W.070 Temple of Apollo at Delphi

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Creator

Denis Baly

Creation Year

January 1958

Image ID

W.070

Alternate Identifier

B22.070

Subcollection

W: Attica, Crete, Santorini

Abstract

A wider view taken from the top of the theater looking down upon the Temple of Apollo, the Sacred Way, and the valley beyond.

Description

Though the temple takes the main visual focus of this image, from this vantage point we can see several other important features of Delphi. On the sloping hills beneath the road in the top left of the image, there is an excellent overhead view of the gymnasium of Delphi (see DH.04-06), where athletes trained for the famous Pythian Games which were hosted in the theatre and stadium. Directly beyond the temple we see the Sacred Way wind down the slope towards the entrance, with the most notable visible feature being the Athenian Treasury on the far left. The Temple of Apollo was the seat of the Delphic Oracle and center of cult worship at Delphi. Situated near the top of the Sanctuary, it overlooks and imposes down over the Sacred Way and the numerous treasuries and dedications to Apollo. The first temple here dates from the 7th century BCE, and after it burned down, the Alcmaeonids, a wealthy Athenian family in exile, replaced and expanded it around 510. The Alcmaeonid temple, also known as the Archaic temple, was destroyed along with so much of Delphi in the earthquake of 373, after which the temple seen here was constructed from 366-329. The large columns, made from poros stone, were originally covered with shining marble stucco, and the temple's foundation leaves an exposed gap in the center where the adyton, the seat of the oracle, was located.

References

Barber, Annabel, Charles Freeman, and Nigel McGilchrist, eds. Greece: The Mainland. 7th ed. 455. London, NY: Blue Guides Ltd., Somerset Books, 2007.

Image Notes

Photograph created August 9th, 1958. Processing date unknown. Formerly catalogued as B22.070. Notes written on the slide or index: Delphi - Temple from Above.

Image Format

35 mm slide

Geographic Reference

Delphi, Greece