GREECE PELOPONNESE ARGOLIS DIDYMA

There are two craters near Didyma. The larger one (above left) can be seen from quite a distance and has a diameter of 150 m and a depth of 80 m. It is just a big hole in the ground and by far not as interesting as the smaller one. The smaller crater (above centre, right and below) with a diameter of 80 m and a depth of 30 m is entered through a whitewashed tunnel that leads through the crater walls.

There are different explanations as to the origin of the craters, but they are definitely not meteoric. Most probably they are sinkholes caused by a collapse of the surface layer in a karst process. Another, much less likely, theory speaks of underground natural gas explosions many centuries ago.

Above: Built into the red rocks of the crater's side wall is the small church of Agios Georgios, dated to the 13th century. Inside are poorly preserved and partly mutilated frescoes also of the 13th century. - Below: the Metamorfosis of Sortiros chapel, established some time later, is just an open-air structure in the rocks next to Agios Georgios.