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The Gymnasium at Delphi is a building complex of the 4th century BC at
Delphi, Greece
Delphi (; ), in legend previously called Pytho (Πυθώ), in ancient times was a sacred precinct that served as the seat of Pythia, the major oracle who was consulted about important decisions throughout the ancient classical world. The oracl ...
, which comprised the
xystus and the
palaestra
A palaestra ( or ;
also (chiefly British) palestra; grc-gre, παλαίστρα) was any site of an ancient Greek wrestling school. Events requiring little space, such as boxing and wrestling, took place there. Palaestrae functioned both indep ...
, along with its auxiliary buildings such as the changing rooms and baths. It was situated between the Sanctuary of Athena Pronaia and the fountain
Castalia
Castalia ( grc, Κασταλία), in Greek mythology, was a naiad-nymph, a daughter of Achelous who inhabited the Castalian spring in Delphi. In older traditions, Castalian spring already existed by the time Apollo came to Delphi searching f ...
. Some remains of archaic buildings, discovered under the
xystus, were possibly related to a sanctuary dedicated to
Demeter
In ancient Greek religion and mythology, Demeter (; Attic: ''Dēmḗtēr'' ; Doric: ''Dāmā́tēr'') is the Olympian goddess of the harvest and agriculture, presiding over crops, grains, food, and the fertility of the earth. Although s ...
and indicate the sanctity of the area from earlier times.
Description
The Gymnasium of Delphi was situated between the
Sanctuary of Athena Pronaia
A sanctuary, in its original meaning, is a sacred place, such as a shrine. By the use of such places as a haven, by extension the term has come to be used for any place of safety. This secondary use can be categorized into human sanctuary, a saf ...
and the fountain Castalia. Until the beginning of the
excavations at Delphi
Archaeological investigation in Delphi started in the second half of the 19th century, but it was not until 1892 when a systematic excavation began under the direction of Théophile Homolle and the French Archaeological School of Athens. The "G ...
, the Gymnasium was covered by the monastery of the Dormition of Mary, known also as "
Panagia
Panagia ( el, Παναγία, fem. of , + , the ''All-Holy'', or the ''Most Holy''; pronounced ) (also transliterated Panaghia or Panajia), in Medieval and Modern Greek, is one of the titles of Mary, mother of Jesus, used especially in Eastern ...
". The wall-paintings of the monastery were detached before its demolition and are nowadays exhibited in the
Byzantine and Christian Museum
The Byzantine and Christian Museum ( el, Βυζαντινό και Χριστιανικό Μουσείο, links=no) is situated at Vassilissis Sofias Avenue in Athens, Greece. It was founded in 1914, and houses more than 25,000 exhibits with rare ...
in Athens. The Gymnasium consisted of two main building complexes arrayed along two terraces. One comprised the
xystus and the "paradromis", i.e. an auxiliary corridor used by the runners, and the other the
palaestra
A palaestra ( or ;
also (chiefly British) palestra; grc-gre, παλαίστρα) was any site of an ancient Greek wrestling school. Events requiring little space, such as boxing and wrestling, took place there. Palaestrae functioned both indep ...
with all its annexes, such as the changing rooms and the baths.
The xystos
The xystos was a covered portico measuring about . It was initially formed by a Doric
colonnade
In classical architecture, a colonnade is a long sequence of columns joined by their entablature, often free-standing, or part of a building. Paired or multiple pairs of columns are normally employed in a colonnade which can be straight or curv ...
made of poros stone, dated to the 4th century and consisting of 83 columns. In the Roman period this colonnade was replaced by an Ionic one made of marble but with the same number of columns. The floor of the xystus was covered with sand for facilitating the athletes.
The palaestra
On the lower terrace was situated the
palaestra
A palaestra ( or ;
also (chiefly British) palestra; grc-gre, παλαίστρα) was any site of an ancient Greek wrestling school. Events requiring little space, such as boxing and wrestling, took place there. Palaestrae functioned both indep ...
, comprising a square central court of the "
impluvium
The ''impluvium'' (pl. ''impluvia'') is a water-catchment pool system meant to capture rain-water flowing from the ''compluvium'', or slanted roof. Often placed "inside", instead of "outside", a building, it is a notable feature in many archite ...
" type, surrounded by porticoes divided in rooms. There were two entrances from the southeast and from the north. The inscriptions inform us on the usage of these rooms as pool room, changing rooms, fighting room and platform. To the west of the palaestra there is still visible today a round pool of a diameter and a depth of . Castalia provided water to this basin which, in its turn, distributed water to ten stone bathing basins. In the Roman period a bath with hot water was built also close to the Gymnasium, thus offering an extra luxury to the athletes.
The Gymnasium was first built at around 330 B.C., whereas additions and restoration works took place in various phases throughout its history. Many of the travelers who visited Delphi throughout the
Ottoman period
The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...
used to stay at the monastery of Panagia and carved their names on some fallen columns of the Gymnasium which lay ''
in situ
''In situ'' (; often not italicized in English) is a Latin phrase that translates literally to "on site" or "in position." It can mean "locally", "on site", "on the premises", or "in place" to describe where an event takes place and is used in ...
''; these signatures and marks, notably the one by
Lord Byron
George Gordon Byron, 6th Baron Byron (22 January 1788 – 19 April 1824), known simply as Lord Byron, was an English romantic poet and Peerage of the United Kingdom, peer. He was one of the leading figures of the Romantic movement, and h ...
, can be seen today on the restored columns.
Bibliography
*Bommelaer, J.-F., Laroche, D., Guide de Delphes. Le site, Sites et Monuments 7, Paris 1991, 73-79. Bourguet, Ε., Les ruines de Delphes, Paris 1914, 294-302
*
Daux, G., «A propos des gymnases de Delphes et de Délos», BCH 104, 1984, 134-146. Delorme, J., «Spairisterion et gymnase à Delphes, Délos et ailleurs», BCH 106, 1982, 53-73.
*Homolle, Th., «Le gymnase de Delphes», BCH 23, 1899, 560-583.
*Jannoray, J., Le « Gymnase du bas » à Delphes, BCH 61, 1937, 53-56.
*Jannoray, J., Le Gymnase, Fouilles de Delphes II.12., Paris 1953
External links
{{commonscat-inline, Gymnasium (Delphi)
Ancient Greek buildings and structures in Delphi
Buildings and structures completed in the 4th century BC
Delphi
Delphi (; ), in legend previously called Pytho (Πυθώ), in ancient times was a sacred precinct that served as the seat of Pythia, the major oracle who was consulted about important decisions throughout the ancient classical world. The oracle ...