.
♦ Close to the museum, there are clean free toilets, but there are no toilets on the archaeological site.
◊ Wear comfortable shoes, the path is partly paved and it is slippery.
♦ Bring water with you, especially during hot days, as well as a hat and sunscreen.
◊ It is not allowed to touch or climb the ruins of the site and in the museum.
♦  Smoking is prohibited on the site because of the many trees around the ancient ruins.

 

 

A few words about the Delphi’s history

The Pan-Hellenic sanctuary of Delphi is dedicated to Apollo, the Olympian god of light, archery, prophecy, music, art, and healing.

 

Evidence shows that Delphi was inhabited since the Neolithic time (around 4000 BC), and then during Mycenean time (1500-1100 BC). The sanctuary began to develop in the 8th century BC, but the peak was during the 6th century BC. Today’s ruins are from the 4th century BC.

According to the myth, in an attempt to locate the centre of the Earth, the god Zeus sent two golden eagles, one to the East and one to the West. At the point where they met, Zeus threw the conical stone from heaven directly into Delphi’s place. It was the Omphalos, considered the centre of the world for ancient Greeks, or the “navel” of the Earth.

The Omphalos was located in Apollo’s sanctuary. The original stone is in the Delphi Museum, and you can see its copy on the Sacred Way, at the site where it was found.

 

Amazing nature and marvellous sanctuary complex attracted the visitors, who came there to hear about the future from Pythia, the priestess of Apollo.

 

Python and Apollo

According to some myths, first there was a temple dedicated to the female goddess of the Earth (Gaia). Her son, the dragon Python lived near the Castalian Spring, between the rocks of the Phaedriade, and guarded her.
So, Apollo killed Python and founded his sanctuary there. In honour of Python’s death and to purify himself of the crime, Apollo initiated the Pythian Games. The priestess who served him in the sanctuary was called Pythia.

All visitors and pilgrims stopped to wash themselves on the Castellan Spring before a visit to Delphi. Also, the Pythia and the priests used it to clean themselves before the oracle process.

 

What to see on the Delphi archaeological site

The Delphi archaeological site includes:
♦ The Sanctuary of Athena Pronaia with the Tholos and Gymnasium,
◊ The Sanctuary of Delphi with the Temple of Apollo,
♦ The Archaeological Museum.

 

The Sanctuary of Athena Pronaia and Tholos 

Following the road from Arachova village to the Delphi sanctuary, first you can see the ruins of The Sanctuary of Athena Pronaia and Tholos on the left side. It is one part of the Delphi site with free entrance. From the road, follow the path down and pass by the Gymnasium ruins.

I have to admit that I wanted so much to visit this place, but unfortunately, our group didn’t see it. Usually, this is the case with group tours, probably becaouse of the limited time. Also, the path was closed by the government of the Region of Central Greece due to a previous cliff collapse in October 2024, when two tourists were injured. But if you come individually, you can visit it, just be careful because there is no paved path.

 

The sanctuary consisted of several altars, the temples of Athena, two treasuries and the Tholos, the most photographed part of Delphi. Even today, it looks marvellous, nestled between the hills, valley, trees and fields of olives.

The Tholos was a circular building, built by the architect Theodore the Phocaean in 380-370 B.C. Once it had 20 Doric columns on the circular colonnade and 10 Corinthian semi-columns in the interior. Today, only three re-constructed columns can be seen. Hmm, its real purpose is still a mystery…

 

Next to the sanctuary, there was a Gymnasium, palestra and baths, where athletes trained for the Pythian games held at the Delphi stadium.

 

The main Delphi site and museum are located approximately 800 m north of this sanctuary, just following the road.

 

The Sanctuary of Apollo

In the Archaeological Museum, you can see the model reconstruction of the Sanctuary of Apollo.
We can only imagine how it looked amazing and powerful in ancient times…

 

Sacred Way and Roman Agora

The ancient path known as the Sacred Way was the main entrance to the Apollo Sanctuary.
The path goes zig-zag with several sets of steps due to the configuration of the land.

 

The first stop on the Sacred Way was a Greek agora, a marketplace.
But when the Romans came, they rebuilt it and it became known as the Roman Agora.

 

It included a columned portico and a long stoa for rest and as a meeting point. There were five shops where the pilgrims could buy votive offerings before they came to the Apollo temple.

 

Treasury buildings and omphalos stone

Along the Sacred Way, there were many statues and treasury buildings with offerings of major Greek city-states.
Treasuries presented their wealth and power, and also served to commemorate victories and to thank the oracle for advice. Usually, it was a tenth of the spoils of battles. They were built like small temples, and today, we can see only the ruins of their foundations.

