Sounion is a rocky headland at the southernmost point of Attica, where the shoreline is rocky and abrupt. The coastal road between Athens and Sounion is magical and is known as the Attican (or Athenian) Riviera, while the broader region of Sounion, due to its environmental value, has been officially designated to be a protected national park. Sounion, with its panoramic views, is also famous for its sunsets.
Sounion is well-known both because of its geographic location and also because of the ancient ruins of the temple of Poseidon, god of the sea overseen by the temple. The marble temple of Poseidon stands upright against the sea and looks out over the Aegean. Today’s ruins date back to 444 BCE. The temple was subsequently fortified in order to protect the transit of cargoes of grain. Its fortifications, in fact, are considered to be the strongest in Attica. Its wall, sections of which are still in place, have a thickness of 3.5 meters and are 500 meters long, while the wall was punctuated by watchtowers every 20 meters.
Photo: Kostas Sarris
