Greece is an amazing country. It combines beautiful nature with amazing sights. When going on vacation, tourists strive to visit as many interesting places as possible. historical monuments And picturesque ruins. According to travelers, Athens is best suited for this. In a small area, within walking distance, there are several fascinating museums and ruins. However, this opinion is controversial. Getting to know ancient civilization It’s better to start with a trip to the city of Corinth. It is this site that scientists consider to be the place of the first human settlement on Greek soil.

Legends about the founding of Ancient Corinth

Study process historical facts associated with Corinth is very difficult. The reason for this is the lack of historical documents and manuscripts of that time. Scientists obtain basic data from archaeological excavations that began a little over a century ago. Historians and archaeologists have to build hypotheses to explain the purpose of individual buildings or to reconstruct an ancient building from the ruins. However, it is reliably known that the first inhabitants settled here more than 6,000 years before the beginning of our era.

The meaning of the name is also difficult to understand. There are several myths that explain it. The most popular opinion is that the founder of the city was King Corinth, after whom the place was named. Another legend says that the city of Corinth (Greece) was the birthplace of Jason. One day he abandoned Medea, for which she burned the ancient city. The famous Sisyphus was involved in its reconstruction according to the same legend.

Ancient coins found during excavations

It was possible to establish that this was not the only case when Corinth burned in fire or suffered from other elements. The many raids and wars that took place on this tasty piece of land erased the earliest evidence of the founders.

History of Corinth

Corinth was located at the intersection of several sea routes. There were two ports in the city where merchant ships arrived. The townspeople conducted brisk trade with foreigners, which means the city prospered along with its inhabitants. On par with others largest cities Ancient Greece, Corinth was distinguished by great power. According to some sources, it was even more important than Athens.

In ancient times, Sparta was the homeland of warlike tribes, Athens was a gathering place for philosophers and sages, and Corinth was a haven for traders and artisans. He actively developed international relations as far as possible. Moreover, under the rule of Periander, the city even had its own colonies in the lands of Albania and in other places. The colony of Naukradita, which allowed trade with Ancient Egypt, deserves special attention. The era of prosperity of Corinth continued long after the death of Periander.

Computer reconstruction of the city

Life in the ancient city promised all sorts of joys, but it was also expensive. Not every traveler could afford to stay here for a long time. The Temple of the Priestesses of Love attracted great interest. The goddess Aphrodite was chosen as the patroness of this place, who encouraged love in all its manifestations.

The indigenous people of Corinth organized their life very well. They had practically no need to work; the main responsibilities were assigned to numerous slaves. The number of townspeople, according to historians, reached 300 thousand people, and the number of slaves exceeded half a million. These figures were simply astronomical for those times.

Alas, after any prosperity comes the time of decline. This happened with the great Corinth. After the invasion of Lucius Mummius of Achaea, a Roman commander, devastation and suffering came to the city. Lucius was particularly cruel; his habit was to slaughter men and drive women into slavery. The Romans simply destroyed the beautiful city.

A few years later, Corinth began to gradually rebuild and return to its former greatness, but misfortunes haunted it. Twice, in 375 and 551 AD, strong earthquakes destroyed the Corinthian buildings. The Romans, Turks, and Germans periodically seized fertile lands, preventing the city from developing. Only a few centuries ago the city began to belong to free Greece. They even wanted to make it the capital, but settled on the relatively small city of Athens at that time.

Ruins of an ancient city

Nowadays, the remains of the once majestic Corinth faintly remind us of its former power. Most of all, it looks like an archaeological excavation site. The remains of ancient walls, columns, benches, and foundations of majestic buildings are located everywhere. Today in the center you can visit the remains of a huge Agora with 71 Doric columns and several dozen merchants' shops that have been preserved at the very end of the hall.

A developed system of canals was discovered underground, to which many deep wells descend. It is difficult to reliably determine their purpose. Perhaps they were used as food pantries.

Among other buildings, you can see the picturesque ruins of the Temple of Apollo. The opinion that the building was erected in honor of this particular god is based on the inscriptions that adorned the tablets nearby. There is also a mention of this temple in the works of Pausanias from the 2nd century. BC. Some argue that the temple may have belonged to another god. The building survived the raids, but was damaged by earthquakes.

