Stop 1 - Introduction
Hello there! My name is Maria and I am an expert on Greek history, a licensed tour guide for over 15 years. I am going to be your guide on this tour. Welcome to Sounio, a captivating destination just a stone's throw from the bustling city of Athens. Cape Sounio, these craggy rocks that dominate the southernmost tip of Attica, where the horizon meets the Aegean Sea, offer a perfect escape for travelers seeking a blend of history, mythology, and breathtaking natural beauty! At the heart of this enchanting place stands the illustrious Temple of Poseidon, a majestic structure that has stood the test of time and continues to impress visitors with its grandeur and significance.Along with the Parthenon and the temple of Aphaia, on nearby Aegina Island, Poseidon’s mighty monument completes the Sacred Triangle of antiquity. The temple of Poseidon is enveloped in myths and historical facts, many of which I will try to reveal to you during our journey here.Till the end of this tour, I will truly have captured the whole history and legends behind Cape Sounio and the temple of Poseidon which was built during the Golden Age of Athens in the 5th century BCE and served as a beacon for sailors and a place of worship. In fact, Athenians were emotionally bonded with this place as this was the last point of their land, that the ancient Athenian seafarers and warriors could see when they sailed away into the Aegean and around the Mediterranean Sea.It also was the first visible spot in Attica when they returned from a journey or war. For that reason, Athenians decided to build a temple dedicated to Poseidon, the god of the sea, to request peaceful sea trips so that they would come back home safely. Its ruins stand as a testament to Greece's rich cultural heritage. The temple's architecture is a testament to the skill and craftsmanship of the ancient Greeks.Its majestic Doric columns and intricate stone carvings showcase the beauty and precision of classical Greek design. Finally, the temple offers awe-inspiring panoramic views. Whether you're witnessing a mesmerizing sunset or marveling at the crystal-clear waters, the views are a feast for the eyes. Let's immerse ourselves in Greek mythology and culture while exploring the Temple of Poseidon. Let's discover storiesof gods and heroes, learn about ancient rituals, and gain insight into the ancient Greeks' way of life.
Stop 2 - The Walls of Sounion
A few meters away from the souvenir shop and the café is the entrance of the archaeological site. Our first stop is on the plateau with the information panel dedicated to “The Fortress, The Wall”, to the right of the trail just after the ticket office. Maybe Cape Sounio seems to be just a rocky headland, but you must believe me that it’s impossible to exaggerate the peninsula’s strategic importance. The land around Sounio was a very rich ore-bearing area, and the Athenians took full advantage.Producing silver from the mines of Lavreotiki, Athens could mint its famous coins. The conditions were terrible. Enslaved people had to drive down into the ground shafts and dig galleries to extract the silver. In 480 BC, the Athenian state had amassed 3000 tons of silver. Enormous quantity, even nowadays. The Athenian general Themistocles proposed that this wealth should not be distributed among the citizens but used to construct 200 triremes.We can say that these triremes were the beginning of Athens’ naval supremacy that transformed the city into a superpower of the ancient world. Whoever occupied Sounio controlled the crucial sea passage between Athens and the Aegean Sea. During ancient times, navigation depended on the visual identification of landmarks, and the level summit of Sounio was readily recognizable from a long distance. Don’t forget that Athens was never self-sufficient in grain and imported large quantities of wheat and barley from other lands. Controlling the sea route that brought these valuable cargoes to the city was crucial. To that end, the Athenians fortified the summit with walls and towers that formed a semicircle from the base of the cape in the northwest to the edge of the cliff to the southeast.This fort was considered among the five most important in Attica, and to maintain the walls in good condition, a garrison consisting of Athenian adolescent men who served under a general was positioned to take care of the fort. To best appreciate the beauty of the fortifications, you can wait until the end of this tour and walk beside them from the north.
Stop 3 - Temple of Poseidon – Northside
Once we pass the ancient walls, we turn left and take a few steps until we find the open space between the ruins of the Propylaea and the temple. As we said before, the temple of Sounio is dedicated to Poseidon. He was among the oldest deities worshipped by the Greeks, who considered him the god of the sea, earthquakes, and male associations. Unfortunately, Poseidon was not much fun, and his wrath could be terrible. Greeks attributed earthquakes to his anger, while poor Odysseus struggled for ten years to return home after insulting Poseidon.Poseidon could arouse or calm the powerful waves as a ruler of the sea. He rode his chariot over the waves without getting wet while the beasts of the deep hailed their master. Surprisingly, classical Greeks did not consider him responsible for navigation or seamen. The former was the responsibility of Athena, while Poseidon was more concerned with fishermen whose primary tool, the trident, became his symbol.Like many temples in ancient Athens and ancient Greece, this temple suffered from the wars that took place in antiquity, was destroyed and reconstructed. The first temple of Poseidon in Sounio was built of limestone in the early 5th century BC, but it was incomplete when the Persians invaded Greece in 480 BCE. When the Athenians defeated the Persians in Salamis, they captured many Phoenician ships.They set up one of them on the cape’s highest point, west of the temple, to ensure that the trophy of their victory would remain visible to all who sailed past. Unfortunately, the Persian army returned to Athens a few months later and destroyed the city and many sanctuaries in the countryside. They also devastated the temple of Poseidon. The Phoenician ship would have angered them even more than usual, and they probably took their time thoroughly erasing the memory of their naval defeat.After the final defeat of the Persians, the Athenians probably used stones from the destroyed temple to erect a temporary structure to accommodate the cult image of Poseidon. It took almost forty years to decide that it was high time to build a proper temple. Unlike its predecessor, the classical temple was made of marble from the nearby quarry of Agrileza.This marble doesn’t contain iron, so it does not lose its white color. The Athenians kept the same foundation and employed a similar plan on a slightly larger scale. The new Doric temple had thirteen columns on the long sides and six on the short. The architect remains unknown, but he is credited with two other famous temples: the temple of Hephaestus in ancient Agora in Athens and the temple of Nemesis at Rhamnous.
