Unlike Priene and Miletus, Didyma, in the present day village of Yeniköy, located about 15 km south of Miletus, was a sanctuary. In ancient times, it was connected to its mother city Miletus by a sacred road filled with statues on both sides.
The word Didyma meant 'twins' and was believed to be the meeting place of Zeus and Leto to have their twins Apollo and Artemis. It was famed as a prophecy center dedicated to Apollo which served a similar purpose as the Oracle at Delphi of Anatolia.
The temple of Apollo, constructed in 560 BC, was regarded as one of the largest temples of the Hellenistic world, comparable to the Artemis Temple in Ephesus or the Heraion at Samos.
This Hellenistic temple measured 109.34 by 51.13 meters and had a total of 124 columns. The columns still standing measure 2.4 meters in diameter and 19.7 meters in height.
The double row of columns surrounding the temple was covered over with marble roof as was the temple proper.
Admire the sheer size of the columns.
Hippo is small but it still gives you a perspective of the size of these giant columns (1998)
Griffins (Hippogriffs?)carved in the marble benches in the temple courtyard
