Bicycle Tour of Peloponnese, Greece,
From Korinth to Olympia
September/October, 2018
Day 2
Brief Bicycle Preparation
Hiking Tour of Ancient Corinth and of Acrocorinth (Meaning 'Above Corinth')
Above: The Bee (foreground) is ready for action. Creg and Linda (left) are finalizing their bike's readiness and Terry (right) is resetting something. The hotel owner's boat is in the background.
Hiking Tour of Ancient Corinth
Above Left: Ancient, Acro, and Modern Corinth Greece Locations.
Above Right: Greek and Roman (later) Layout of Ancient Corinth.
Above Left: Ancient Corinth.
Above Right: Ancient Corinth Grounds Layout Photo (similar to up-one photo).
Above: Temple of Apollo.
Ancient Corinth Museum Area
Above: It is not difficult to imagine Ancient Corinth as a thriving city.
Above: At first looking like an Olive Tree, but closer it looks like it may be a member of the Cockspur variety.
Left: Leaf of Nut Tree.
Center: Trunk/Bark of Nut Tree.
Right: Fruit of Nut Tree, it is common to Greece and the name of the tree/nut was never learned. I found a ripe nut on the ground that had cracked open when it fell. I worked the nut out and it was quite tasty, similar to an Chestnut or Walnut in taste.
Hiking Tour of Acrocorinth (Acrokorinth/Akrokorinthos)
Acropolis (Citadel) of Corinth, 1883'/574m, Walls 1.85mi/3km Long,
Temple to Apollo (later Aphrodite), Apostle Paul's (St Paul) Church,
Fortress Wall, Roman, Frank, Venetian, and Ottoman Occupation Remains,
Overlooking the Gulf of Corinth (Ionian Sea), Isthmus, and Saronic Gulf (Aegean Sea)
Acrocorinth (Source Wikipedia - Greek: Ακροκόρινθος), "Upper Corinth", the acropolis of ancient Corinth, is a monolithic rock overseeing the ancient city of Corinth, Greece. "It is the most impressive of the acropoleis of mainland Greece," in the estimation of George Forrest. Acrocorinth was continuously occupied from archaic times to the early 19th century. Along with Demetrias and Chalcis, the Acrocorinth during the Hellenistic period formed one of the so-called "Fetters of Greece" - three fortresses garrisoned by the Macedonians to secure their control of the Greek city-states. The city's archaic acropolis, already an easily defensible position due to its geomorphology, was further heavily fortified during the Byzantine Empire as it became the seat of the strategos of thema of Hellas and later of the Peloponnese. It was defended against the Crusaders for three years by Leo Sgouros.
Afterwards it became a fortress of the Frankish Principality of Achaea, the Venetians and the Ottoman Turks. With its secure water supply, Acrocorinth's fortress was used as the last line of defense in southern Greece because it commanded the Isthmus of Corinth, repelling foes from entry into the Peloponnese peninsula. Three circuit walls formed the man-made defense of the hill. The highest peak on the site was home to a temple to Aphrodite which was converted to a church, and then became a mosque. The American School's Corinth Excavations began excavations on it in 1929. Currently, Acrocorinth is one of the most important medieval castle sites of Greece.
Above: Composite Photo of Acrocorinth, looking up from the west at Gate #1, the West Entrance - The area is huge.
Above: Entry sign and flag of nation.
Above: The rocks were well worn and very slick, we had to pick our path carefully. This climb would have been hazardous in rain (A on the Map, #1 Gate).
Above Left: The letters, EA or ΣA, can't quite tell for sure.
Above Right: #2 Gate, B on the Map).
Above: Weapon Ports and a view NW of the Gulf of Corinth.
Above Left: Gate #3 (C on the Map) - In Fortress design strategy, this area before the gate is known as a Kill Box.
Above Right: Looking northwest at ancient lands with olive groves that existed before the Roman Empire.
Above: Natural and Man-Made Fortifications of mixed eras.
Above Left: The rock surface is extremely slick, even to hiking boots.
Above Right: Another Gate.
Above Left: Structure Foundation.
Above Right: Another Gate and super slick cobbles.
Above Left: Another Gate.
Above Right: Rock lined road and a Dwelling.
Above Left: Bombardment Shelter (used to have a wood portico or walkway).
Above Right: Probably a tower.
Above Left: Many old structures and old fortifications from many centuries.
Above Right: This was an old spring.
Apostle Paul's Church
Above: The Apostle Paul's Church [one of] Simple but effective. Paul spent a lot of his time in Jail, some of jail time was in Corinth (in what is now known as Ancient Corinth, i.e. Romans1 & 2 and Corinthians).
Above Left: Acrocorinth's view to the south.
Above Right: Ancient Fortifications/Walls and a Citadel (Frankish Tower, Map F) inside the enclosure of Acrocorinth.
Above Left: At one time a Church, then a Mosque (Map J, converted during Ottoman times, see the added Mecca facing marker).
Above Right: Mecca marker (notice the arch nadirs).
Above Left: Entering the old religious structure, there is some re-construction and reinforcement.
Above Right: The dome is slowly caving.
Above Left: The bike tour gang standing on an Acrocorinth Fortress Wall looking at the Gulf of Corinth (photo below), with Sarah Hart to the far left and Benton Hart to the far right (Owners of Classic Adventures).
Above Right: Looking NE toward the Gulf of Corinth.
Above: Gulf of Corinth composite photo.
Above Left: The ruins of Ancient Corinth (dead center) as viewed from Acrocorinth.
Above Right: Looking down from the same photo position, centuries of fortifications (Ancient Corinth in the upper right corner + Dennis' shadow selfie).
Above Left: Westward view.
Above Right: Eastward view, Aegean Sea too.
Above Left: An archaeologist was checking this well.
Above Right: Another well.
Above Left: Obviously this step leads to something that is currently under the dirt. The country of Greece (like Italy) has many buried ruins and treasures (not talking about gold), there just is not enough manpower or money to look at every known finding.
Above Right: I've learned (from being at many sites) that depressions like these usually indicate a structure underneath (human or animal housing would be my guess).
Above Left: Frank Tower and Fort.
Above Right: Structures.
Above Left: Another well.
Above Right: Another wall.
Above Left: South Fortress Wall, looking west (Aegean Sea too).
Above Right: South Fortress Wall, looking east (L on the Map).
Above Left: About the Cistern.
Above Right: Above the Cistern.
Above Left: Cistern Entrance (I on the Map).
Above Right: Cistern Water (our guide mentioned that this access had been blocked for many years and is only now open to the public).
Above Left: Looking eastward on the uppermost south fortification wall.
Above Left: Empty seed pods.
Above Right: Apple Tree.
Above Left: Another well.
Above Right: Crocus.
Above Left: The view east, Gulf of Corinth to the north and the Saronic Gulf to the south from the ruins of the Temple to Aphrodite (Goddess of Love).
Above Right: The highest point on Acrocorinth was for the Temple to Aphrodite (G on the Map).
Above: Dennis and Terry Struck standing at the Temple to Aphrodite in Acrocorinth (aka Akrokorinth), Greece.
Above Left: Our pathway down leads us abeam the Frank Tower (F on the Map).
Above Right: An image that reveals how polished and slick these old rocks in the pathway.
Pre-Dinner Refreshment
Above Left: A well earned Greek Beer.
Above Right: Some of the Gang sharing stories.
Summary
On this day we got to see and touch the things that we had read about in grade school,
middle school, high school, Sunday school, libraries, museums, books, and movies.
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