GREECE PELOPONNESE KORINTHIA CORINTH SITE

Fountain of Peirene

The Fountain of Peirene is actually a natural spring, which was so much elaborated in the times of Herodes Atticus (2nd century AD) that it looks like a large artificial fountain house. The waters of the spring are still flowing, much of the construction still stands and even some of the wall-paintings have survived, although the access, still possible during my visit in 1996 (below right), is blocked meanwhile.

According to Pausanias, Peirene "was a woman who was turned into a spring of water by the tears she shed in bewailing her son Kenchrias, whom Artemis had unwittingly killed". Her spring was so famous that Corinth appears as the "city of Peirene" in ancient verse.

Lechaion road

The Lechaion road was the main street of Corinth, running from the city to the northern port of Lechaion, thus its name. The road was about 12 m wide and included sidewalks and drainage channels. Steps along the road indicate that passage was not intended for wheeled vehicles.

Next to the Lechaion road are the remains of numerous buildings and uncountable architectural members lying around, some of them with inscriptions. - Below right: A row of public open-air latrines next to the Lechaion road. During my first visit in 1997 they were in a much better state of conservation than in this picture of 2019, when some seats had collapsed. Anyway, it is a strange notion, imagining to do one's business in this location.