Stop 4 - Temple of Poseidon – Southside
We continue to our next stop walking south, keeping the temple of Poseidon to our right hand. While we are walking to the middle of the long side of the temple, the ground becomes rocky and can be slippery, so be careful. The ancient Greek architects emphasized ON selecting the perfect site for a temple. Wherever possible, a temple should be in the middle of the agora, on a prominent hill, or an imposing promontory.A conspicuous location advertised the people’s piety and reinforced their sense of shared identity. A temple that stood apart from the hustle and bustle of daily life conjured feelings of security and purity. It enabled the faithful to focus on their prayers away from noisy surroundings that could distract them. The temple should provide an unimpeded view of the city walls for defense reasons and allow the god or the goddess to survey the domain they were asked to protect. The temple of Poseidon follows the typical plan of an ancient Greek temple.It has a pronaos on the east side, a main cella and a back room on the furthest side. The temple's purpose was to house the cult image of Poseidon, which would have stood in the main cella. Unlike Christian churches or mosques, no services were performed inside an ancient Greek temple. The sacrifices and the prayers took place outside. People entered the building only to admire the image.The interior would have been bathed in semi-darkness, enhancing the sense of entering a sacred space. The primary illumination source would have been the daylight entering through the door. The temple faced east to allow the rising sun to greet the statue of Poseidon. People used oil lamps whenever more light was needed, but they had to be careful. Many ancient temples were burned to the ground because of carelessness.
Stop 5 - The islands of the blessed
No matter how much time we can spend here, it will not be enough to marvel at the beauty of this temple! But let’s have a break and turn our back to see the view that seems eternal, don’t you agree? The shapes of the nearby islands rise from the azure sea bathes in the radiant sun of the Mediterranean. The scenery would be familiar to the ancient Athenians and Lord Byron, who called these rocks the “Islands of the Blessed”.Talking about Lord Byron, the British poet was one of many who was mesmerized by the blankets of blues, reds and oranges that engulf the temple as the sun descends into the sea and, was so fascinated with Sounion that he graffitied his name on the temple’s stones sometime in the early 19th century, although who did this is debatable. To the south, we can see the island of Saint George which is easily identified by its conical mountain and wind turbines.To the west, on your right as you gaze towards the sea is the island of Patroklos, named after the Ptolemaic admiral Patroclus, who established a fortified base there in the third century BCE. In 1944, the SS Oria sank nearby with the loss of more than four thousand Italian soldiers. Finally, to the east is Makronisos, the Long Island. This uninhabited elongated island was home to a notorious concentration camp for exiled communists from the late 1940s until the restoration of democracy in Greece in the 1970s.
Stop 6 - The Ancient Myths of Cape Sounion
Before we say goodbye, if we let our eyes feast on the beauty of this landscape, it would be a significant omission not to try to steep in captivating Greek mythology, to the myths and legends of Cape Sounio. One of the most famous tales associated with Sounio is the story of King Aegeus and his son, Theseus.According to the legend, Aegeus, the king of Athens, anxiously awaited his son's return from Crete after he had embarked on a perilous journey to slay the fearsome Minotaur. Before departing on his mission, Theseus promised his father that if he was successful, he would raise white sails on his ship to signal his victory. However, if he failed, the sails would remain black. As the ship approached the Athenian coast, Aegeus, consumed by worry, climbed to the highest point of Sounio, where the Temple of Poseidon stands today. From this vantage point, he anxiously scanned the horizon for the appearance of his son's ship. Tragically, he saw black sails approaching, mistakenly believing that Theseus had perished. In his grief, Aegeus jumped into the sea, which was later named the Aegean Sea in his honour.According to another myth, the sea god Poseidon and the goddess Athena competed to become the patron deity of Athens. Each god was to offer a gift to the people of Athens, and the citizens would choose the winner based on the more useful or impressive gift. Poseidon struck the ground with his trident, and a spring of saltwater emerged. However, the water was salty and not suitable for drinking or agriculture. Athena, on the other hand, planted an olive tree, providing the people with olives, olive oil and wood. The Athenians deemed Athena’s gift more valuable and chose her as their patron goddess. In his anger over losing the contest, Poseidon supposedly flooded the land around Cape Sounion, and the temple dedicated to him there was constructed in honor.
Stop 7 - The End
Well, it is about time to agree that Cape Sounio is more than the ideal place for looking at the sunset, don’t you? The Temple of Poseidon is the result of the ingenuity and architectural prowess of the ancient Greeks. Its Doric columns and panoramic views of the Aegean Sea create a captivating backdrop that astounds us. As one of the major archaeological sites in Greece, the temple provides a window into the past, allowing us to connect with the region's cultural heritage.But Sounio offers more than just the temple itself. The surrounding attractions and activities enrich your visit, from the picturesque beaches and scenic hiking trails to the enchanting Cape Sounio National Park. Dive into the azure waters, explore coastal caves, or unwind on sun-kissed shores. Let the local taverns and restaurants tantalize your taste buds with delectable Greek cuisine as you savor the stunning views. Thank you for your companionship. I hope you enjoyed your time with me! If you are up for even more sightseeing, visit our website at www.keytours.gr and choose among plenty of guided tours covering great sites of Greek history.
