Athens airport to Sounio transfer
Sounio Information |
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Cape Sounion in Attica is among the top sightseeing destination and it is recommended to visit it at the sunset in order to watch one of the most spectacular sunsets you have ever seen. The views from Cape Sounion are stunning and the Poseidon Temple standing near the end coloured by the red sun comprises a unique landscape.
Poseidon Temple reins the site overlooking the sea but do not miss to see the ruins of the Athena temple that are located nearby. There is also a small restaurant and gift shop for tourists and toilets are available.
The temple is a beautiful example of Doric architecture constructed with marble.
It used to be surrounded by a fortification wall that some of its remains can still been seen today as the site’s spectacular open air view was ideal for guarding the Saronic gulf.
It was constructed at the fifth century BCE, and thanks to an inscription we know today that the temple was dedicated to Poseidon the god of the sea.
Unfortunately, on site you cannot see the sculpted frieze and metopes but if you have time some of them are hosted in the museum of Lavrio and they depict the Gigantomachia (battle between giants) particularly the Lapiths and Centaurs.
The famous bronze Poseidon statue can be seen at the National Archeological Museum in Athens.
The sanctuary of Poseidon is one of the most important sanctuaries in Attica. With some sporadic findings indicating that it was inhabited in the prehistoric period without any evidence though of religious practice.
The finds of the 7th century B.C. are proving the existence of organized cult on two points of the promontory: at the southern edge where the temple of Poseidon was located, and five hundred meters to the north east of it, where the sanctuary of Athena was established.
According to the legend Cape Sounion was the place where Aegeus the king of Athens leapt to his death off the cliff, thus giving his name to the Aegean Sea.
Legend has it that Aegeus went to Cape Sounion to look at the sea as his was waiting his son Theseus to come back from Crete. Theseus has sailed off to Crete in order to kill Minotaur a mythical beast that was half a man and half a bull.
Before he sails he agreed with his father to use the colour of the sails to indicate victory or death. So, hoisting a white sail would mean Theseus has won the battle and black sail that he has lost.
While at Crete Theseus has managed to kill the Minotaur he forgot to hoist the white sail so, when his father Aegeus saw the ships approaching with black sails he could not bear the thought that his son had died so he jumped off the cliff.
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