After centuries left in ruins, the Temple of Demeter on the popular Greek Island of Naxos has been painstakingly restored over the last decade to breathe life back into its ancient history.
A Mediterranean yacht charter that stops at Naxos Island is the perfect opportunity to enjoy a lesson on the legend and history of ancient Greece. The island is abundant in historical sites that showcase this and the Temple of Demeter is a small but fascinating example.
The temple was built in the 6th century BC as one of the earliest ionic temples to honor Demeter, Goddess of Grains. As such, temples were built in fertile areas and the valley running south from the village of Sangri was home to this one with its remains discovered in 1949.
Naxos Island is the perfect opportunity to enjoy the history and legend of Greek ancient history.
When it was found, the temple was in a state of complete ruin and remained that way until just a decade ago. German archaeologists decided to restore it after discovering that most of the original temple was still on the site, either buried or integrated into the chapel.
After a long and painstaking process, the form of the temple has now been brought back to life. As one of the few known temples with a square floor plan, its features are unusual and have caused much conversation amongst historians about its purpose.
The Temple of Demeter is well worth a visit if you’re exploring Naxos while on a luxury yacht charter, and the surrounding landscape can be breathtaking if visited in spring and early summer. While an island treasure, not many tourists visit this attraction, so you may have the entire place to yourself for an afternoon of exploration and memory-making.
If you would like to incorporate a visit to the Temple of Demeter into your charter itinerary, please speak with your preferred yacht charter broker.
Alternatively, you can view and compare the entire fleet of superyachts available for Greece yacht charters.
