The sanctuary of Apollo Hylates
20 Mar 2018
The sanctuary of Apollo Hylates dedicated to the God of Woodland
The Sanctuary of Apollo Hylates is an ancient monument dedicated to the God of Woodland who was thought to be the protector of Kourion. The sanctuary is located about 2.5 kilometres west of the ancient rural city of Kourion, at Episkopi, in Limassol. Apollo Hylates Apollo Hylates. During the Ancient times, the Sanctuary was one of the most important religious centres in Cyprus and it underwent many extensions and alterations in different periods and the majority of the current monuments at the site belong to the 1st century A.D. restorations.
The partly restored temple which is located in the area was built in two construction phases: during the Classic period or the Prime Hellenistic period and during the Roman period. Apollo HylatesArchaeological investigation on the site suggests that the earlier evidence of the worship of Apollo dates back to the 8th century B.C. and continued until the late Antiquity, in the 4th century A. D. Apollo Hylates Apollo HylatesThe site was extended by building the South and North buildings which as it has been argued, used for the display of votives or the accommodation of visitors.
The new complex of the sanctuary included also a palaestra, a stoa, the treasury, the baths, the archaic temenos, the circular monument, the central courtyard and the temple of Apollo. The Sanctuary was constructed on a higher level and had a podium, a characteristic of the roman architecture. Unfortunately, the temple was destroyed by the severe earthquake of 364-5 A.D.
