Page 468 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Europe

466  IT AL Y AND GREECE

The Peloponnese buildings preserved by the
Romans when they rebuilt the
One of the primary strongholds and battlefields of the city in 44 BC. Of the Temple of
1821–31 Revolution, the Peloponnese is the kernel from which Octavia, once dedicated to the
the modern Greek state grew. The region boasts a wealth of sister of Emperor Augustus,
ancient and medieval ruins, from Bronze Age Mycenae to three ornate Corinthian
columns, overarched by a
the Byzantine town of Mystrás. As popular as its vast array restored architrave, are all that
of historical sites is the Peloponnese’s spectacularly varied remain. The Odeion is one of
landscape. The breathtaking scenery of places like the Loúsios several buildings endowed to
Gorge attracts walkers and naturalists in their thousands. the city by Herodes Atticus, the
wealthy Athenian and friend of
of the Roman the Emperor Hadrian.
emperors, the Close to the Odeion, the
town gained a Museum houses a collection of
reputation for exhibits representing all periods
licentious living, of the town’s history. The Roman
which St. Paul gallery is particularly rich,
attacked when containing some spectacular
he came here 2nd-century AD mosaics lifted
in AD 52. from the floors of nearby villas.
Excavations have Just 4 km (2 miles) south of
revealed the vast Ancient Corinth is the bastion
The ruins of Acrocorinth, south of Ancient Corinth extent of the of Acrocorinth, to which there
ancient city, is access between 8:30am and
w Ancient Corinth which was destroyed by 3pm each day. Held and
7 km (4 miles) SW of modern Corinth. earthquakes in Byzantine times. refortified by every occupying
Tel 27410-31207. @ Open 8am–8pm The ruins constitute the largest power in Greece from Roman
daily (winter: to 3pm). Closed main Roman township in Greece. times onward, it was one of
public hols. & 7 limited. Among the most impressive the country’s most important
remains are the Lechaion Way, fortresses in medieval times.
A settlement since Neolithic the marble-paved road that The ruins show evidence of
times, Ancient Corinth was linked the nearby port of Byzantine, Turkish, Frankish,
razed in 146 BC by the Romans, Lechaion with the city, and the and Venetian occupation. The
who rebuilt it a century later. Temple of Apollo, with its summit of Acrocorinth affords
Attaining a population of striking Doric columns. The one of the most sweeping
750,000 under the patronage temple was one of the few views in the whole of Greece.

Reconstruction of Ancient Northwest stoa
Corinth (c.AD 100) Temple of Octavia
Agora
Odeion
South stoa

Theater
Basilica
Temple of
Lechaion Way Apollo

For hotels and restaurants see pp484–6 and pp487–9

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