Tourists love to visit the Glavka fountain. This structure is striking with an intricate system of pipes through which water was supplied from a distant source on the southern outskirts of the city. It is unknown by whom and under what circumstances the fountain was built, as well as some other structures. Ancient Corinth is fraught with too many mysteries that cause fierce debate among scientists.

Not far from the entrance to the museum, in front of the ruins of the city itself, there is an exhibition of interesting archaeological finds. Sculptures and household items of ancient townspeople are presented here.

How to get there?

When going to Corinth, it is important to correctly determine your destination. There are two cities in Greece called Corinth. The first is precisely the ancient attraction that attracts tourists. The second is a more modern city, which was founded only towards the end of the 19th century. You need to go to ancient Corinth, it is a museum under open air, in which most archaeological finds are located at their historical site.

To get to Corinth from Athens, you need to cover a distance of about 80 km. This can be done by car or excursion bus. This does not change the travel time significantly. The ancient city is located on the Isthmian Isthmus in a very picturesque place.

From the capital's airport to Corinth depart every hour commuter trains. From the station to the ruins you will need to travel several kilometers by taxi, but you can use a bicycle.

Entrance to the complex is paid. For adult visitors, the ticket price is 6 euros. It is better to go on a long excursion in comfortable shoes and clothes. To protect yourself from scorching sun, a hat, umbrella and sunscreen will come in handy. Be sure to stock up on water.

THE WORK OF SISYPHUS

The city on the site of modern New Corinth arose, flourished and was completely destroyed several times. It is one of the oldest cities in Hellas with a long, albeit intermittent, history.

Old Corinth, of which only ruins remain 5 km from New Corinth, was one of the largest capitals peace. There were two ports on the shores of the Corinthian and Saronic gulfs; in the harbors there are docks to accommodate a large fleet. Archaeological excavations have brought to light the remains of an archaic temple, a forum, a market, the Pirena fountain, public baths, shopping arcades along a paved road with covered sidewalks, the ruins of a basilica, fragments of mosaics and statues.

The first large settlement under the hill arose in the Neolithic, at least 6 thousand years ago. Representatives of non-Indo-European peoples who arrived by sea from the western part of Asia Minor settled here. They were excellent potters and stonemasons. The second wave of settlers, also from the east, brought with them the art of metalworking. The city flourished, but was destroyed and abandoned by its inhabitants for six centuries at the end of the 3rd millennium BC. e., when semi-wild tribes poured into the Peloponnese from the north.

The name Corinth is believed to be of ancient non-Indo-European origin. If so, then the old name returned after a period of naming Ephyra (clearly a Greek place name) along with a local legend about the founding of the city by a certain ancient Greek hero Corinth, supposedly the son of Zeus. According to another legend, the city was founded not by Corinth, but by Sisyphus (judging by Homer’s description, an extremely unreliable, self-interested, cunning and vicious man who constantly violated the code of hospitality...). However, in the myths about the first kings of Corinth there are a lot of discrepancies: in one version, Sisyphus is called the direct successor of Corinth, who took revenge on the local residents for his murder; in another, after the death of Corinth, the townspeople transferred power to Jason and Medea, and after them Sisyphus received the throne; in the third, King Creon, who received Jason and Medea, is called “a descendant of Sisyphus.” Another myth says that one day Poseidon and Helios argued over Corinth, and it was decided that the Isthmus of Corinth belonged to Poseidon, and Acrocorinth to Helios. A comparison of several chronicles allows us to attribute the foundation of Acrocorinth (protected by a triple fortress wall) upper city"on a hill, with the temple of Aphrodite and the source of the Upper Pyrenees) by 1514 BC. e.

The main center of the Peloponnese in the 16th-11th centuries. BC e. there was Mycenae, and Corinth was one of the Mycenaean kingdoms. After the Dorian invasion and the “Bronze Age catastrophe,” Corinth is already considered a Dorian state; The Dorian Apet founded a new dynasty in Corinth. At the beginning of the classical period, Corinth at one time dominated the peninsula. The Corinthians grew rich not only through crafts (production of bronze items, textiles, black-figure ceramics and tiles) and trade: local residents controlled the narrow Isthmus of Corinth and took tolls for traveling on roads and for dragging ships. The city was a center of trade and entertainment, the extravagance (and immorality) of its inhabitants became a proverb: “Not everyone can visit Corinth” in the sense of “Dear things are not available to everyone.” The Isthmian Games in Corinth were the second most important after the Olympic Games.

