Temple of Aphaia: An extraordinary geographical symmetry

Both Aristotle and Strabo acknowledged that the establishment of sanctuaries was not accidental, but followed an internal rule that remains a mystery to us. However, it cannot but affect the special energy one senses upon reaching the top of the pine-clad hill, where local limestone reflects the sunlight with unexpected splendour, making this incredibly well-preserved monument look like a miniature of the Acropolis.

It is said that Ictinus and Callicrates drew on this architectural model in order to design the Parthenon – and a visit to Aegina will convince you. Built around 500-490 BC, the Aphaia temple is Doric with a peristyle, with 24 of its 32 columns still standing today.

In antiquity, it was particularly known for its pediments, featuring colourful sculptures, which topped the temple’s narrow sides. In 1811, however, the English architect Charles Cockerell and his friend, Baron von Hallerstein, carried them to Italy, where they passed to the hands of Ludwig I of Bavaria, and have been on display in the Munich Glyptothek ever since.

But what no one can take away from the Aphaia temple is its idyllic location on a green hill, where the visitor can rest and contemplate the odds of a 5th century BC architectural monument standing, almost untouched, before their very eyes.