Photos of the Ancient Greek Cape Sounion Poseidon Temple

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Photos of the spectacular Ancient Greek Cape Sounion Poseidon Temple, Greece. Situated on peninsular surrounded by sea at sunset. Photos by Photographer Paul E Williams. (TIP – use the icons below the slideshow for thumbnail photos and info)

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Photos of the spectacular Ancient Greek Cape Sounion Poseidon Temple

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Photos of the ancient Greek Doric Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion, Greece.

The picturesque Temple of Cape Sounion

The ruins of the Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion are both enigmatic and wonderfully picturesque, especially at sunset. Built on a high peninsular which juts out into the sea, the views from the temple ruins are spectacular.

The temple ruins are a landmark easily visible to the ferries leaving Piraeus on their way to the Greek Islands.

Construction of the Temple

The temple of Poseidon at Sounion was constructed around 444–440 BC during the era of the Athenian statesman Pericles, who also rebuilt the Parthenon in Athens.

In ancient times the temple complex and its impressive temple would have demonstrated Athens wealth and importance to all visitors arriving by sea.

Doric Temple Design

The temple had a front portico with six Doric columns and 16 out of the 38 side columns are standing today. In Design the Sounion temple closely resembles the contemporary and well-preserved Temple of Hephaestus beneath the Acropolis in Athens. It is speculated by scholars that both were designed by the same Ancient Greek architect.

The of the Poseidon Temple at Sounion columns are of the Doric Order. They are made of white marble quarried locally at Laureotic Olympus. The columns were 6.10 m (20 ft) tall, with a diameter of 1m (3.1ft) at the base and 79 cm (31inches) at the top.

At the centre of the temple was an enclosed hall (the naps) with a door at one end which housed a colossal, ceiling-height bronze statue of Poseidon,6 metres high (20 ft).

Temple Restoration

Efforts at restoring and preserving the remains of the Poseidon temple began in 1875. The monument’s present state is due to the work performed in the 1950s by the Greek Archaeological Service.