One of the most interesting was The Siphnian Treasury, dated to the 6th century BC. It was built by the inhabitants of the Siphnos city from the Cycladic Island of Siphnos, rich with silver and gold mines. Its pediment was supported by two caryatids, mounted a century before the famous caryatids on the Acropolis. Their parts can be seen in the museum, together with parts of the frieze.

And one of the largest treasuries was The treasury of Argo dating back to 380 BC. Then, there were treasuries of the Sicyonians, Boetians, Thebans, Spartanians, etc.

 

Close to the Athenian treasury, there is a copy of the omphalos, at the place where it was found. I have mentioned it before in the text.

 

Treasury of Athenians

The Treasury of Athenians was the most impressive treasury and the only one reconstructed between 1903 and 1906.
Athenians built it about 490 BC after their victory at the Battle of Marathon against the Persian Empire.

 

The treasury is 9.7 m long and 6.62 wide, built of the finest Parian marble. There were two columns in antis supporting a small porch in the middle. The series of 30 metopes (small square panels), with scenes of Herakles and Theseus battles surrounded an entablature. The plaster copies of metopes are placed on the restored monument because the originals are in the museum.

 

The Rock of Sybil

By the way, oracle consultations had an important role in ancient Greece. The most famous oracles were in Dodona, Olympia, on the island of Delos, and Didyma in Asia Minor. However, the most important oracle was in Delphi dating back to 1400 BC to 390 AD.

One interesting rock can be seen close to the Treasury of Athenians. It is supposed that Sibyl, the first priestless of Delphi was sitting there and giving the oracles answers.

 

Close to the Athenian treasury and the Rock of Sibyl, there was a Stoa of Athenians.
By the way, stoa is a covered walkway, open in the entrance with columns. This stoa was constructed around 478-470 BC during the early Classical period, with Ionic marble columns. It was dedicated to Apollo by the Athenians after the Persian Wars.

 

Behind the stoa, you can see the remains of the Polygonal wall which supports the terrace of the temple of Apollo.

 

The Temple of Apollo

The Temple of Apollo was located in the centre of the sanctuary.
It was surrounded by the theatre, treasuring houses, numerous statues, stoa, and altars.

 

There were three temples built in the same place from the 7th century BC to 334-333 BC. The ruins of the third temple can be seen today. Also, it was restored and renovated in 84 AD by the emperor Domitian. There is an inscription about it in the museum.

The temple had 6 Doric columns on narrow sides and 15 columns on the long sides. It is believed that the temple consisted of the pronaos, the cellar (naos), the inner sanctuary, and the chamber where the Pythia received prophecies.

Interestingly, the temple is also known for the Delphic maxims of the Seven Sages of Greece. They represent a set of moral precepts. Three of 147 maxims were inscribed on the pronaos: “Know yourself”,  “Nothing in excess”, and “Surety brings ruin”, together with the mysterious Delphic symbol “Ε”. In some way, they teach us that all answers we are looking for are actually inside of us.
Hmm, my favourite maxim is “Do not tyre of learning” 🙂

 

Pythia and The Oracle of Delphi 

The Oracle of Delphi was a sacred place of the Apollo sanctuary. In the innermost part of the temple, Apollo spoke his famous prophecies through Pythia.

For many centuries, the Greeks consulted there about various issues: war, the founding of colonies, health, marriage, and religious ceremonies. They could ask questions on the 7th  day of the month during all year, except in winter, because Apollo was not in his temple but with other gods.
But first, visitors have to purify themselves in the sacred spring and bring the votive lavish offerings.

So, the high priestless Pythia was seated on the divine tripod in the temple. I tried to imagine her, inhaling vapours from a chasm on the floor, chewing leaves from Apollo’s laurel and holding a bowl of spring water. Pythia was in a trance to receive the words and answers from Apollo. Sometimes her prophecies were frantic and the priests needed to translate them to visitors.

By the way, it is believed that the vapours from the floor were gases from the earth. According to the new geological research, it is possible that there were light hydrocarbon gases from limestone, which had intoxicating hallucinations.

 

Two interesting facts about Pythia’s prophecies

According to Herodotus, Croesus was the ruler of Lydia, a Greek kingdom in today’s Turkey between 585 and 546 BC.
He consulted the oracle because he wanted to invade Persia. The answer was: “If you make war on the Persians, you will destroy a great empire”. However, Croesus believed that he would destroy the Persian Empire, but his army was destroyed.
Well, the oracle told the truth, the empire was destroyed, but opposite of what Croesus was thinking…

Another interesting myth is about Alexander the Great after becoming king of the Macedonians.
Before his famous invasion of the Persian Empire, Alexander stopped by the Oracle for a prophecy. But, it was told to him to come the next time because that day was forbidden to get the answer. He was furious and dragged Pythia to the shrine. She was afraid and told him that he was invincible.
Well, it was a perfect answer for Alexander, and he continued the expedition to Asia in 334 BC.

