The Heraion of Samos
Photo: Greece Field Guide
The Verdict
One tall column left standing in a marsh — the remains of the great temple to Hera, and one of the most atmospheric ruins in Greece.
Why go
The Heraion was one of the great sanctuaries of the Greek world, its temple to Hera rebuilt on a colossal scale in the sixth century BC and never finished. What remains is a single column of that later temple standing in flat ground near the coast, with the platforms of two earlier temples and fragments scattered around it and reeds growing through the rest. There are no crowds and almost no interpretation, which makes it feel like an excavation rather than an attraction. Pair it with Pythagoreio, fifteen minutes away.
Understand the place
The sanctuary of Hera near the south coast of Samos, reduced to a single standing column among foundations, reeds and marsh.
Nearby
Related
More ancient sites in Greece
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