A country known all over the world for its historical significance through the ages, Greece is a destination that has truly stood the test of time. From ancient temples and wondrous castles, the intricate structures and ancient architecture will take your breath away. It is time to call that history buff in you as Greece is not just about sunny beaches on heavenly islands. Book your ticket now and don’t miss exploring the best historical sites in this iconic country.
The Acropolis
Translating to “high city,” the Acropolis in Athens is a limestone outcrop dominated by the distinctive shape of the Parthenon which signifies the glory of ancient Greece. The magnificent marble entrance gate to the Acropolis is called the Propylaea, built around 430 BC and considered as much of an architectural masterpiece as the Parthenon. Constructed between 432 and 447 BC, the Parthenon is a Doric temple made of close to 13,500 blocks of marble with each single block different from the other. The sophisticated techniques used for the design were done so as to counteract a series of optical effects that make the columns look too thin and the building somewhat broad. The building used to have a statue of Athena that was over 11m in height and completely covered in gold, but it is not available today unfortunately. The extraordinary marble roof was designed to be so thin that light slowly filtered unto the statue beautifully.
Delphi
Located in a suitably awe-inspiring (if not fairy tale-like) setting, the ruins of the great complex of Delphi are right on a ledge beneath a towering cliff face featuring the waters of the Gulf of Corinth silently sparkling 600 m below. Ancient Greeks believed Delphi to be the centre of the world. It is mentioned in almost every Greek myth. The Sanctuary of Athena Pronaia contains the ruins of two temples, one with the altars and treasuries and the other is the Tholos. Built in the early fourth century BC, the Tholos has a beautiful circular ground with two circles of 20 columns. While the old Temple of Athena Pronaia suffered from a series of earthquakes and landslides with only a piece of wall and two columns remaining, the new temple was built after a major earthquake in 370 BC.
The Sanctuary of Apollo has a more extensive collection of ruins, monuments, friezes, and altars leading to the temple of Apollo. There’s the well-preserved theatre (35 tiers of seats) and the Delphi stadium, built within the rocks and capable of seating 7,000 spectators. The ancient Delphic games took place here every 4 years.
Temple of Poseidon
Dramatically positioned on a 60-m cliff with astonishing views of the Aegean Sea and picturesque islands, the Temple of Poseidon is the ultimate place to enjoy a surreal sunset. The temple was built in 440 BC to replace an older one that was destroyed by the Persians. Archaeological finds confirm that the area was occupied as far back as 700 BC and it was actually mentioned in Homer’s The Odyssey. The temple you can see today is built with Agrileza marble by the same talented architect who designed the Theseum in Athens.
By Amal Ghali
