- [Veronica] An ancient
sacred place known best
for its oracle, but there's
more to Delphi's glorious past
with nearly 70 things to see here.
Hi, this is Veronica.
We'll be exploring History
Victorum's top 11 things to see
on your visit to Delphi, Greece.
Number 11, the Gymnasium.
It was said that this
was where Odysseus' leg
was injured by a boar.
At the time that it was built,
the Gymnasium was at the
forefront of architecture.
Athletes trained here in
preparation for the Pythian Games.
Although you are unable
to reach the Gymnasium,
it is visible from the road.
Number 10, Stoa of the Athenians.
A covered walkway just
below the temple of Apollo.
The words on the top step
are believed to refer
to a display housed here of prizes
from their naval victory
over the Persians.
The back wall of the stoa,
known as the polygonal wall,
has hundreds of contracts
written in stone,
freeing slaves by selling
each of them to Apollo.
Number 9, Rock of Sybil.
It was here that the Sybil
prophesied the Trojan war.
This is where the first oracle
gave predictions in Delphi.
The Sybil was the oracle
of the mother goddess.
Number 8, the Castalian Spring.
The crystal clear water was
praised by the ancient Greeks
and continues to be praised today.
The Oracle of Delphi was
required to cleanse herself
in these waters before heading
to the Temple of Apollo
to give her prophecies.
It is closed off due to rock slides,
and you can still see and touch the waters
coming from the spring.
Number 7, Omphalos.
Referred to as the navel
of the Ancient Greek world,
the Omphalos was considered
to be the center of the
world in ancient times.
It also had a strong link to the moment
that Apollo took over the ancient site
by killing the serpent that protected it.
There are two Omphalos on the site,
the one here and another
copy in the museum.
Number 6, Sanctuary Theatre.
For Greek theaters, this is
one of the best preserved
with an estimated capacity of 5,000.
At one point, the stage
had a marble relief frieze
of the labors of Heracles,
also known as Hercules,
now located in the museum.
You'll see some beautiful
views from above the theater
of the site and the valley below.
Number 5, Athenian Treasury. A building
that stored offerings to
the Sanctuary of Apollo
following Athens' victory
in the Battle of Marathon.
It is one of the most well-preserved
treasuries on the site
that was restored in the early 1900s.
It depicted various scenes,
most notably the labors
of Heracles and Theseus.
This was the first time
that these two heroes
were together in sculpture
on this building.
Number 4, Archaeological Museum.
With many of the finds
from the site on display
in the museum, you'll want
to make time for a visit.
From the bronze charioteer to the pediment
of the Temple of Apollo and
even the Scythian Treasury,
you'll find some beautiful artifacts here.
Number 3, Tholos of Athena.
It was built around 380
B.C., and it is debated
that the funds to build the
Tholos were from a fine.
The fine was for murdering
a groom's family members
in the Sanctuary of Athena
by his would-be father-in-law
after the groom's father
called off the wedding
due to a bad omen.
The inner section called the cella
had the labors of Heracles
and Theseus at the top.
During the Roman era, it is said
that the Tholos was
converted into a temple
to worship Roma and Augustus.
Number 2, Stadium.
It was built in the fifth century B.C.,
and part of it was built into the rock,
one of the most complete
stadiums from Ancient Greece
that hosted one of the sacred
games, the Pythian Games.
During the Pythian Games,
held every four years,
the stadium hosted athletic competitions,
as well as the equestrian competitions.
Number 1, Temple of Apollo.
Where the most famous
of the ancient Greek oracles was located.
The Pythia or Oracle
was visited downstairs,
where she provided her prophetic words.
Built multiple times,
the temple was revered
by many in the ancient Greek world.
Our honorable mention is the Roman Forum.
It is located in front
of the south entrance
to the ancient site.
During the Roman era, it had workshops
where goods were made
to be sold to pilgrims,
and the Roman imperial statues
were located here, as well.
It is the only part of the area
that was not converted
to private buildings,
unlike the rest of the area
that became known as
the village of Kastri.
We go more in depth on
some of the items in Delphi
in this playlist here and
have book recommendations
for further reading in
the description below.
Thank you for joining History Victorum.
