Delphi is an archaeological site and a very modern located in Greece on the south west spur of Mount Parnassus in the valley of Phocis. In early ancient Greece it was the site of the most important oracle. It was also the location of worship to Gaia and in classical times it was converted to the God Apollo. Delphi was most commonly known in the Greek world as the site of the omphalos stone, which means the centre of the Earth and the centre of the Universe. Inside the inner hearth of what would later become the Temple of Delphic Apollo, an eternal flame burned. After the ancient battle of Plataea. The Greek cities extinguished the fires and brought in new fire form the inner hearth of Greece at Delphi.
When the foundation was laid for several Greek colonies they would come to Delphi to have the colonies dedicated to the Delphi. The city is located on a plateau on the slope of Mount Parnassus which is located net to the Sanctuary of Apollo and the site of the famed ancient Oracle. The semi circle spur is called Phaedriades and it has a great view of the Pleistos Valley. Located about 15 kilometers away and southwest of Delphi sits the harbor city of Kirrha on the Corinthian Gulf.
The stadium that site sin Delphi was used at one time for the Phthian Games; the stone steps were added under the Romans. The Delphi is connected with hollow and may prove veneration of Gaia, Grandmother Earth and Earth Goddess at the location. Apollo is connected with the site by his epithet it says the one of Delphi. The epithet is tied to dolphin in the Homeric Hymn to Apollo. The Hymn is about how Apollo first came to the city of Delphi in the shape of a dolphin and he carried Cretan priest on his back.
That is just one legend, the other has Apollo walking into Delphi from the North and he stooped at Tempe and he stopped to pick some laurels. These laurels soon became scared to him. Because of this version, when someone wins at the Pythian Games they are given a wreath of Laurels picked in Tempe.
Through history, Delphi became the site of a major temple to Phoebus Apollo and the Python Games and home to the prehistoric Oracle. The story goes that in the Delphi Pythia the oracle is sitting on a tripod and is attended by a watcher. The ceilings are low in the temple and that cause the Delphi Oracle to stoop real low to the floor. Delphi in general may be best known in Greece as the oracle sanctuary that later was dedicated to Apollo during Classical Greece.
Whether Delphi is known as the place of the oracle or as a dedication to Apollo or even the place of worship of Gaia, Grandmother Earth, it is a very special place and no matter what the reason is, it is place of respect and awe.
