Delphi is located about 130 km from Athens and is located near Parnassus, the famous mountain consecrated to Apollo.
According to the ancient Greeks, Delphi was the center of the world. As the site of the temple and oracle of the god Apollo, Delphi was one of the most important centers of worship and pilgrimage of antiquity.
The Sacred way is the main street that crosses the Sanctuary and leads uphill to the Temple of Apollo. Originally, it was flanked by numerous monuments donated by various Greek cities.
One of the buildings donated and still visible today is the Treasury of the Athenians in the shape of a Doric temple. It was built by the Athenians to house their offerings to the god Apollo.
All that remains of the Temple of Apollo, the most important building in the Sanctuary, are the foundations. It was built in the same location three times and dates back between the seventh century BC and the fourth century BC.
In the Temple of Apollo was the oracle of Delphi. Pilgrims came to this place from every corner of the ancient world to get answers on public and private questions. Providing prophecies was the priestess Pythia, the most famous priestess of the time. The Oracle of Delphi was made up of women who were given powers inherited from the god Apollo. The women oracle reached the state of trance through the use of drugs and it was the priests who interpreted their words. Delphi was the most important religious site in the Hellenic world.
A staircase leads to the theater dating back to the fourth century BC which could accommodate up to 5,000 spectators.
At the bottom of the hill, near the Temple of Athena, stands the Tholos. Built on a circular plan with 20 Doric columns on the outside and 10 Corinthian columns on the inside. It was built around 380 BC and is considered a masterpiece of classical architecture.
