What to See at the Temple of Apollo Epicurius
The Doric colonnade, the inventive interior, the earliest Corinthian capital, the unusual orientation and the mountain setting — a concierge guide to Bassae.
The Temple of Apollo Epicurius is a focused visit to a single, superbly preserved classical building, so knowing what to look for makes all the difference. The highlights are the surviving Doric colonnade that frames the temple, the inventive interior that once combined Ionic columns and the earliest known Corinthian capital, the unusual north–south orientation with its side door, and the sheer drama of the mountain setting, all seen within the temple's protective shelter. There is no museum on site, and the sculpted frieze is in the British Museum in London. This guide walks you through the exterior, the interior, the architectural firsts, the setting, and how to make the most of a short but remarkable visit.
What are the highlights of the temple?
The great highlight of the Temple of Apollo Epicurius is simply the building itself, remarkably complete for a temple of the 5th century BC. Much of the outer Doric colonnade still stands, its sturdy columns and entablature giving the temple its clear, recognisable form, and because you visit within the protective shelter you can walk close to the stonework and around the structure in a way that busier, more exposed sites rarely allow. The pale local limestone, the diffused light within the tent and the near silence combine to make standing among these columns a quietly powerful experience. This is the essential thing to see at Bassae: one of the best-preserved classical temples in Greece, encountered up close and almost alone.
Beyond the overall structure, look for the features that make the temple famous. Trace the plan of the inner chamber, the cella, where an inventive interior once rose; picture the unusual north–south orientation and the side door in the east wall; and consider the architectural firsts the building represents. The audio history we send explains each of these as you go, turning a walk around the columns into a reading of one of the most important temples in the history of architecture. Because the visit is compact — around 45 minutes to an hour — you can give real attention to these details rather than rushing. Our concierge recommendation is to slow down, circle the temple within its shelter, and let the audio guide reveal the sophistication behind the sober exterior.
What is special about the architecture?
The architecture of the Temple of Apollo Epicurius is what earns it a place in every history of ancient building. It is celebrated above all for combining all three of the classical Greek orders in a single temple: the Doric order on the exterior colonnade you see standing today; the Ionic order lining the interior, where engaged columns rose from projecting spur walls to create a rhythm of niches within the chamber; and, at the inner end, a single column crowned by what is generally regarded as the earliest known Corinthian capital in the ancient world. To find all three orders brought together like this, in one remote mountain temple, is extraordinary, and it marks a pivotal moment in the evolution of Greek architecture.
The temple is attributed to Iktinos, one of the architects of the Parthenon, and the sophistication of its design reflects that pedigree. Its unusual north–south orientation sets it apart from the usual east–west alignment of Greek temples, and a doorway in the east side of the inner chamber may have been designed to admit the rising sun onto the cult statue of Apollo. The interior once carried the great sculpted frieze now in the British Museum, and the pioneering Corinthian capital, though lost, is known from careful drawings made in the 19th century. Our concierge recommendation is to approach the temple with these features in mind: knowing that you are looking at the building where the Corinthian order makes its first known appearance, and where three architectural traditions meet, transforms the visit from sightseeing into witnessing a landmark of design.
Is there a museum or sculpture on site?
It is important to know before you travel that Bassae has no museum on site and that the temple's sculptural decoration is not here. This is an isolated mountain temple with minimal facilities: the building within its shelter, a small car park and little else. The famous carved frieze that once ran around the inner chamber — depicting Greeks fighting Amazons and Lapiths fighting centaurs — was removed in the early 19th century and has been in the British Museum in London since 1815, and the original Corinthian capital does not survive. So the visit is about architecture and setting rather than about seeing sculpture in place, and setting expectations accordingly makes for a far more rewarding trip.
Rather than a drawback, this focus is part of what makes Bassae distinctive. Freed of galleries and crowds, the visit becomes a direct encounter with a great building in its landscape, aided by preparation. The audio history we send describes what the frieze showed and where it ran, and explains the architectural features, so that knowledge fills the space the sculpture has left. Those keen to see the carvings can seek out the frieze in the British Museum to complete the picture, before or after their trip. Our concierge recommendation is to come to Bassae for the temple and its mountains, use the audio guide to reconstruct the lost decoration in your imagination, and treat the sculpture in London as a companion to, not a substitute for, the building on its Arcadian height.
