What to see in Delphi, great oracle of ancient Greece: schedules

El Delphi Sanctuary It is, without a doubt, one of the best destinations that we can include in a sightseeing trip through greece.

Its importance is due to the fact that for many centuries it was the religious and spiritual heart of the ancient Greeks; in fact they considered it the center of the world.

From that glorious past the place preserves a great historical and mythological heritage.

Their archaeological remains, immersed in a spectacular landscape, have great evocative power and are very attractive.

If we add to all that a museum with some first-class pieces, we have all the ingredients to consider the Sanctuary of Apollo en Delphi as one of the main choices when planning our Greek trip.

Sanctuary of Delphi, World Heritage Site in Greece

The importance of the place is such that it was one of the first places of Greece that Unesco registered on the list of World Heritage.

Where is and how to visit Delphi in Greece

Delphi is less than 200 kilometers from Athens, and since the trip takes just over two hours, it can be visited in one day trip.

Right next door is a small town with numerous hotels and restaurants, which allows you to spend the night and thus consider Delphi as a stage in a longer journey.

On the one hand we can include it in a route to the north, towards the area of Meteora and its famous monasteries.

Another option would be to continue west to enter the Peloponnesus through the bridge that connects with the city of Patras and thus link with the great classical route that includes Olympia, Mycenae, Corinth, Epidaurus and so many more places.

As has already been said, tradition affirmed that it was the geographical center of the world, the place where the two eagles that had been found Zeus had sent from the ends of the Universe.

The place is located on the slopes of Mount Parnassus, between two large rocks, the so-called Phaedriades rocks o Resplendent.

At his feet runs the Pleistos River through a narrow valley, and forms a complex of great beauty,

Curiosities history of the Sanctuary of Delphi in Greece

This region was inhabited at least since the 14th century BC, in the Mycenaean period.

At that time the main deity of the place was Gea, the primordial goddess who is equated with Madre Tierra.

El cult of Apollo It was established a few centuries later, when the god settled there after killing Piton, the serpent that guarded the oracle of Gea.

El Sanctuary of Apollo en Delphi It began to take shape in the 8th and 7th centuries BC, and at the end of that time the first stone temples were built.

This time coincides with a period of expansion of many Greek cities, which created colonies in remote places.

Before these expeditions, they came to consult the oracle and ask for favors God.

From the 6th century BC, Delphi It is already the true navel of the Greek world and a permanent pilgrimage destination.

At that time they began to organize Pythian Games, which were held every four years.

The name of the games derives from Piton, the monstrous snake that guarded the enclosure, and from here they also took their name the fortune tellers, oracle priestesses.

The flow of pilgrims and offerings was so important that each city built a treasury, a building where they kept them.

Many of these buildings were decorated with wonderful friezes, some of which can be seen in the site museum.

The best things to see when visiting the Sanctuary of Delphi in Greece

It is a good idea visit the museum before archaeological site, to learn some details of the place and better imagine what it would have been like in its heyday.

However, in summer it may be preferable to leave the museum for the hottest hours of the day.

Delphi Museum in Greece

El museum is created from pieces found in Delphi and form a fascinating panorama of the archaic and classical greek art.

It is without a doubt, one of the best museums in all of Greece and you shouldn't miss it.

Among the many important pieces we can mention the of kuroi of Argos, sphinx that crowned a column next to the Naxos Treasure or heads of caryatids that decorated the façade of the Treasure of Sifnos.

El sculptural frieze of the Treasure of Sifnos It is one of the wonders of archaic Greek sculpture.

Of course, the best known piece of all is the Charioteer of Delphi, one of the most impressive statues in all of history.

Delphi archaeological site in Greece

A pedestrian path connects the museum, which has a good shop with quality reproductions of archaeological pieces, with the entrance to the site.

The entrance corresponds approximately to the place where pilgrims would enter the sacred precinct centuries ago.

The first thing we find before entering the sacred area itself is the roman agora.

The call is accessed below Via Sacra (this term is modern), the road that winds along the side of the mountain until reaching the Temple of Apollo.

At the beginning of this road, on both sides, sculptural monuments in bronze and marble were built that honored gods and heroes; The best artists were commissioned to execute these works.

Treasures of Delphi

Next you reach the treasure area, small buildings shaped like temples in which each city kept its offerings to the sanctuary.

There was a certain competition to make them more opulent and with more lavish decoration than those of the neighbors.

All the treasures are destroyed, but the Athenians' treasure has been rebuilt and so we can get an idea of ​​what they all looked like.

An inscription states that it was built to celebrate the victory in the Battle of Marathon.

Next to it, a rock carved in an oval shape represents the Omphalos, the navel of the world, and is one of the many reproductions that were made over time.

Temple of Apollo at Delphi

Climbing a little further you reach the Temple of Apollo, the center of the sanctuary.

Inside was kept the original omphalos. In front of the main façade are the remains of the Altar of Apollo, where pilgrims made sacrifices.

In this area is one of the most curious objects in the entire sanctuary.

Serpentine Column at Delphi

It is a copy of the Serpentine Column, a bronze column formed by the bodies of three coiled snakes.

This monument celebrated the Greek victory against the Persians in the Battle of Plataea and was raised with a tenth of the loot obtained on that occasion.

In a place where each city organized its own offerings and was in fact in competition with the others, this monument was the only one offered by all and represented Panhellenic unity.

La original column, at least the part that is preserved, is found in the Istanbul Hippodrome since it was transferred to Constantinopla by Emperor Constantine I in 325 to proclaim the power of his new capital.

Higher up are the theater and the amphitheater, which cannot currently be visited since archaeological work is being carried out.

Sanctuary of Athena Pronaia in Delphi

A few hundred meters from the sanctuary, on the other side of the road, is the Sanctuary of Athena Pronaia.

If you walk along the road you pass, right at the bend, the Castalia Fountain, where pilgrims were purified before entering the sanctuary.

At Sanctuary of Athena Pronaia highlights the two temples of Athena, the new and the old, and, above all, the famous Tholos, the circular structure that creates one of the best-known images of Delphi.

Schedule to visit the Sanctuary of Delphi in Greece

The Visiting hours of the archaeological site of Delphi and its museum They are, every day, from 8 a.m. to 20 p.m. from April to August.

Starting on September 1, the closing time begins to be progressively brought forward, depending on the time of sunset, and when winter ends, the opposite process begins until returning to summer time.

The museum may also close early on Mondays and Tuesdays.

The Joint entry prices in Delphi It is 12 euros, from April to October, and 6 euros from November to March.