The famous Portara is the symbol of Naxos, you will find it on every catalog and on every website dedicated to this splendid Cycladic island. It is located on a peninsula facing the city of Naxos, which offers a breathtaking panoramic view.
It is an imposing marble door almost 6 meters high and 3.65 meters wide, the only remaining part of the large temple wanted by the ambitious tyrant Lygdamis, which however was never finished after his defeat against Sparta.The door is composed of two jambs and a marble architrave. Each of the two jambs weighs over 20 tons .. Just to give you an idea of the grandeur of this ancient work .. All this marble was transported from the quarries of Flerio, which are about ten kilometers from the site.
Designed in the 6th century BC, the temple was supposed to be the largest in Greece and measured approximately 55 x 25 meters. It is not known exactly to which divinity the temple was dedicated and there are conflicting opinions on this. Some historians argue that the temple was dedicated to Dionysus, the god of wine born right on the island of Naxos. Others argue that Apollo was the chosen god, since Portara is facing the island of Delos, which gave birth to the god Apollo. On one fact, however, they all agree, or that the temple was never completed.From the 5th to the 6th century AD the unfinished temple became a Christian basilica and was later used as a quarry for the construction of other buildings. Only the door was not reused over the centuries, probably due to the high weight. In the Flerio quarry, an architrave 7.5 meters long and weighing 25 tons was found, which had been prepared for the door, whose size was initially expected to be much wider.
La Portara can be reached on foot from the Naxos promenade through a causeway, with a pleasant walk. It is not possible to be wrong, since the Palatia peninsula is very visible from the beach, from which a single access road starts.
In the past, the Palatia peninsula was an islet very well known to fans of Greek mythology, from which the famous expression derives: planting as an ace. According to historians, it is an alteration of: planting in Naxos. In fact, according to the mythology Theseus was helped by the famous Ariadne's thread to get out of the labyrinth of the Minotaur. The two left Crete for Athens and stayed in Naxos for one night. Upon his awakening Ariadne no longer found her beloved Theseus, who had fled to escape marriage. From this story comes the expression planting ace!Do not miss this mysterious place, which at sunset takes on a unique charm .. If you are on vacation on the island of Naxos a photo of Portara is mandatory.
I have read and signed the site's privacy policy before registering