Ancient Greek
Ἄκρον Σούνιον
Cape Sounion
“At the edge where the land meets the sea, a prayer offered to the god of the sea”
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Photo: Nikthestoned · CC BY-SA 3.0
Scenes
Meaning
At the tip of the cape, white marble columns bear the blue sky, and the Aegean opens on three sides with the wind.
Tradition holds this temple, on the cliffs at the southern tip of Attica, to have been dedicated to Poseidon, god of the sea. Sailors sailing in and out of Athens are said to have prayed here to set out and return safely, and one column is known to bear a name said to have been carved by the poet Byron.
Field notes
- Location
- Attica · 에게해 곶 · N37.7° · E24.0°
- Best time
- At dusk, when the marble and the sea redden together
- Getting there
- About a 1.5-hour drive along the coast road from Athens to the site on the cape.
- Etiquette
- Keep to the marked paths to protect the ruins.
Sources
- · Encyclopaedia Britannica
- · Greek Ministry of Culture
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