Temple of Apollo in Corinth Greece

GetGreece
Oct 17, 2025
11 min read

Updated: Dec 25, 2025

Introduction to the Temple of Apollo in Corinth

Perched above the ruins of Ancient Corinth, the Temple of Apollo Corinth stands as a silent witness to centuries of faith, power, ruin, and rediscovery. Though only fragments of its ancient stones remain today, its presence still evokes awe. Walking among the ruins, you can feel the pulse of Greek history and imagine the voices of ancient worshippers. Truly one of Greece's most historic temples.

In this article, we explore the Temple of Apollo Corinth in depth: its place, its builders, its meaning, and how you can experience it today.

Where Is the Temple of Apollo Located?

The Setting and Landscape

The Temple of Apollo Corinth is located on Temple Hill in the archaeological site of Ancient Corinth, also known as Archaia Korinthos. From this vantage point, it overlooks the main forum, the agora, and the Lechaion road leading toward the Gulf of Corinth. Its elevated position gives it a commanding view over the site.

When you visit, you will find the temple remains set among ruins of public buildings, shops, and baths. The surrounding landscape shifts from arable fields to rolling hills and the distant sea. The hill itself gives a sense of connection between the human and the divine, between city and sky.

Why This Location Was Chosen

In ancient Greek practice, temples were often located on high ground or prominent hills so they would be visible from afar, signaling divine presence. The Temple of Apollo Corinth occupies a hill that commands attention from many parts of the city. Its position near the agora and at the northern edge of the city also meant it could act as a protective guardian and a civic landmark.

Furthermore, the temple replaced an earlier structure on the same site, showing that this location had long been sacred.

When Was the Temple Built?

The Historical Era

The current Temple of Apollo Corinth dates to around 540 BC, during the Archaic era of Greek architecture. This temple replaced an earlier 7th century BC structure on the same site. Archaeological evidence, including pottery shards found among stone chippings, supports that earlier phase and helps date the reconstruction.

The Builders and Patronage

While there is no single name preserved for the architect, the temple was built by the Corinthians themselves during a period when the city was under the influence of tyrants and wealthy elites who sought to display prestige through monumental architecture. The project likely had public and religious backing from city officials and wealthy citizens.

The first temple on that site might date to the tyranny of Cypselus in the mid-7th century BC, who is known to have fostered large building programs in Corinth.

Political and Cultural Context

In the mid-6th century BC, Greek city-states competed for prestige, wealth, and influence. Temples symbolized a city’s piety and power. By erecting a grand Doric temple to Apollo, Corinth affirmed its standing among Greek cities.

Corinth in this era was influential in trade, colonization, and cultural exchange. The temple served not only religious ends but also civic identity. Later, under Roman rule, portions of the city were rebuilt and repurposed, and the temple itself underwent changes.

Who Was Apollo in Greek Mythology?

Myths Associated with the Temple

Apollo was one of the major Olympian gods, associated with light, music, prophecy, healing, and poetry. He was often considered the divine archer, the god who brings order and harmony.

Though there is no single myth tied exclusively to the Temple of Apollo Corinth, Apollo was worshipped across Greece, and many myths, such as his oracular role at Delphi, resonate with his broader worship. Corinthian dedications to Apollo may have included musical contests, prophetic offerings, and healing rites.

Why the Temple Was Dedicated to Apollo

Apollo’s broad portfolio made him a fitting deity for a city of commerce and civic life. His association with harmony, rational order, and civic virtue matched the ideals Corinth wished to project. Placing his temple near the agora tied the sacred with daily life.

In the writings of Pausanias, the ancient traveler describes a bronze statue of Apollo that once stood in the temple.

Rituals and Festivals Once Held Here

Rituals likely involved sacrifices, offerings of votive objects, and musical performances in Apollo’s honor. Festivals such as the Pythian games, though not held there, reflect the general cultural sphere around Apollo worship in Greece.

Locally, Corinthians may have organized processions from the agora up to the temple, bringing offerings of animal sacrifice or crafted dedications. As with many Greek temples, the precinct, or temenos, would allow pilgrims to gather and perform prayers. While specific festival records for the temple are rare, the regular rhythm of religious life in such a city would have included the temple in civic ceremonies.

Architectural Design and Features

Layout and Structure

The Temple of Apollo Corinth is a peripteral Doric temple with six columns on each short side and fifteen on each long side.

Its plan included a pronaos, or front porch, and an opisthodomos, or rear porch, flanking a double cella arrangement. The two cella rooms were placed back to back with a dividing wall.

Inside, two rows of columns ran longitudinally to support the roof. There may have been an adyton, a more sacred inner area, in one of the cellas.

The stylobate, the platform on which the columns stand, measured about 53.8 by 21.5 meters. One interesting detail is that the surface of the stylobate was not flat; it was slightly convex under each colonnade, a precursor refinement later seen in the Parthenon.

Materials and Construction Techniques

The columns are monolithic, each carved from a single piece of local limestone. The stones were clad in marble stucco to give a white marble appearance.

