Visit Delphi-The Oracle

Come to Delphi, Greece. A land filled with archaeology, art, history, islands and mountains, it is a must see for the traveler who is interested in modern art, music, manmade wonders and the Mediterranean climate.

Anyone who comes to Greece doesn’t miss a visit to Athens, the capital of Greece, but Delphi is one place which might be missed by you because of lack of time or knowledge of its beauty. Though not as popular as Athens, Delphi has a lot to offer. Delphi is to the north of the Gulf of Corinth in central Greece.

With a population of around 2000, Delphi, situated on Mount Parnassus is a famous tourist destination and was once considered Omphalos, the centre of the universe by many. It is an archaeological site with ruins that date back to a long time in history. With a large stadium open to spectators, Delphi provides a deep view and understanding of the ancient times in Greece.

The most important shrine in the whole of Greece, the Oracle is located at Delphi – where people came from all over the world to know their future – dates back to 1400 BC. You will also find the temple of Apollo-with a lot of incarnations and changes behind it- erected in the 7th century BC by the two legendary architects Trophonios and Agamedes. It underwent a change after getting caught in fire in the 6th century BC and was named the “Temple of Alcmeonidae” in memory of the noble Athenian family which funded and rebuilt it. It was again built in 330 BC after not being able to survive an earthquake. Today the temple stands tall with various columns made up of porcelain and limestone.

History has it that pilgrims used to queue up the steps of the temple waiting to seek the Oracle. From the richest man to the poorest soul used to come to consult the Oracle with gifts and offerings. They had to first talk to the priestess Pythia (through the mediators), who was chosen by the priests and was very close to the temples and gods.

The Oracle was always considered to be right and the most truthful in the universe. The Delphic Oracle was established in the 8th century BC. Its last recorded response was given in 393 AD, when the pagan temples ceased their operation following the orders of the emperor Theodosius I. During this period the Delphic Oracle was the most prestigious and authoritative oracle in the Greek world. As soon as you enter the temple, you can visualise the whole sight yourself with all the characters and people coming alive.

The path that leads to the Temple of Apollo is called the Sacred Way, which will give you the feeling of walking like one of the pilgrims, going all the way to the Oracle. You need to walk alongside a hill, crossing many treasuries, statues and monuments. These treasures are part of the many things offered to the oracle by the visitors.

To get a picture of the ancient times of the Roman Empire and the remains of excavations at Delphi, visit the Delphi museum. The entry to this museum is 6 Euros per person. You can take your cameras along, but flash is not allowed. To do full justice to this place, you need to start early in the morning and spend your entire day in each of the 13 galleries focusing on specific items like Sculptures from the elegant Siphnian Treasury, Omphalos (or navel of the earth), the Treasury of the Athenians, finds from the Temple of Apollo, items from the Roman period.

With a little bit of imagination, you can even visualise clearly how the ruins would have been by rewinding and going back in time.