Ancient Delphi
Both the sites of the temple of
Apollo and Athena Pronaia were considered sacred sites as early as the
Mycenaean period, but it was not until the Archaic Greek period when the
above gods were honoured there.
The Delphic complex including
the temple of Apollo and surrounding structures comprises of buildings
from the classical period. The remains of the temple of Apollo currently
found are that of the second rebuilding of the temple which was
completed in 330 B.C.E. The first temple had been constructed in the
middle of the 7th century B.C.E. and the second completed in 510 B.C.E.
Both previous temples had been destroyed by earthquakes; the current
temple also underwent serious damage by both earthquakes and Christian
fanatics.
The sanctuary of Athena Pronaia
also saw its first temple to the goddess in the archaic period in the
7th century B.C.E., which was destroyed in the 6th century B.C.E. by
falling rocks. The second temple was completed in 500 B.C.E. and too
took serious damage from falling rocks. After being seriously damaged in
an earthquake in 373 B.C.E., the temple was rebuilt. Its 15 columns
remained intact until a storm in 1905 when 12 of the 15 columns were
destroyed by falling rocks.
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