Temple of Apollo Interior 2

View looking northeast at the steps that lead down into the central portion of the temple (the cella).

The priests would have received the requests of the worshipers at the top of the stairs and would have descended these stairs to the courtyard (lower portion of the image) and would have proceeded to the actual Temple of Apollo which was situated in this courtyard.

Note, on both the right and left sides of the image — just below the middle portion of the photo — two doorways. These are two underground passageways, which descend into the courtyard. The area at the top of the steps is called the chresmographeion, which is the place where the priest met with the person who was requesting and oracle.  This area was probably also the place where a records of the interpretations given were kept.

For a map and descriptive comments about Didyma Click Here.