Trips throughout Greece

Athens - Pireaus - Cape Sounion - Poros - Santorini - Zakynthos - Rhodes - Mikonos - Delos - Corinth - Theater of Epidauro - Nafplio - Mycenae - Delphi - Arahova - Ioannina - Vikos Gorges - Meteora - Messenia and Peloponnesus

We reached Delphi after 4h. in a bus that came from Athens. Delphi is pretty isolated from other interesting spots in Greece. There is an ancient site and a modern village nearby.
Delphi was probably the main religious centre of the olden ages, because the pilgrims came from everywhere to consult the famous oracle. But in addition the landscape is awesome. The ruins are located on the slope of the Parnassos mountain mass, at the edge of a deep precipice.

Delphi keeps a magic atmosphere, in an arid place below huge rocks (200-300 m. high). It is a region with usual seismic movements and strange storms. Definitely the place is something especial.
The river Pleistos valley is very beautiful and contrasts against the nude mountains. The valley is covered in olive trees, indeed it is called the " Olive Trees Sea ". In the distance we see how the river dies in the sea, in Galaxidi.

Such an important site keeps many legends transmitted from ancient ages. It is said that Delphi was founded by Zeus, who, aiming to know his world, sent two eagles to explore his empire. The Earth surface was believed to have a disc shape. Both birds met and stopped at the Parnassos, so Zeus made Delphi the centre of the universe.
During the second millennium B.C. it was a worship place dedicated to the goddess of Ground (Gea). The goddess hide in a cave, and the entrance was kept by her daughter, the snake Piton. In this period there was probably an oracle to interpret the goddess whispers.
A hymn attributed to Homer relates how the god Apollo, son of Zeus, short after being born in Delos went to Delphi and killed the snake with his arrows. After an exile of 8 years as punishment he returned to live in this place and to communicate his oracles through a priestess called "Pitonisa". Appolo created the lyric games called "Píticos" to honour the snake each 8 years. In the beginning of the 6th century B.C. Athens conquered Central Greece and they kept these games each 4 years, adding some sports competitions. This was the period of highest splendour. Pilgrima world-wide came and enriched the sanctuary with their donations to consult the "Pitonisa". Until the 2nd century the place conserved its activity despite earthquakes and sackings of Roman emperors Neron and Sila. The Byzantine emperor Theodosius the Great ordered the closing in 381.
The "Pitonisa" was a woman older then 50 that couldn´t have any sexual rlation. She answered inspired by Appollo to que questions asked by the pilgrims. First, she drank water from the Cassots foutnain, tht gave the talent of prophecy, and entered to the crypt of the Apollo´s temple chewing laurel leaves (te laurel is the tree taht represents the god). The pilgrims asked to the priests, who transmited the question to the priestess, who went into a trance. The priests interpreted her words and convulse gestures. The writen answers (often ambigue or simply advices) were given to pilgrims. As one can expect in many andknwn occasions the "Pitonisa" was influenced by the political situaion at that moment, and positioned her advices towards the powerful side.
The administration of this religious place was carried out by deputies from each 12 greek people.

Hence, this site is the Apollo´s home. He is the god of light, medicine, music, poesy and other arts. He heads the chore of the nine Muses. He is usually represented with a lira on his hand, crowned with laurel. The laurel is consecrated to this god since his love Daphne, escaping from his love, asked Zeus to metamorphose her, so she suffered from a metamorphosis and became a laurel tree. Apollo was the father of Asclepius, god of medicine. Apollo is also commonly seen with an arch and arrows. Subsequently he was identified as the ancient god Helios, who represents the sun.

The bus left us in the village. We arrived in some minutes on foot. We started in the Agora and walked through the Sacred Via , with many Roman and Greek rests on both sides. There are many buildings the kept the treasures coming from diverse people, as well as temples, columns and donations. The big amount of ruins shows an image that explains the great past importance of the place. The Athens treasure is quite nice .

Afterwards we passed in front of a rock where the ancient oracle of Delphi hide. It is from 6th century B.C. We walked into a circle square where the processions that ascended to the temple of Apollo were prepared. We arrived to a precious poligonal wall that holds the terrace where the temple is situated. Finally the Sacred Via drives us to the temple esplanade.

The rests of this temple date from 4th century B.C., as the previous one (6th B.C.) was destroyed in an earthquake. There are still some Doric pillars standing up. The visit continues towards the well-preserved theatre, that offers fantastic panoramas of the archaeological site and the Pleistos valley. The theatre had capacity for 5000 spectators and it was built in 4th century, and modified two centuries later by the Romans. A path guides us till the stadium .

Since we didn't visit Olympia , at least we could observe it to have an idea of how the Greek stadiums were like. It is from 3rd century B.C. and the environment is great, full of trees. There are still some stands remaining, built by Herod Attic in the 2nd century B.C. The capacity was around 6500 spectators and in the centre you distinguish the presidential tribune. The stones that served as start and finish for the races are still visible. They have a distance of 178 m. In summer they held several artistic performances here. I couldn't resist the temptation of running like in the ancient ages.

Afterwards we visited the museum , that was being restored and keeps many works found in the excavations of Delphi. Most parts were closed but we saw many of the important things: the bull from the 6th century B.C. made from silver plaques joined with bronze wires and placed over a wood framework; a copy of the omfalós (navel) that was kept in the Apollo's crypt marking the world centre; the dancers form 4th century B.C.; and finally the well known statue of the charioteer, from the 478 A.C. It is in a great state and represents the chariot rider holding the reins in a natural size.

Following with the visit, we went out from the site and we arrived in the Castalia fountain located in the gorge dividing two rocks called Fedriadas. In this fountain the pilgrims made their rituals. According to the tradition the fable writer Aesops was launched from the top of the rocks in the 6th century when he made fun of the Delphi citizens, so be careful with your jokes! The road leads to other great ruins part located in a lovely spot and that keeps some important constructions: :

We returned to the modern village to eat some excellent dishes in a restaurant with unforgettable views over the " Olive Trees Sea " and the valley . You never get tired to see such a panorama. In the afternoon we took a bus towards Athens but we first went down in another village called Arahova.