Cuttings in the bedrock show foundation blocks and indicate how the temple was anchored to the hill. In the later Roman phase, interior columns were removed and reused elsewhere, and access routes were altered.

Architectural Order

The temple follows the Doric order, a robust and sturdy style with simple capitals and fluted shafts.

Though the Doric style is often austere compared to Ionic or Corinthian, the Corinthian temple exhibits subtle refinements such as the stylobate curvature.

Sculptures, Friezes, and Decorative Elements

Few decorative fragments survive. Any sculptural reliefs or friezes are mostly lost. Scholars hypothesize that typical Doric metopes or sculpted elements could have decorated the entablature, but no definitive fragments remain visible on site.

The capitals were cut as separate blocks of stone over the column shaft rather than carved integrally.

Innovations or Unique Design Details

The convex curvature of the stylobate, so the floor rises slightly upward, is one of the earliest known examples of that technique, later refined at the Parthenon.

Also, the interior division of two cellas is less common in Greek temples and may reflect local or experimental planning.

Comparison to Other Greek Temples

Compared to later Classical temples like the Parthenon, the Temple of Apollo Corinth is more elongated and more archaic in refinement. Its six by fifteen column plan is similar to other early Doric examples.

Unlike the Temple of Apollo at Bassae, which mixes orders, Corinth retains a pure Doric character.

The Temple’s Role in Ancient Greek Society

Worship and Offerings

Worshipers came to present offerings to Apollo: animals for sacrifice, cakes, perfumes, votive gifts, and possibly dedicatory inscriptions. Prayer, music, and ritual likely accompanied these acts.

The central statue of Apollo, possibly made of bronze, was a focal point. Pausanias mentions a bronze Apollo statue standing within.

Animals such as goats or oxen may have been sacrificed at altars in front of the temple steps. Pilgrims may have left clay offerings shaped like body parts if asking for healing, a practice seen in sanctuaries elsewhere.

Community and Civic Importance

The temple was not only religious but also civic. It stood near the civic center and engaged with public life. It symbolized Corinth’s heritage and its connection to the divine protector.

Civic festivals, processions, and political identity often revolved around temples. In that sense, the Temple of Apollo Corinth helped define public space, ritual calendar, and communal memory.

Pilgrims and Travelers

The temple’s visibility made it a landmark for travelers approaching Corinth. It acted as a beacon, visible from various vantage points. In antiquity, pilgrim visitors and merchants might pause to pay homage.

Because Corinth was on the Isthmus, a transit hub between mainland Greece and the Peloponnese, the temple likely saw a mix of native Greeks and foreign travelers encountering the sacred as part of their journey.

If you want to see more of the temples dedicated to Apollo, you will find them scattered across the Greek world, including Naxos, Delphi, Corinth, Bassae among others.

Historical Timeline and Legacy

Key Events, Damage, and Reconstruction

Over time, the temple suffered from natural disasters, neglect, and human action. Earthquakes, wars, and shifting urban plans all took their toll.

Under Roman rule, the temple underwent modifications. Interior colonnades were removed, columns reused, and access routes changed.

In 146 BC, the Romans destroyed Corinth, but parts of the city including the temple survived or were later rebuilt under Julius Caesar.

Later, Christianization discouraged pagan worship, and many temples fell into disuse or were dismantled. Over centuries, much of the structure collapsed or was scavenged for stone.

Rediscovery and Excavation

The Temple of Apollo has long been visible, even when buried in other ruins, but systematic excavation began in the late 19th and early 20th centuries by the American School of Classical Studies at Athens.

Excavators identified cuttings in bedrock, foundation blocks, and column bases, enabling reconstructions of the plan.

In the 1970s, archaeologists discovered columns that had been reused in later structures. These were linked back to the temple’s interior colonnade.

Modern Preservation Efforts

Today the site is protected by Greek cultural heritage law. Stabilization of remaining columns, controlled visitor pathways, signage, and ongoing archaeological work help preserve the structure.

Nearby, the Archaeological Museum of Ancient Corinth displays finds from this and surrounding sites. Archaeologists continue to study the temple, refine its architectural details, and interpret its meaning in changing contexts.

The Temple in Art and Modern Culture

Mentions in Ancient Texts and Myths

Pausanias, writing in the 2nd century AD, mentions seeing the bronze statue of Apollo and describes leaving the forum and heading toward Sikyon by passing the temple.

While not a major site of myth itself, texts about Corinth and Apollo reverberate across Greek literature, underlining the presence of the temple as part of Corinth’s sacred topography.

Influence on Later Architecture

Though largely in ruins, the temple’s proportions and Doric style influenced later neoclassical architects who looked to Greek precedents. It offers a reference point for early Doric temple design, especially in how elongated proportions were handled.

In modern times, artists and architects have referenced the temple in studies of light, shadow, and form. The architect Louis I. Kahn created pastels inspired by the Temple of Apollo Corinth in his travels, exploring its silhouette and geometry.

Modern Artistic and Cultural Symbolism

The Temple of Apollo Corinth has become a cultural emblem of ancient Greece’s enduring legacy. Even its ruins are photographed, painted, and dreamed about by visitors and artists.

