Places We Visit

The Ancient Theater In Delphi was built further up the hill from the Temple of Apollo. As a result, spectators admire a view of the entire sanctuary and the valley. Firstly it was originally built in the 4th century BC. After that, it was remodeled on several occasions.

The Koilon leans against the natural slope of the mountain. Its eastern part overrides a little torrent which led the water of the Fountain Cassotis underneath the Temple of Apollo. The orchestra was initially a full circle with a 7 meters diameter.

The access to the theater was possible through the Parodoi, whose walls are engraved with a large numbers of inscriptions. The Koilon was divided horizontally in two zones via a corridor called Diazoma. The lower zone had 27 rows of seats and the upper one only 8. Six radially arranged stairs divided the lower part of the koilon in seven tiers.

The theater could accommodate about 4,500 spectators.

In antiquity, it was used for the vocal and musical contests. These contests formed part of the program of the Pythian Games. They were held in the late Hellenistic and Roman period. The theater was abandoned when the sanctuary declined in Late Antiquity. After its excavation and initial restoration it hosted theatrical performances during the Delphic Festivals.

It is  also part of one of our most popular tours and hundreds of visitors get a chance to see it everyday.