Temple of Apollo (Portara)

Naxos Island, Greece

---

The Temple of Apollo, known as the Portara, is a monumental marble gateway on the islet of Palatia at the entrance to the harbor of Naxos Island in Greece.

Construction began around 530 BCE under the tyrant Lygdamis, who aimed to build one of the largest temples in ancient Greece, dedicated to the god Apollo. The temple was designed in the Ionic style and measured about 59 meters long and 28 meters wide, but it was never completed due to Lygdamis's overthrow around 500 BCE.

The Portara itself, a massive doorway made from Naxian marble, is the only part that remains today; it stands approximately six meters tall and three and a half meters wide, with two enormous columns each weighing around 20 tons.

Historically, the temple's foundations and colonnades were partially constructed, but the project halted abruptly, and later periods saw a Christian church built on the site. The Portara is symbolically oriented towards the sacred island of Delos and is a significant landmark of Naxos, offering breathtaking views and connecting modern visitors with the island's ancient past.