Some of the inhabitants migrated to the north (for example, Kerkyra, modern Corfu) and to the south (Syracuse in Sicily). Relations between the mother city and the colonies were not cloudless: thus, the separatist sentiments of Kerkyra worsened by the 7th century. BC e. so much so that they led to the first naval battle in history (c. 664 BC).

In 602 BC. e. The tyrant of Corinth, Periander, wanted to dig a canal and went to the oracle for a blessing, but the Pythia forbade him to dig the isthmus. And the engineers advised against it, fearing flooding of the land due to the difference in water levels in the bays. Instead, the old portage of Diolok was paved with stone blocks and equipped with something like rails along which carts transported ships. Peri-andr ruled for 40 years, having managed to do a lot of useful things for Corinth, which flourished under him; however, he was a quick-tempered, vindictive and cruel person. His weaker successor lasted three years in power and was killed; After this, a period of decline began in Corinth, and it lost its position to Athens and Sparta.

ROMAN ERA

As punishment for the uprising in 146 BC. e. Rome wiped out Corinth, which was the last major trading competitor of the Romans in the Mediterranean (just shortly before this, the Romans destroyed Carthage to the ground). A century later, the capital of the Roman province of Achaia was built in its place with the name Corinth, Julia's glory.

Having experienced, together with many other policies of Ancient Greece, a period of political and economic crisis, Corinth became dependent on. By the will of Philip II of Macedon (father of Alexander the Great), the Corinthian Union of Greek city-policies arose, united in the winter of 338/337 BC. e. for the war with Persia. Later in 243, Corinth joined the revived Achaean League, which united the northern Peloponnese to drive out the tyrants and Macedonian garrisons; but as a result of the unsuccessful Cleomenes War with Sparta (229-222 BC), the Achaean League collapsed, and Corinth in 223 BC. e. again recognized the hegemony of the Macedonian king (Antigone III Doson). Then there were the Allied War (220-217 BC) and the 1st Macedonian War (215-204 BC), and then Rome came into play (before that it was busy with its problems , fighting with the Carthaginian army of Hannibal). Rome gained the sympathy of the Achaean oligarchy by convincing them that it would free the Hellenes from Macedonian dependence. In the 2nd Macedonian War (199-197 BC), Rome won and forced the Macedonian king Philip V to renounce all Greek possessions. At the East Mian Games, the Roman commander Titus Quintius Flamininus solemnly announced the “freedom of the Hellenes” and placed Corinth at the head of the new Achaean League. However, in the 3rd Macedonian War, the Achaeans did not support the Romans: adhering to neutrality, they hoped that Rome and Macedonia would weaken each other and Greece would finally be able to pursue a more independent policy. When Macedonia was defeated and turned into a Roman province, the sympathies of the Achaeans were on the side of the Macedonians. As they say, choose the lesser of two evils. But it was too late: Rome no longer needed the Achaean League and was doomed. In 147, the Roman ambassador announced a Senate decree on the “liberation of cities,” that is, on the exclusion from the Achaean League of cities “not related to the Achaeans” - Sparta, Argos, Orchomenus and even Corinth! Anti-Roman unrest, almost a revolution, began everywhere. The Corinthians were outraged, pogroms began, and the Roman embassy hastily left the city.

The general battle between the Achaean and Roman troops took place at Leukopetra on Isthmus near Corinth in 146 BC. e. The Achaean Union was defeated. The Roman commander Lucius Mummius ordered all Corinthian men to be killed, and children and women were sold into slavery. The only memory left of that city is the Acrocorinth fortress and several columns of the Temple of Apollo.

Life of Corinth, Julian glory (this became official name) was revived a century later by order of Julius Caesar. In 44 BC. e. the city was rebuilt as the capital of the Roman province of Achaia (southern Greece). It was a completely Romanized city, inhabited by Italians, Greeks and Jews (in 51 AD, the Apostle Paul preached in the Corinthian synagogue for a year and a half, leaving behind a large Christian community; this was the very beginning of his missionary activity). During the Roman period, Corinth again eclipsed Athens and, in general, all the cities of Hellas. Unlike ancient Greek buildings, ancient Roman Corinth is well preserved. Even the ancient platform in the center of the agora, from which the Apostle Paul once preached, has been preserved. All the most interesting finds are collected in the archaeological museum of Corinth.

