Meteora & Delphi

Center of earth

Zeus, the almighty ruler of the olympians, wanted to find the center of earth, so he released two eagles from opposite sides of the world. When the eagles met in the sky, the spot was labeled Delphi — the heart of the hellenic universe and the embodiment of the unity of the greeks.

The jewel of hellas

The city of Delphi is situated on the hills of mount Parnassus, near the gulf of Corinth, in the southwestern part of central Greece. It is a major relic of the classical antiquity, and a pivotal symbol of the Greek history. Delphi was a religious and political center, and is still revered as a sacred site.

Invocation of the gods

The old greeks believed that it was necessary to seek divine counsel and blessing for all their endeavors. Nothing of great importance could be started without consulting the oracle, the spokesperson of the gods, who spoke the gods will from the site where apollo, the god of the sun, vanquished the dragon python and established his own temple.

Delphian oracle

The Delphian oracle was the most important oracle of ancient Greece, noted by «the father of history» herodotus among the six most significant. Without its counsel, no new colony could be established and no war could be initiated. Even major business transactions and royal alliances depended on the oracle`s predictions. It was the prophetess pythia who revealed the destiny of the world in the temple of apollo at Delphi, with apollo`s priests interpreting her words.

Riches flowing to Delphi

Pilgrims and riches from three continents, europe, asia, and africa were all drawn to delphi. The athenians were eager to get guidance from the oracle before the battle of marathon, and the wealthiest king of antiquity, croesus, sent messengers to the city.

Remembrance of the past

The second-most important all-greek competitions, the pythian games, were held in Delphi since the 6th century bc (only the olympic games were more important). The roman emperor nero made a speech here and the wise aesop ended his journey at the theatre in the city.

Ancient treasuries

For centuries, the treasuries in Delphi were filled with golden riches and valuable gifts. Remarkably, the structures have endured, granting the present day a glimpse into the exceptional artistry of past sculptors and architects.

The walls of the buildings were adorned with bas-reliefs which depicted tales of heracles and apollo, the abduction of Leucippus`s daughters, and the trial of paris, to name a few.

A journey through the remains of grandeur

Trudging along the sacred way, the relics of antiquity, left to us by the olympian gods, become visible. In the small square before the sanctuary, and beyond the agora, lies the temple of apollo. Further on stands the treasury, once filled to the brim with offerings; and then, the gymnasium and the temple of athena, before the ruins of the ancient theater reveal the whole valley. Finally, the symbolic castalian spring is reached by the modern delphi pilgrims.

Encountering eternal Delphi

A journey to Delphi is a chance to experience the past and sense the timelessness that pervades this location. It could be that here, in this ancient city, the sun god will reveal himself in all his grandeur to the lucky few who are here to witness it.