Bassai

The temple for Apollo Epikourios in Bassai fell under the control of Phigaleia in ancient times. In ancient times the temple was considered the second most impressive temple of the Peloponnese, and was built by the architect of the Parthenon, Iktinos. The temple had been well preserved for a long time because of its very isolated location, but it was finally damaged by the English excavators, who had the complete inner frieze removed and transferred to the British Museum, and then by the air pollution that made it necessary for the entire temple was packed in a huge tent. Especially because of this the temple has lost much of its expressiveness. . Depicted among others were a Kentauromachie and an Amazonomachie, both representations of the Greeks’ struggle against the “barbarian” Persian kings, who between 490 and 480 BC. tried to conquer Greece.

Particular in the floor plan of the temple are the ionic half-columns in the cella, but also the first copy of a Corinthian capital. The cella was entered through a side door, and opposite was the cult statue, which had already been moved to Megalopolis in the time of Pausanias. On the outside, the temple in Bassai was of the Doric order. The map and reconstruction are from Papachatzis

Een video-bewerking van het complete Bassai fries wordt hieronder weergegeven.