At the beginning of our era, Corinth suffered several times from earthquakes and barbarian invasions (the Heruli in 267, the Goths of Aparic in 395). There followed a period of decline with a short revival under the Byzantine Emperor Justinian, who restored some of the buildings and built the 10-km Examilio Wall across the entire isthmus to protect against invasions from the north. In the Middle Ages, the fortress of Acrocorinth passed from hand to hand: it was alternately owned by the Byzantines, Normans, Franks, Venetians and Turks. The Temple of Aphrodite was first converted into Christian Church, then to the mosque. In 1858, Old Corinth was destroyed by a strong earthquake. They did not restore it, but built New Corinth a little to the side.

ATTRACTIONS

Natural:

• Acro-Corinth rock,
• Pirena Fountain on Acrocorinth.

Antique:

• Seven columns of an archaic temple, rock-cut cisterns of the Glavka fountain, ruins from the Roman period - everything that remained in sight before the excavations began.
• Remains of walls ancient city, connected to the walls, with a total length of about 16 km.
• The city's two harbors are Cenchrea on the Saronic Gulf and Lechaea on the shores of the Gulf of Corinth.
• Remains of the paved Lehei road with covered sidewalks.
• Portico of captives with colossal figures of captive barbarians (2nd century BC)
• Tribune on the northern agora (from which the Apostle Paul preached).
• Remains of the Julian Basilica with statues.
• 165-meter South and North-West pillar (a long portico gallery with a double row of Ionic columns) with benches and wells.
• Forum (a square with shops and administrative buildings, including the Senate building).
• Temples of the Roman era; ruins of the Odeon indoor theater; public baths.

Modern:

• Corinth Canal.
• Architectural Museum of Corinth with interesting finds from archaeological excavations.

FUN FACTS

Ancient Greek geographer of the 2nd century. n. e. Pausanias, in his book “Description of Hellas,” cites a Corinthian myth about a dispute between Poseidon, the sea, and Helios, the sun. The judge in this case was Briareus, one of the Hecatoncheires, who decided that the Isthmus of Corinth belonged to Poseidon, and Acrocorinth to Helios. From the same book: “The spring behind the temple is said to have been a gift from Asopus to Sisyphus. According to legend, the latter knew that Zeus had kidnapped Asopus’ daughter Aegina, but refused to give any information until he received a source in Acrocorinth for himself.”

According to ancient Greek legend, popularized by Euripides, Jason wished to marry Glauce, the daughter of the Corinthian king, and abandoned Medea. She took revenge on all the offenders and disappeared on a winged chariot drawn by dragons sent by her grandfather Helios (or Hecate). The playwright's contemporaries argued that Euripides attributed the murder of the boys to their mother, and not to the Corinthians, as earlier versions of the legend claimed, for a huge bribe. In this way, the Corinthians tried to clear the good name of the city.

More than a thousand priestesses served at the Corinthian temple of the goddess of love Aphrodite. They served in a unique way, with their bodies, essentially differing little from prostitutes.

In Corinth, Alexander the Great met the Cynic philosopher Diogenes. According to legend, the king invited Diogenes to ask him for whatever he wanted, and the philosopher replied, “Don’t block the sun for me.”

The Corinthian order, one of the three Greek architectural orders, is a heavily decorated (stylized acanthus leaf) Ionic order. Vitruvius reports that the Corinthian order was invented by the sculptor Callimachus from Corinth in the 2nd half of the 5th century BC. e. The prototype of the new order was the acanthus-covered basket with her belongings that the sculptor saw in the cemetery, on the grave of a recently deceased girl. Therefore, the Corinthian order is also called the maiden order (in contrast to the male Doric and female Ionic).