 

The Serpent Column and Altar of Chians

 

Ancient Theatre of Delphi

Following the path above the Temple of Apollo, we came to the Theatre of Delphi.
We took off our jackets, maybe because it was a sunny and warm day even though it was the 2nd of January, or maybe due to divine energy which can not be described…
This impressive theatre was constructed in the 4th century BC, using the natural slope of the mountain for seating.

 

It had 35 rows with stone seats divided by corridors and it could house about 5,000 visitors. Like other ancient Greek theatres, it had a semi-circular orchestra and short scene building. Various festivals, musical and dramatic performances were held there, especially during the Pythian Games.

Going up to the hill, there is a stunning panoramic view of the theatre, the Temple of Apollo, and the unique landscape.

 

Ancient Stadium

On the highest spot of the sanctuary, there is a well-preserved Ancient Stadium, surrounded by lush greenery. It was built in the 5th century BC and reconstructed many times. The present form is from the 2nd century AD. It is 177 m long and 25 m wide. On the north side were the benches with backs for the judges.

By the way, the stadium could host around 6,500 spectators. The athletic competitions were held there in honour of the god Apollo, known as the Pythian Games.

 

Pythian Games

The Pythian Games were one of the four Panhellenic Games of Ancient Greece. The games were started in 582 BC (after Apollo killed Python) and continued until the 4th century AD. They were held every four years, two years after the Olympic Games, and between each Nemean and Isthmian Games.

The Pythian games lasted for six to eight days. The first two days were dedicated to the glamorous procession, singing the hymn in honour of Apollo, a ritual sacrifice in the Temple of Apollo, and the participants took oaths at the altar. On the third day were the competitions in art, dance, singing and playing musical instruments.
On the fourth day, competitors could take part in running, wrestling, boxing, pankration, and the pentathlon. 

The final day of the games was dedicated to races of a chariot drawn by two or four horses on the hippodrome near the sea. Only the richest Greeks could compete in these disciplines, i.e. the riders competed in their name. But the victory belonged to the owner of the horses.

Interestingly, young boys between 12 and 14 years old competed in running and boxing. Also, women were allowed to take part in athletic and artistic events, unlike the Olympic Games.

Instead of money, the victors got a wreath of bay laurel, sacred to Apollo.

Even though many visitors and groups don’t walk up to the stadium, follow the path to the top. I think it is worth visiting it 😀

 

👉 You can read more about the famous Olympic Games here:
 Olympia, the birthplace of the Olympic Games.

 

The end of the Delphi oracle and its excavation

In 390 AD, the Roman emperor Theodosius I issued an order for the destruction of pagan temples, including the Temple of Apollo.

The sanctuary became the urban Roman settlement in the 5th and 6th centuries AD. Its ruins were used for building houses, a Roman agora, basilicas, baths and various buildings. But in the second half of the 6th century, it started to depopulate, probably because of the Justinian plague. After the Slavs’ invasion in the early 7th century, Delphi was finally abandoned, and it remained in these conditions for centuries, until the 19th century.

The first excavations of Delphi were in 1838 by the French archaeologist Théophile Homolle and the French Archaeological School of Athens. “La Grande Fouille” or the Grand Excavations)of Delphi lasted 10 years, and finally, the sanctuary of Apollo saw the light again.

 

Archaeological Museum of Delphi

The museum in Delphi was founded in 1903, and designed by the French architect of the excavations Α. Tournaire.
It is one of the most important museums in Greece, with the artefacts found in the sanctuary of Delphi. 

Take a look at some of the most interesting exhibits.

 

In the first two rooms, there are clay figurines from the Mycenaean period, then a large bronze cauldron, tripods, heads of griffins and lions, bronze figurines, bronze votive helmets and shields from the 8th and 7th centuries BC.

 

Sphinx of Naxos statue

One of the museum’s highlights is the statue of the Sphinx of Naxos.
A sphinx is a mythical creature with the face of a woman with an enigmatic smile, prey bird wings, and the body of a lioness. It was a votive offering from the rich Naxos island, carved from its finest marble in 560 BC.

This statue is 2,2 m high and it stood on a 10 m tall Ionic column near the Rock of Sibyl and the Temple of Apollo.

 

The Syphnian Treasury

I have already mentioned The Siphnian Treasury, built for the offerings of the city-state Sipnos. Two beautiful caryatids supported the pediment of the treasury, built around 525 BC. 

