The monument that above all strikes the visitor from a distance as he approaches Naxos is the "emblem" of the island, the marble doorway of an archaic temple. It stands on a little island known as "Palati" (palace) just northwest of the harbor and connected with the opposite shore in ancient times by a narrow strip of land, today by a causeway.
The temple, entirely of marble, was started in the third quarter of the 6th century B.C. by Lygdamis. With the downfall of the tyranny, however, building generally came to a halt and the temple was left unfinished. The archaic temple was Ionic. It was 59 m long x 28 m wild and it was designed to have peristyle of 6x12 columns with double porticos at its end.
Nowdays, apart from the thousands of tourists that visit the temple each year, concerts take place on the rock of Palatia during summer season. The theatrical ambience of the area makes it an ideal spot for such social events.
Take a quick tour on Naxos island and discover its most impressive features. You may start with the following:
What's new (or old) on Naxos, from our blog articles.