Cyrene — Sanctuary of Apollo and Fountain of Apollo Terrace
Greek (630 BCE Cyrene Battus I → Apollo Temple 550 BCE; fountain Hellenistic 300 BCE)·Greek Cyrene (Theraean Greek colony 630 BCE Battus I oracle)·🇱🇾 Cyrenaica, Cyrene plateau Shahhat, 600 m asl, Apollo 600 m Apollonia road 13 km port to 600 m climb, Libya
About
About Cyrene — Sanctuary of Apollo and Fountain of Apollo Terrace
Cyrene sanctuary Smith & Goodchild, 630 Theran Battus delphi oracle. Recorded context — Period: Greek (630 BCE Cyrene Battus I → Apollo Temple 550 BCE; fountain Hellenistic 300 BCE); Culture: Greek Cyrene (Theraean Greek colony 630 BCE Battus I oracle); Field status: excavated; Materials: limestone, marble temple, Kyrene spring; Condition: preserved — UNESCO 1982 Cyrene excavated Italian.
Why it mattersKey Greek Cyrene (Theraean Greek colony 630 BCE Battus I oracle) temple-complex with stratified sequence and regional typology.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Collapse cause
- 02Trade network extent
Theories
- 01Elite residence
- 02Seasonal gathering
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- 630 BCE sanctuary; Apollo Temple 550 BCE hexastyle; fountain 300 BCE
- Period
- Greek (630 BCE Cyrene Battus I → Apollo Temple 550 BCE; fountain Hellenistic 300 BCE)
- Culture
- Greek Cyrene (Theraean Greek colony 630 BCE Battus I oracle)
- Purpose
- Great Greek sanctuary plateau (Apollo temple 31 m × 45 m hexastyle peripteros 6 × 11 columns 10 m, fountain temple of Apollo with spring of Cyre) 600 m plateau sacred spring of the Myrtle Swish
- Rediscovered
- Modern excavation 1954
- Excavation
- Excavated
1890 excavation
Modern rediscovery and scientific excavation of Cyrene — Sanctuary of Apollo and Fountain of Apollo Terrace
c. 1200 CE major extension
Major expansion / refurbishment at Cyrene — Sanctuary of Apollo and Fountain of Apollo Terrace
On the ground
Structures & features
32.8240° N · 21.8610° E · 610 m · 4 mapped features
- Cyrene — Sanctuary of Apollo and Fountain of Apollo Terrace — Principal Templetempletemple at Cyrene — Sanctuary of Apollo and Fountain of Apollo Terrace — primary structure32.8221° N · 21.8597° E
- Cyrene — Sanctuary of Apollo and Fountain of Apollo Terrace — Northern Altaraltaraltar at Cyrene — Sanctuary of Apollo and Fountain of Apollo Terrace — hydraulic feature32.8225° N · 21.8625° E
- Cyrene — Sanctuary of Apollo and Fountain of Apollo Terrace — Southern Shrineshrineshrine at Cyrene — Sanctuary of Apollo and Fountain of Apollo Terrace — outlier feature32.8234° N · 21.8606° E
- Cyrene — Sanctuary of Apollo and Fountain of Apollo Terrace — Eastern Templetempletemple at Cyrene — Sanctuary of Apollo and Fountain of Apollo Terrace — primary structure32.8225° N · 21.8626° E
Gallery