Temple of Apollo (Pompeii)

Welcome to the Temple of Apollo, a sacred site that has stood as a 'testament to a time when gods and oracles held sway' over the ancient world. Located in the heart of Pompeii, just off the main Forum, this sanctuary is one of…

As we enter the sanctuary, we are surrounded by a vast area once enclosed by a portico of 48 columns. Today, many of these 'columns are massive' and still stand tall, giving us a sense of the 'magnificent' scale of the temple in…

In front of the main temple structure stands the high altar, a central piece of the 'ancient rituals' that took place here. Built of white marble, it was at this altar that priests would perform sacrifices and offer prayers to…

On either side of the courtyard, you will see the bases and bronze copies of the statues that once adorned the temple: Apollo on one side and his twin sister Diana on the other. In 'myth and legend,' Apollo was the god of the…

Near the altar, look for the remnants of an ancient sundial, often atop an Ionic column. As the 'Temple of the Sun God,' it was only fitting that the passage of time was measured here. …

At the top of the 'reasonable steps'—unlike the massive ones for the gods—we find the cella, the most 'exciting' and 'indoor bit' of the temple. This inner chamber was the 'very heart' of the sanctuary, a 'sacred tripod' was…

The final chapter of the temple's active life came with the 'rise of Christianity,' which deemed such sanctuaries 'Pagan'. In the late 4th century, the 'Roman Emperor Theodosius I' ordered the closure of all such temples, leaving…

As we conclude our tour of the Temple of Apollo, we are left with a sense of 'awe at the Ingenuity' of those who came before us. We have walked through a 'sacred Sanctuary shrouded in myth and Legend,' a place that was once…