The Temple of Apollo Epicurius of Bassae: The Parthenon of the Peloponnese.
Built between 450 and 400 B.C, the Temple of Bassae, was constructed by the most famous architect of ancient Greece, Ictinus, who built the Parthenon in Athens.
Bassae, which means “little valleys”, is located 1,131 meters above sea level in Arcadia, Peloponnese and was one of the most important temples of the Hellenic world, sacred not only to Apollo but also to Pan, Aphrodite and Artemis.
A controversial theory would have the temple (which is aligned north-south, in contrast to the majority of Greek temples which are aligned east-west), shifting by 50.2 seconds of a degree every year, so as to always be facing the star Sirius; thought by some to be the birthplace Apollo.
However, the temple’s North-South position does place it perfectly into the heliacal arc; the yearly movement of the sun through the sky.
An eastern door, in the inner sanctum, permits the first rays of the sun on the day of the summer solstice, Apollo's Birthday, to reflect on the central column of the Temple, which obviously shows the temple’s relation to the annual phases of the sun; only fitting for a sun god!
Another interesting fact is that the eastern door faces the island of Delos, along with the star Sirius, also thought to be the birthplace of Apollo and his twin sister Artemis.
The temple is unusual as it has examples of all three of the classical orders used in ancient Greek architecture: Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian.
A single Corinthian column standing in the centre of the interior, is the earliest example of a Corinthian column found to date.
The temple of Apollo is presently covered by a tent in order to protect the ruins and conservation work is currently being carried out under the supervision of the Committee for the Conservation of the Temple of Apollo Epicourios of the Greek Ministry of Culture.
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