Attempts to dig the Corinth Canal have been going on since ancient times. After the Corinthian tyrant Periander (307 BC), first Julius Caesar, then Caligula, were concerned with plans to build a canal, and Nero even began grandiose work, gathering 6,000 slaves to build the canal. But due to the uprising in Rome, he had to give up everything, and his successor closed the expensive project.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Location: ancient Greek polis and modern city (5 km from the ancient one) on the Isthmian (Corinthian) isthmus connecting the Peloponnese peninsula with mainland Greece.
Administrative affiliation: capital of the prefecture (nome) of Corinthia, Greece.
Ancient name: Ephyra.
Date of foundation: the first settlement appeared in the Neolithic; the ancient Greek polis was founded presumably in 1514 BC. e.
Destroyed by the Romans in 146 BC. e.
Roman Corinth, Julian glory - founded in 44 BC. e. Destroyed by earthquake in 1858
Archaeological excavations have been carried out since 1929.
Language: Greek.
Religion: Orthodoxy.
Ethnic composition: Greeks.
Currency: euro.

NUMBERS

Old Corinth
Population: up to 500 thousand people. in the Roman era.
Length of the walls of the ancient city: approx. 16 km.
New Corinth
Area: 102.2 km2.
Population: 58,280 people. (2011)
Population density: 570.3 people/km2.
Distance from Athens: 78 km. Corinth Canal (built in 1881-1893): length 6346 m, width at sea level - 24.6 m, depth 8 m, slope height up to 79 m.

CLIMATE

Mediterranean, mild wet winters and hot dry summers.
Average temperature in January: +10"C.
Average temperature in July: +28"C.
Average annual precipitation: 400 mm.

Corinth Greece (Corinthia Prefecture) is one of those places in the world that any tourist interested in history must visit. This is a unique ancient city, filled with legends, warm winds and the aromas of Mediterranean herbs.

Corinth on the map of Greece

The city is located 78 kilometers from Athens on the narrow Isthmian Isthmus separating Central and Southern Greece (Peloponnese Peninsula). On one side it is washed by the Ionian Sea and on the other by the Aegean Sea. Its favorable location allowed it to become an important trade and economic center of ancient Greek civilization in ancient times.

Interesting! At different times, such famous personalities as Periander, one of the seven Greek sages, the philosopher Diogenes, and the Apostle Paul, who wrote here the famous “Epistle to the Corinthians,” which became an integral part of the New Testament, lived in Corinth. In addition, the most refined and magnificent of the ancient Greek architectural orders, the Corinthian, was invented here.

Subsequently, the city was successively conquered by the Romans, Byzantines, Crusaders and, in the 15th century, by the Turks. With the change in trade routes, it completely lost its former significance and grandeur, turning into a small provincial town.

After Greece gained independence in 1830, it was considered as a candidate for the role of the future capital of an independent state.

Architecture of ancient Corinth

Climate and weather in Corinth

Since the city is located in the southern Mediterranean zone and between two warm seas, then the climate there is quite mild and comfortable for life and recreation. The hottest month of the year is August, when the temperature rises to +32 °C, the coldest month is December at average temperature+11 °C. At the same time, there is little rainfall, the weather is sunny. Water temperature in summer is from +22 to + 26 °C. The seasons must be clearly divided into two parts - sightseeing - October-April, when it is not hot and you can comfortably walk around the ancient ruins, and beach holiday– May-September, when it’s nice to spend time at sea, and not among rocks hot from the sun.

Important! When choosing a month for a seaside holiday, you should keep in mind that June is one of the rainiest months of the year. It rains on average for four days. Although this is not catastrophic, it is still better to check the forecast so as not to be upset later about wasted time.

Attractions in Corinth

Corinth in Greece has some of the most interesting and educational attractions.

First of all, you need to visit the ruins of ancient Corinth, located on a high hill in the middle of the modern city.

The main attraction is the Temple of Apollo. From built in the middle of the 6th century BC. e. Only seven columns of the majestic structure have survived. However, from them you can easily get an idea of ​​what this pearl of ancient Greek architecture looked like during the heyday of the city.

Excursions in ancient Greece

The second most important attraction of the city is Acrocorinth. This is the former city acropolis, later rebuilt by the Byzantines under impregnable fortress. It is located on a high hill, controlling all the surrounding areas. Acrocorinth is worth a visit not only to get a closer look at the magnificent example of medieval architecture, but also to enjoy magnificent views, opening from here.

Important! When visiting ancient ruins, it is recommended to wear comfortable shoes with flat and soft soles, since you will have to walk to the top of the hill and walk for a long time along the remains of ancient roads.

