Didymaion - Temple of Apollo, Turkey

After our tour at Miletus, our bus took us to Didyma. According to our guide, Didyma "was a very important sacred site in the ancient Greek world because of its famous oracle and the magnificent Temple of Apollo." Our guide elaborated that "Didyma means "twin" referring to the twins Apollo and Artemis; the Temple of Artemis was built in Miletus. The Temple of Apollo or Didymaion was approximately built in the 10th Century B.C.; the date is still under debate."

Ruins and columns of the Temple of Apollo.

A lion guards the entry way.

There were originally 122 Ionic columns, only three remain intact.

The columns were measured to be 60 ft tall with a 6 feet diameter. (Source here.)

Relief of a Griffin

Medusa's Head, possibly carved by Aphrodisias. (Source here.)

A few facts about Didyma:

• Didyma was known as a cult center in Miletus (Source here.)
• Alexander the Great captured Miletus and handed Miletus full administration of the oracle. (Source here.)
• "The Temple of Apollo (Didymaion) was the largest and wealthiest Ionic temple in Anatolia and was renowned for its holy relics, its treasury, its sacred spring and sacred laurel grove." (Source here.)