(Post contributed by Hollie Law)
Previously, Effrosyni posted an article on the famed Parthenon, the magnificent temple of the goddess Athena located in the Athens Acropolis. It is quite an impressive structure, but it is not the only one of its kind. There are others just like it, each remarkable in its own right, and all carrying a part of Greek mythology.
Without further ado, here are five other temples that will help you discover mythic Greece.
Temple of Hephaestus
Hephaestus is the god of metal-working and craftsmanship, and he deserves a temple that is part imposing and part exquisite. The Temple of Hephaestus, located on Agoraios Kolonos, northwest of the Agora of Athens, is exactly that, and even more. Designed by Ictinus, who also helped design the Parthenon, this temple is by far the best-preserved Greek temple in the world today.
Temple of Hera
The Temple of Hera is one of the oldest Greek temples still standing. It was built in 550 BC in honour of the goddess of marriage and childbirth. The temple stands in the northwest corner of the sacred precinct of the Altis, on the south slopes of Kronos Hill in Olympia. Fittingly, Hera’s temple is surrounded by a fortress of commanding columns, most now in ruins, that seemingly stand on guard for the aforementioned goddess.
Temple of Apollo
A prime example of a temple of the Doric order, the Temple of Apollo in the Southern slopes of Parnassos mountain was built for the god of sun Apollo, who has long been considered as one of the most important and complex among the Olympian deities. It was designed by two legendary architects, namely, Trophonios and Agamedes, and was first built around 7th century BC. It was destroyed by fire in 6th century BC but was rebuilt and renamed “Temple of Alcmeonidae” to honour the Athenian family responsible for the temples reconstruction. It was destroyed again, this time by an earthquake, in 373 BC and was rebuilt some 40 years later in 330 BC. Only the foundations of this third iteration of Apollo’s temple have survived, along with a few of its Doric-style columns.
Temple of Olympian Zeus
Known also as the Olympieion, this Greco-Roman temple located at the centre of Athens originally measured 96 metres long and 40 metres and was made of fine marble purportedly brought from Mount Pentelicus. It is said that 104 Corinthian-style columns—each one standing 17 metres high—surrounded the actual temple, of which only ruins remain today. Of the 104 columns, only 15 are still standing, with the 16th remaining column lying right where it fell over in 1852.
Temple of Poseidon
Located in Sounion, right at the tip of the Attica peninsula, the Temple of Poseidon is associated with, naturally, Poseidon, one of the 12 Olympians in ancient Greek mythology. It shares quite a few similarities with the aforementioned Temple of Hephaestus, which suggests that both temples were designed by the same architect.
Greek mythology has, of course, endured the test of time, first through word of mouth, with the stories of gods and goddesses passed on via oral tradition. Then it survived through written literature, and eventually, through pop culture as various TV shows, plays, and films have been based on this vast collection of supernatural narratives.
Lately, even the gaming industry is keeping the flame of Greek mythology inextinguishable, with a host of games—like, for instance, the PlayStation 4 game Apotheon which is set on Mount Olympus—inspired by deities and demigods of lore.
Digital games developer Slingo has a collection of titles based on Greek mythology too, including Apollo: God of the Sun, Kronos (based on the scythe-wielding Titan Cronus), Zeus, Zeus III, and Zeus 1000. These games, apart from being fun, challenging, and enjoyable, are giving people, a modern means to learn more about a part of Greek literature that has captured the fancy of many, both in and outside of Greece. This, evidently, is one of the main reasons why Greek mythology remains quite popular even today.
Have you visited any Greek temples? What did you think, and which were your favorites? Make sure to comment below and let us know!
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