"Delphi" Delphi by amsterdam_vallon

During the Mycenaean period, the female deity of Earth was worshipped in the small settlement of Delphi. The development of the sanctuary and oracle though, began in the 8th century B.C. with the establishment of the cult of Apollo. Under the protection and administration of the Amphictyony, the sanctuary continued to be autonomous after the First Sacred War and, as a result, increased its panhellenic religious and political influence. The Pythian Games were re-organized, the sanctuary was enlarged and it was enriched with nice buildings, statues, and other offerings. In the 3rd century B.C. it came under the domination of the Aetolians and later, in 191 B.C., was conquered by the Romans. During the Roman occupation the site was sometimes plundered but was also favoured by some of the emperors. With the spread of Christianity, the sanctuary lost its religious meaning and was permanently closed down with a decree of emperor Theodosius the Great.

The village of Kastri, which had occupied the area of the sanctuary since medieval times, was moved to its present position. After the removal of huge quantities of earth that had been accumulated with the landslides, the remains of two sanctuaries, dedicated to Apollo and Athena Pronaea, were finally uncovered.

Two sections of the Archeological Site of Delphi

According to Greek mythology, Delphi stands at the point where two eagles, released to the east and west by the god Zeus, met, thus marking the centre of the world. Soaring high above the Gulf of Corinth, on Mount Parnassos, it has long been home to the sanctuary of Apollo and the seat of his oracle. Perhaps the best known of Delphi’s ancient inhabitants, dating from the second millennium BC, the oracle's predictions affected matters as grand as those of warfare. Today, the ancient site lies in ruins, although visitors still come in their thousands to see the remains, as well as the Doric Temple of Apollo and the Sacred Way, all of which were excavated between 1892-1935. The Delphi Museum, which was built in 1903, exhibits various statues and offerings from the sanctuary of Delphi.

Some of the most important monuments of the site are:
- The Temple of Apollo
- The Treasury of the Athenians
- The Altar of the Chians
- The Stoa of the Athenians
- The Theatre of the sanctuary
- The Stadium
- The Castalia spring
- The Tholos**
- The Polygonal wall
- The Gymnasium**

**This site is divided in two by the road. The principal (Sanctuary of Apollo)site include all important monuments except the Tholos and the Gymnasium (Sanctuary of Athena Pronaea). You can see clearly on this photo the two sanctuary

Unesco

This site is under the autority of the Unesco World Heritage.

This is the mission of this organisation:

Protecting natural and cultural properties of outstanding
universal value against the threat of damage in a rapidly developing world.

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