The air turns crisp and rare as the road winds toward Mount Parnassus, three hours from Athens. We're going to the center of the earth, ancient Greeks would claim. We're going to Delphi.
Like pillars of gold, tall columns glow in the late afternoon sun on a valley-side slope. Drawn to their radiance, my friends and I pull off the road and descend a steep path to an outlying site of Delphi, the Sanctuary of Athena Pronaia. Huge stones that once formed temples some 2,400 years ago lie scattered on the ground. The three stately columns that attracted us rise from a circular platform called the Tholos.
The stillness breathes sanctity. Sitting under an olive tree, I listen to the breeze whisper and watch shadows lengthen. The setting sun beams on the Tholos like a spotlight, gradually moving down the marble columns until dusk curtains the site.
The next morning, sunshine accompanies our tour of the ancient Delphi site, poised on a terraced ledge of Mount Parnassus. Before walking through the home of Apollo, we visit the museum, which houses statues and other fragile artifacts excavated here.
Inside the entrance stands a beehive-shaped rock called a navel stone, Delphi's symbol. According to legend, Zeus dispatched two eagles from opposite ends of the world to find the center of the earth. The point where their flights crossed would designate the center's exact location — Delphi.
Among the museum's priceless exhibits are a silver bull — symbol of eternal sacrifice — and a white kylix (two-handled cup shaped like a shallow bowl) depicting Apollo. The most famous is the Charioteer, a life-size bronze statue. His white enamel eyes with dark amber pupils stare into eternity.
Outside, pine and laurel trees shade the entrance into the Sanctuary of Apollo. Here, during Delphi's flourishing years (6th to 4th centuries BC), worshippers flocked from all over ancient Greece to seek the powerful god's advice. They purified themselves in a chilly spring, sacrificed offerings and then walked the Sacred Way to the Temple of Apollo in the center of the sanctuary.
We climb the stone-paved Sacred Way past remains of columns, pedestals and small buildings, or treasuries, in which the Greek city-states deposited their gifts to Apollo. On the Treasury of the Athenians, inscriptions list the rules of the Greek tribes, among them "an enemy cannot interrupt the supply of water to a seized town."
The walkway curves by the Rock of Sybil, the pedestal of a sphinx and an impressive polygonal wall. Adept placement of multi-sided stones created a structure that has stood through millennia without the aid of iron or mortar. On its corner, freed slaves carved their names to register their liberation.
Reconstructed columns mark the entrance to the Temple of Apollo. Inside, oracles (priestesses) determined destinies. While the young women stood atop tripods, inhaling sulfur vapors and chewing laurel leaves, petitioners asked their questions.
Misunderstanding the answer could have devastating consequences as happened to King Croesus of Lydia. When he asked the oracle whether to make war against Cyrus the Great of Persia, she replied that if he crossed a river, he would destroy a great empire. Confidently, he crossed the River Halys, expecting to conquer Cyrus. Instead, he lost the war — and destroyed his own great empire.
Upslope from the temple is the amphitheater. Considered small for its era, it seats 5,000 people. The acoustics are superb. As I talk on stage in a normal voice, my words rise to a friend standing in the highest row.
A steep path leads to the horseshoe-shaped stadium, a heady 1,800 feet above sea level. Because few visitors opt to endure the climb, I stride the length of the field in solitude, inhaling thin, pine-scented air. A glorious view of the amphitheater and temple spills off this mountain ledge into a steep gorge tinted silvery green with olive and cypress trees. While exploring ancient Delphi, I feel intoxicated by its heights, bright sun and intriguing.
As night falls, the air turns cool and stars start to twinkle in the clear, deep-blue sky. The area's tranquility promises sound slumber.
The following morning, we depart for Athens. Soon, highway traffic and population density increase. Looking back at the serene mountains, I nod agreement with the ancient Greeks. Going to Delphi truly is going to the center of the earth.
IF YOU GO TO DELPHI:
Location: Delphi is located about a three-hour drive northwest of Athens in the Mount Parnassus range. Olympic Airways and other major air carriers serve Greek airports.
Maps:
Currency: The Greek currency is the Euro. Calculate your current exchange rate.
Delphi Museum and Site: The Archaeological Museum [tel: +30-22650-82312] is open daily from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. (7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. in summer).
The site is open 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., Monday through Friday and 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday and Sunday. Be sure to reconfirm hours at www.greektourism.com or by calling +30-222650-82966.
For lodging and other information: Contact the Greek National Tourist Organization. In the United States, write or call the GNTO at 645 Fifth Avenue, Suite 903, New York, NY 10022; (212) 421-5777.
For UNESCO World Heritage Site information: Visit the Archaeological Site of Delphi listing.