It also stands as a reminder of how sacred sites evolve: from active temples to evocative ruins, to preserved heritage.

Visiting the Temple Today

What Remains to See

Today you can still see seven standing columns of the original thirty-eight. You can discern the foundations, cuttings in the bedrock, column drums, and fragments of the stylobate.

The overall footprint of the temple, the alignment of the rows of columns, and parts of the entablature remain visible.

How to Get There

The site lies near modern New Corinth, or Neo Korinthos. From Athens, you can drive or take public transport to the Corinth area, then local roads lead to the Ancient Corinth archaeological site.

Inside the site, the Temple of Apollo sits just north of the agora and can be reached on foot within the complex of ruins. Many visitors pair it with a visit to Acrocorinth, the hill fortress above the city.

Opening Hours and Visitor Tips

Opening hours depend on the season as managed by the Greek Ministry of Culture, so check locally before visiting.

Wear sturdy walking shoes, as the ground is uneven. Bring a hat, water, and a camera. Visit early morning or late afternoon for softer light and fewer crowds.

Give yourself time to walk among the ruins and absorb the view. Interpretive signs help guide you. The Archaeological Museum of Ancient Corinth nearby provides context for what you see.

Nearby Attractions and Museums

Archaeological Museum of Ancient Corinth, which houses artifacts excavated from the temple and nearby sites.
Acrocorinth, Corinth’s Acropolis, a steep walk or drive up to sprawling fortifications and views across the isthmus.
Lechaion Road and the Forum, near the temple, where shops, stoas, and public buildings once lined the ancient city’s arteries.

Interesting Facts About the Temple of Apollo

Lesser-Known Details

The temple’s stylobate curvature is an early experiment in optical refinement, making the temple appear straight to the eye.
Some columns originally part of its interior colonnade were later re-erected in a nearby stoa during the Roman period.
The identification of this temple with Apollo was debated. Early excavators called it the “Old Temple” before confirming it was dedicated to Apollo.

Archaeological Discoveries

A terracotta pinax, or votive plaque, possibly inscribed with a dedication to Apollo, was found in 1902 and supports the temple’s dedication.
Bedrock cuttings preserve the layout of foundation blocks even where masonry is gone, allowing scholars to reconstruct the footprint.
A major article in the journal Hesperia debates aspects of the temple’s identity, early phases, and architectural history, showing that even today scholars reassess its meaning.

Symbolic Meanings and Hidden Stories

The temple in ruin speaks to the impermanence of human ambition, yet also to the endurance of cultural memory.
In Christian times, the temple’s ruins may have been silent reminders of a pagan past.
Today, it symbolizes how civilization builds, is destroyed, and yet is reborn through scholarship and conservation.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the Temple of Apollo used for?

It was used for religious worship of Apollo: offerings, sacrifices, prayers, and festivals. It also played a civic role in Corinth, linking sacred rites with public life.

Is the Temple of Apollo still standing?

Only parts of it survive. Today you can see seven columns standing of the original thirty-eight, along with foundation traces and masonry fragments.

Can you visit the Temple today?

Yes, the temple is part of the Archaeological Site of Ancient Corinth, open to the public. You can walk among its ruins and visit nearby museum exhibits for context.

What makes the Temple of Apollo Corinth unique?

Its elongated Doric plan, early use of stylobate curvature, and double cella arrangement set it apart. It also occupies a highly visible civic position in ancient Corinth.

Which other temples in Greece are similar?

Other Archaic Doric temples in the Peloponnese and early temples at Olympia share features. The Temple of Apollo at Bassae, while later, is famous for mixing orders.

Why were some of its interior columns moved?

In the Roman era, interior columns were removed and reused in nearby stoa buildings, a common practice of repurposing architectural elements.

Why the Temple of Apollo Still Inspires the World

What It Represents Today

The Temple of Apollo Corinth represents a meeting of human faith, artistry, and spirit. Even in ruin, it stands as a symbol of what people can build, of what they can lose, and of what they might reclaim. It speaks of continuity, of memory, and of how we read the past to find meaning in the present.

The Timeless Beauty of Ancient Greece

Walking among broken columns, you feel the geometry, the proportions, the light and shadow. You sense the hands that carved stone, the voices that offered hymns, the minds that organized civic life around the sacred. This temple invites reflection not only on history but on beauty, purpose, and our shared human past.

👉 Also read: Explore the Temples of Greece

Conclusion

The Temple of Apollo Corinth is a monument of devotion and human creativity. It invites you to slow down, look closely, listen to stone, and imagine lives lived two and a half millennia ago. May your visit leave you enriched, curious, and ever more connected to the Greek world.

Follow us on Instagram @greece & @getgreece for more daily inspiration.

Visit GetGreece.com, your home for all things Greek and Greece.

This article was created by GetGreece (formerly Greece Media). Followed by nearly one million people worldwide and reaching millions of monthly viewers, we share authentic information and practical guides shaped by firsthand experience and expert insight into Greece.