Aegina - Aphaia Temple

The sculpture from the pediments is now in the Glyptothek in Munich, and there are some other remains of sculpture in the National Archeological Museum, Athens, and the Aíyina Museum. Outside the east end of the temple and connected with it by a ramp are the foundations of an altar, and to the south of this is the Propylon, with octagonal pilasters, by which the temple was approached. The temple stood on a terrace built up to a level surface and retained partly by the natural rock and partly by masonry walls. Systematic excavations in recent years have brought to light fragments of the earlier temple of around 580 B.C., enabling the façade to be partly reconstructed. This reconstruction, with other material from the site, is in the excavators' store to the west of the temple. In the surrounding area are the remains of dwellings of the Neolithic period (fourth-third millennium B.C.). From the temple precinct there are magnificent views over the Saronic Gulf to the mainland, from Athens to Cape Soúnion.

The Temple of Aphaia stands 13km/8 mi east of the town of Aíyina. The road leading to it takes us through partly wooded, partly built-up hilly terrain. First we pass the Church of Áyii Theodóri, built from remains of an ancient temple; note the frescoes dating from 1289. After 8km/5 mi we come to the old medieval island capital of Palaeochóra (abandoned in 1800), with some 20 chapels from the 13th -18th century. Above lie the ruins of the medieval kastro, and further still the scattered houses of Mesagró. Finally a steep path brings us to the temple.