 

The treasury was 8 m long and 6 m wide. The continuous frieze was below the pediment with the Twelve Olympians, the dispute between Heracles and Apollo, the Troyan War, the Battle of the Giants, the Judgement of Paris and relief with horses.

 

Column with Dancers

The statues Dancers of Delphi are also known as the Acanthus Column. There are three female figures about 2 m high in relief on top of an acanthus column. The column was about 13 m and decorated with acanthus leaves. It was situated in front of the temple of Apollo, and it was dedicated by the Athenians around 330 BC.

It is supposed that the dancers were three daughters of Cecrops I, the first king of Attica, According to restoration, it is supposed that women supported the huge bronze tripod with sacred omphalos.

 

Besides this amazing ancient monument, you can see the circular altar from the Sanctuary of Athena Pronaia. It was decorated with twelve girls with bands on a garland of leaves.

 

The Charioteer of Delphi

The bronze statue of The Charioteer is situated in the last room of the museum.

We were so impressed by how it looked stunning and so alive! The life-size statue (1,8 m) represents a young chariot driver. It was made to commemorate one of two victories of the tyrant Polyzalus of Gela in Sicily and his chariot in the Pythian Games of either 478 or 474 BC.

 

It is supposed that this statue belonged to a larger complex, including the chariot, the horses, and two stable boys.

 

Once it was situated on the right side of the Sacred Way, close to the Temple of Apollo. The statue was buried under a rock fall at Delphi, which probably was destroyed by the earthquake in 373 BC. Indeed, it is the only surviving bronze statue from the site. It was found in 1896, and only part of the left hand is missing.

The Charioteer had a long tunic with a belt tight high above the waist, but the pleats looked so mobile and real! In the right hand, he holds a part of the bridle. In a word, the statue looks gorgeous 🙂

 

Inscriptions and statues

One of the impressive descriptions is the dedicatory inscription of Emperor Caesar Dominitianus when he repaired the Temple of Apollo.

 

According to Pausanias, there were about 3,000 statues in the Delphi sanctuary. Some of them were restored, but most of them had their parts missing. Interestingly, the oldest votive offerings are Kouroi of Delphi, made about the 6th century BC. They were twins brothers Kleobis and Biton of Argos, sons of a priestess of Hera.

 

The cult statue of Antinous

One of the most impressive and beautiful statues is a well-preserved sculpture of Antinous. He was a beautiful young man and the lover of Emperor Hadrian. The statue is made of Parian marble between 117 and 138 AD.

Unfortunately, Antinous had barely reached adulthood when he drowned in the Nile during their journey in Egypt in October 130 AD. His death was mysterious, with various speculations. However, Hadrian was devastated by his death. So, he proclaimed Antinous to be a god and created a cult devoted to him, which was very unusual. Also, he built a city named Antinoöpolis on the site of Hir–we in upper Egypt. He organized games known as the Antinoeia, which were held annually for several centuries.

The cult of Antinous spread in Egypt, Athens, Macedonia, and Italy. At least 28 temples and altars were constructed in his honour and numerous statues were made widely in the Roman Empire. However, the cult of Antinous was criticised by both pagan and Christian individuals.

Despite everything, Antunous was an inspiration for centuries to many books and musical performances. Because of his homosexual subculture, Antunous became the “A gay icon”.

Some archaeologists think that Antunous was buried at Hadrian’s Villa. But some of them think that he was buried at his temple in the Egyptian city of Antinoöpolis, founded in his honour. Interesting story, isn’t it…

 

At the end of the exhibition, you can see a 3D model of the ancient sanctuary on display.

 

What to visit close to Delphi

Depending on your time, you can visit some of the following interesting places.

◊ Delphi village, take a break for coffee or lunch after visiting the archaeological site.
♦ Arachova is a charming, mountain small town about a 10-minute away.

◊ Walk across the famous Corinth canal that connects the Ionian Sea with the Saronic Gulf in the Aegean Sea.
♦ Nafplio is an adorable coastal town with taverns, cafes, fortresses and accommodations.
◊ Mycenae, the ancient centre of the Mycenaean civilization.
👉 You can read more about Mycenae here: Mycenae, the heart of the Mycenaen world.

♦ Epidaurus, an ancient theatre with amazing acoustics and the Sanctuary of Asclepius.
👉 You can read more about it here: Epidaurus, the most famous ancient theatre.

 

In a word, Delphi is a place with magnificent ancient monuments, an amazing natural environment and divine energy.
Maybe the only thing that is missing is the voice of Pythia, bringing the answers to numerous questions that we have about the future…

 

Source:

♦ Archaeological Museum of Delphi