Of great interest to tourists is the local Archaeological Museum. There you can see numerous exhibits from the Corinthian excavations - clay vessels, mosaics, statues. As if moving from century to century, one can feel the birth of one of the greatest civilizations in the history of mankind, its flourishing and decline.

In the vicinity of the canal is the town of Nemea, famous for hosting the second most important games after the Olympic Games. There is a stadium of the 6th century BC preserved there, as well as a temple of Zeus. You can visit it only as part of a tour or with a rented car.

Ruins of an ancient town

Corinth Canal

For a long time, people thought about connecting the Aegean and Ionian (Ionian) seas with a shipping canal so that sailing around the Peloponnese would not take much time. These projects have been undertaken several times. Periander and Caesar, the Macedonian king Demetrius Poliorcetes and Caligula hatched plans to build a canal in the Peloponnese in Greece. However, due to various circumstances, these plans were not realized. The first practical attempt was work begun in 67 AD. Emperor Nero himself. But this project also ended without results and the Corinth Canal was forgotten in Greece for centuries.

Corinth Canal in Greece

Only in 1881, after the construction of the Suez Canal, did the Greek government decide to return to this idea. Construction lasted eight years and as a result, a canal connecting the Ionian and Aegean sea in Greece, was built. Currently, it has almost completely lost its economic importance, having become an artery for the navigation of tourist ships. And in this sense, the Corinth Canal is experiencing its rebirth.

How to get to Corinth

Naturally, there are no direct flights from Russia. Therefore, you must first get to Athens using the services of one of the many airlines operating flights from Russian cities to the Greek capital, and then travel by bus or local train. Buses to Corinth depart from Athens Kifisu station every day from 6 am to 10 pm with intervals of 40 minutes to an hour depending on the time of day. Ticket price: 9 euros* one way. Travel time is one and a half hours.

Important! Transport in Greece is not punctual, and being late by half an hour is not considered late. Therefore, when buying a ticket, you should be patient and calmly wait for your bus, which will definitely arrive.

Another option is the train. Electric trains depart from Central Station Athens every hour and the price is the same as for the bus - 9 euros*.

Beaches and resorts of Corinth

The most popular resort is Loutraki. It is famous for its thermal springs. But since the city is located on the coast of the Gulf of Corinth, it is possible to enjoy sea ​​holidays. Sand beach Loutraki is small, but clean and tidy.

Note! In the vicinity of the city there are two other famous beaches in Greece - Sykia and Aristonauton. Both of them are pebble, but very well-maintained and environmentally friendly, for which they receive the Blue Flag every year.

Corinth is not a city to which you should devote your entire stay in Greece. At the same time, if a tourist has more than one week at his disposal, he simply needs to spend five to seven days paying attention to the amazing point on the map of Greece, where two seas connect, like the past and the present.

* Prices are current as of September 2018.

Separated from Greece by the narrow Isthmus of Corinth. And already on its territory there is a city of the same name with a population of about thirty thousand people. Modern Corinth rebuilt when the ancient polis was destroyed by the 1858 earthquake. But this was not the end of the city's residents' tests of strength: it was destroyed again in 1928 during another earthquake. And again the city was rebuilt from scratch.

The city of Corinth welcomes you

Today, the third largest city on the peninsula is divided into two parts, three kilometers apart. One is modern, the other is with remnants of bygone times, this is... The first policy is highly developed economically, with a modern industrial industry and diverse logistics. To the north on the coast there is a port for sending products for export and receiving raw materials for processing.

Tourists will reach Ancient Corinth within fifteen to twenty minutes from the corner of Kolokotroni and Koliatsu streets. There are flights to the interior of the peninsula.

Corinth on the map

In ancient times, Corinth was one of the largest and richest
city-states in Greece. Corinth had two major ports - one in
Gulf of Corinth and one in the Saronic. Excavations on the territory of the Ancient
Corinth has been underway since 1896. Over a wide area, mainly
Dating back to the Roman period, the ruins of the Temple of Apollo predominate. Further
rises the Acrocorinth hill, which was fortified in the Middle Ages.
The modern city of Corinth is located seven kilometers northeast of
ancient city and 78 kilometers west of Athens, with which he
connected by regular bus service. In this article I will tell you about
the main attractions of Corinth that are worth visiting.