What about the setting and the views?
The setting is one of the great things to see at Bassae, and it is inseparable from the temple. Perched at about 1,130 metres in the mountains of Arcadia, the temple commands wide views over the surrounding peaks and glens, a landscape of rugged, sparsely populated uplands that has changed little since antiquity. The ancient builders chose this remote height deliberately, and arriving at it — after the long climb from Andritsaina — you feel the sense of a sacred place set apart from the everyday world. On a clear day the panorama of the Arcadian mountains around the temple is as memorable as the building itself, and part of why so many visitors find the effort of reaching Bassae so richly repaid.
The wider setting rewards a little exploration too. Below the temple, in the gorge country to the south, lie the scattered ruins of ancient Phigaleia, the city-state that built and dedicated the temple, with stretches of its ancient walls still traceable among the hills. The nearby mountain village of Andritsaina, with its old stone houses and historic library, gives a sense of the living communities of these uplands and makes a natural stop on the journey. Our concierge recommendation is to allow time to take in the views around the temple, to look out toward the country of ancient Phigaleia, and, if you can, to pause in Andritsaina, so that the visit becomes an encounter with a whole mountain landscape and its history, not just a single monument.
How do I make the most of a short visit?
Because the temple itself takes only about 45 minutes to an hour to see, the way to make the most of Bassae is to come prepared and unhurried rather than to try to fill time. Listen to the audio history on the drive up so that, by the time you arrive, you already understand the three orders, the north–south orientation, the story of the frieze and the reason the temple was built. Then, within your booked hourly slot, take your time circling the temple inside its shelter, reading the architecture, appreciating the survival of the Doric colonnade, and looking out to the mountains beyond. A slow, informed visit to this single building is far more rewarding than a quick look, and the peace of the site invites it.
Frame the day around the journey, since that is where most of the time goes. Combine the temple with Ancient Olympia, about an hour and a half away, and perhaps a stop in Andritsaina for lunch and its library, or a look toward ancient Phigaleia below, so the long mountain drive delivers more than a single stop. Dress for the altitude with warm layers and sturdy shoes, carry water, and plan to drive the mountain roads in daylight. Our concierge recommendation is to secure your timed slot in advance, prepare with the audio history, and treat Bassae as the centrepiece of a mountain day — a short, concentrated visit to a remarkable temple, set within a longer journey through some of the finest scenery in Greece.
Frequently asked
What are the highlights of the Temple of Apollo Epicurius?
The building itself — one of the best-preserved classical temples in Greece — with much of its Doric colonnade still standing, its inventive interior plan, its unusual north–south orientation, and the site of the earliest known Corinthian capital, all seen up close within a protective shelter in a magnificent mountain setting.
What is special about the temple's architecture?
It combines all three classical orders in one building: a Doric exterior, an Ionic interior and the earliest known Corinthian capital. Attributed to Iktinos, architect of the Parthenon, it also has an unusual north–south orientation and a side door that may have lit the cult statue.
Is there a museum at Bassae?
No. It is an isolated mountain temple with no museum on site. The famous sculpted frieze was removed in the early 19th century and is in the British Museum in London. The visit is about the temple's architecture and setting.
Can I see the temple's sculpture on site?
No. The carved frieze and other sculpture were removed long ago, and the frieze has been in the British Museum since 1815. The audio history we send explains what stood where, so you can picture the decoration as you stand in the chamber.
What is the setting like?
Spectacular and remote. The temple sits at about 1,130 m in the mountains of Arcadia, with wide views over the peaks. Below lie the ruins of ancient Phigaleia, the city that built it, and nearby is the traditional village of Andritsaina.
How long do I need at the temple?
About 45 minutes to an hour at the temple itself, as it is a single building with no museum. The main time cost is the long mountain journey, so most visitors plan a half or full day around the drive, often with Ancient Olympia.