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View of the Temple of Aphaia looking west at the northeast corner of the temple.
Aphaia was a not-to-well-known Mother–Goddess from Crete that was worshiped here. This is the second temple built on this site and dates to the late sixth (or early fifth) century B.C. It was built prior to the more famous Parthenon in Athens.
The entrance to the temple was on the short north side (just to the right of the center of the image). Originally there was a triangular pediment above the entrance. The well–preserved pediments bore scenes of Athena at the center of a fight at Troy. These are among the first temple pediments to have figures carved wholly in the round. They were purchased by King Ludwig I of Bavaria in 1812 and are now housed in the Munich Glyptothek in Germany.
Originally 32 columns surrounded the temple (peristyle). Today 24 of these monoliths are standing.
For a map and a brief description of the island of Aegina Click Here.