Corinth Canal

The Corinth Canal is four
kilometers east of modern Corinth. The idea of ​​​​building a canal
across the Isthmus of Corinth (which connects the Peloponnese with the rest
part of Greece) was conceived by the tyrant Periander in the sixth century BC
era. However, the canal was completed only in the period 1882-1893, after
as modern Greece gained independence. Length of the Corinth Canal
was 6.3 kilometers, width 23 meters and depth eight meters.
The Corinth Canal can accommodate ships of up to 10,000 tons. Best
the view of the canal opens from the bridge over which the car passes
road. Interesting feature is a movable bridge on
northwest end, which can be submerged, allowing
pass small ships and sailing boats (at a fairly high
tariff). However, it is too narrow for large ships.

Ancient Corinth

Ancient
Corinth is an important archaeological site that has revealed
many great finds. Being one of the most powerful cities
classical world, it came under Roman rule in 146 BC
era. It was here that the Apostle Paul preached to the people of Corinth in 51-52
AD, and this experience later inspired him to write the book New
The First Testament to the Corinthians and the Second Testament - one of the most
quoted books of the Bible. Today, among the archaeological excavations, you can
see the ruins of various buildings, including temples, a forum, baths and a basilica.

Temple of Apollo

Most
an important monument and landmark of Ancient Corinth is
the imposing Doric Temple of Apollo. It is located on a small hill and
dominates the area. The temple was built around 540 BC. on
the site of a previous temple from the early seventh century BC. Today
only seven monolithic columns remain, but originally there were six
front and back parts of the temple, as well as fifteen from each
sides. In the first century AD, the Romans moved main entrance V
the temple to the west (previously it was in the east), and they built a stoa (colonaded
paths) on both sides of the temple.

Archaeological Museum of Corinth

This
a small museum provides a comprehensive view of the finds in the area
archaeological site of Ancient Corinth. Built in 1931-32
and expanded in the 1950s, the museum has three showrooms and a large
courtyard. The main attractions of the Corinth Museum are
Neolithic finds, typical Corinthian pottery, mosaic floors and
numerous headless marble statues (in those days they were simply removed
the head of the deceased leader from the statue and replaced it with the head of the new leader).
Exhibits are labeled in both Greek and English languages. Input
the ticket to the excavation area is also valid for the museum. Many
the sights of Corinth and the Peloponnese can be included in the list of the most
underrated places in Greece that often do not make it onto the itinerary list of mass tourists.

Acrocorinth

Acrocorinth
is located 3.5 km south of Ancient Corinth. Climbing to the top
this impressive fortified hill (575 meters) is facilitated well
equipped road that rises to the highest point from the very
low gate on the west side. Acrocorinth was fortified in ancient times
times, and his defense was maintained and developed during
Byzantine, Frankish, Turkish and Venetian periods, when
The walls of the fortress reached almost two kilometers in length. Within
fortress the path leads to the high point- the former Temple of Aphrodite,
which was converted into a mosque by the Ottoman Turks in the 16th century. From here
there is a beautiful view of the isthmus and the hills of the Peloponnese. Among
attractions of Corinth this place enjoys special
popularity.

Loutraki

Popular
The seaside resort of Loutraki overlooking the Corinthian Gulf is located in
six kilometers northeast of Corinth. It is famous for its natural
thermal springs. Louthracian baths are recommended for treatment
urinary tract disorders, kidney stones, gallstones and
gout The method of treatment is bathing and drinking. The old town of Loutraki was
destroyed by an earthquake in 1928, and today consists mainly of
concrete hotels built in the second half of the 20th century. Loutraki
are the most popular attraction of the Peloponnese Peninsula and Corinth.

Modern Corinth

Powerful
earthquake destroyed Old city Corinth in 1858, after which he
was rebuilt according to a new plan on the coast overlooking the Gulf of Corinth,
seven kilometers northeast of the ancient city. Nevertheless,
the new city had to be rebuilt again after another
earthquake in 1928 and a great fire in 1933. Today's
the city consists mainly of modern concrete buildings, entertainment
centers and cafes overlooking the square in front of the port. For those arriving from
Athens and the rest of mainland Greece tourists consider Corinth
gateway to the Peloponnese peninsula.