Delphi
Delphi was the most important religious site of Ancient Greece. The site of Delphi, which lies on a plateau along the slope of Mount Parnassos in central Greece, was since the dawn of mythology associated with prophecy. It was thought to be the center of the world ever since Zeus released two golden eagles to fly across the world and pinpoint the center which was called "the navel of the world". The eagles crossed each other above Delphi and because of it the Omphalos stone was used to denote this point.
Delphi also had its reputation for being a sacred place all over Greece and was an independent city-state which usually didn't take sides with other city-states. But it still had great influence on other states because many essential decisions, both political and economic, were taken after a consultation with the Oracle. Also new colonies were not allowed to be founded without an agreement of the sanctuary at Delphi. The growing influence across the rising Greece enabled the settlement at Delphi to grow from a small village to an impressive architectural compound of fine art.
Myths of Gods and Heroes
According to the Myth, it was thought since the dawn of time to be the sacred place of primeval goddess Gaea and later her daughter Themis who was a messenger of the voice of her mother. In this role of divine voice (themistes), she first instructed the primal laws of justice and morality to mankind. Themis, however, gave her place to her sister Phoebe who became the third prophet of the Oracle, but she was not there for long as she had felt like having extreme burden to carry. Therefore, according to Aeschylus, she gave her place to her grandson Apollo for his birthday.
But according to Homer and several other sources, it is said that Apollo came to Mount Parnassus to kill Python and because of ending the draconian monster, he also saved the nearby countryside. In gratitude, the locals built him a temple on the sacred shrine. Apollo then dedicated a bronze tripod to the sanctuary and appointed one of his priestesses to be his messenger by giving her divine powers of foresight and prophecy.
She was known as Pythia and she inhaled the hallucinating vapors from a chasm in a rock below the temple floor while she sat on a tripod. In this state she was able to connect with the divine. Then she spoke gibberish which priests interpreted as the enigmatic prophecies. It is believed by some modern investigators that it was ethylene gas which was responsible for Pythia's state of inspiration, while others would argue that it was a methane gas emitted from the chasm. There is of course a third party of scholars who believe that Pythia spoke intelligibly with her own voice like the ancient sources claim.
Apollo once fought Heracles over the sacred tripod of Delphi, when the hero tried to steal it to institute his own oracle and purify himself of the disease caused by the murder of Iphitus. The two were only parted by a thunderbolt of Zeus and, once the heat settled, Heracles received an oracle on how to get rid of the disease.
Monuments of ancient Delphi
Beside the Temple of Apollo and Omphalos stone, there were other monuments built which were fortunately enough preserved to this day. There is also an ancient stadium which held seven thousand spectators every four years when the Greeks celebrated Apollo for slaying Python and honored him with Pythian games, one of the predecessors of the Olympic games.
Just above the temple of Apollo a theatre of white marble was built further up the hill which allowed five thousand spectators to enjoy plays, readings and various festivals. On top of that, they also had a spectacular sight on the sanctuary and the valley below. A mile east, from the sanctuary of Apollo, lies a Temple of Athena which the locals had built to honor goddess Athena. There is also the Athenian treasury which Athenians had built in order to make donations to the Oracle of Delphi.
Temple of Apollo
Most significant structure on site
Ancient Stadium
Incredible stadium just beneath the mountain
Theatre of Delphi
Delphic theatre with amazing spectacle