Temple of Apollo, Didyma, Aydin, Turkey

Temple of Apollo at night, 4th century BC, Didyma, Aydin, Turkey. This enormous temple complex dates from the Archaic period, but after it was destroyed by Darius I of Persia in 494 BC, it was rebuilt in the Hellenistic style in 313 BC once Alexander the Great had conquered Miletus. It originally had 122 enormous 60-foot tall Ionic columns dating to the 2nd century BC, although only 3 remain, 2 of which support the roof of the cella or inner chamber of the temple. Didyma was an ancient Greek sanctuary on the coast of Ionia near Miletus, consisting of a temple complex and the oracle of Apollo, or Didymaion, who was visited by pilgrims from across the Greek world. The earliest temple ruins found here date to the 8th century BC but Didyma's heyday lasted throughout the Hellenistic age. It was approached along a 17km Sacred Way from Miletus and is the largest sanctuary in Western Turkey. Picture by Manuel Cohen

Picture No

13427981

Media ID

45096020

Size

5616px x 3744px (6.2MB)

Credit

Manuel Cohen / Mary Evans

Source

Photograph by Manuel Cohen