The panhellenic temple and most important oracle of Ancient Greece were situated at the Navel of earth, as Delphi was called, and constituted for centuries the religious and cultural centre of ancient Greeks. Even since antiquity, its fame surpassed the limits of Greece, something proven by the findings of the excavations that brought to light dedications from Syria and Armenia. The oracle of Delphi was dedicated to the god Apollo and Pythia, each Archpriestess, had the role of intermediate to transfer the interested people to prophecies.
Delphi, characterized as a monument of world heritage by UNESCO, draws a huge crowd of Greek and foreign visitors during the whole year. The modern town of Delphi was built next to the archaeological site, at an altitude of 570m., with a view to the olive groves of Amphissa and the bay of Itea. Because of the archaeological site, the adjacent Arachova, but also fo the ski resort of Parnassos, it has known great touristic growth.
Sights
The sites of Delphi are numerous.
The most important archaeological ones are:
The Temple of Apollo
The Archaeological Museum of Delphi with exquisite pieces of world fame.
The Ancient Theater of Delphi
The Ancient Stadium
The Stoa of the Athenians
The Athenian Treasury
The Iera Odos
The Kastalia Spring
The Tholos of Athina Pronaia
The Museum of Delphic Festivals. The Museum of Delphic Festivals is housed in the house of the big Greek writer and poet Aggelos Sikelianos. Sikelianos had envisaged the “Delphic Idea”, a world cultural society with Delphi as its seat.In 1927, with the contribution of his wife and many personalities of the time, the first Delphic festivals took place, which had a worldwide impact.