GREECE PELOPONNESE KORINTHIA ISTHMIA SITE

Located in the modern village of Kyra-Vrysi, the site of Isthmia goes back to about 1200 BC and ritual festivities were performed from the middle of the 11th century BC onwards. This Sanctuary of Poseidon was an important cult and athletic centre where the Panhellenic Games "Isthmia" took place every two years in honour of the hero Palaimon-Melikertes. These were as important as those in Olympia, Delphi and Nemea.

Above: Scattered architectural remains. - Below: Part of the 'West Waterworks", a place with a religious function at the western entrance to the Classical temenos of Poseidon.

Above left: Plan of the site: 1. temple of Poseidon, 2. sanctuary of Poseidon (Palaimon), 3. early stadium, 4. later stadium, 5. fortress, 6. theatre, 7. Roman bath. - Above right and below: Remains of the temple of Poseidon in front of the industry-cluttered coast of the Saronic Gulf. A first temple was built here between 690 and 650 BC. A fire demolished the building about 450 BC and in its place a larger temple was built in the Classical Doric order. This was restored after another fire in 390 BC and after almost two centuries of neglect the Romans made some additions. In the early 5th century AD the temple was dismantled to furnish material for the trans-Isthmian fortifications and this explains why there are so few remains except the fundaments.