Portara Naxos

The Portara of Naxos (or the Great Door) is a massive marble doorway that stands proudly as the jewel of Naxos.
It lies close to the port, on the islet of Palatia.
In ancient times, a strip of land connected the northern side of Naxos port to the islet of Palatia. Today, the strip of land has been replaced by a causeway.
Myth has it that the islet of Palatia was exactly where Ariadne, the Minoan princess, was abandoned by her lover after he killed Minotaur on the island of Crete.

The construction

In the 6th century BC, when Naxos was at its peak of glory, the then-ruler tyrant Lygdamis wanted to build the highest and most magnificent building. He ordered the construction of a massive temple, but when war broke out between Naxos and Samos construction work stopped abruptly.

After that, Lygdamis was overthrown in 506 BC, and the temple, which was supposed to be at least a hundred feet tall, was never completed. The temple’s architectural order would be Ionic. The structure would be 59 meters long and 28 meters wide, with a peristyle of 6×12 columns.

Today all that remains of the temple is the Portara. It is around 6 meters high and 3.5 meters wide and consists of separate monoliths. Each one weighs about 20 tons.

The controversy

Details about the temple’s original purpose remain unknown, and experts seem unable to draw a conclusion.

Some researchers claim that this temple was to be built in honor of Apollo, the Greek god of light who protected music and poetry. Proof of this lies in the fact that the temple faces in the direction of Delos – Apollo’s birthplace, according to mythology.
Others believe it would be dedicated to Dionysus, the god of wine, one of the most important deities for the locals.
A minority believes that the temple could be built to honor Athena, the goddess of wisdom, although no strong connection between her and the island seems to have been established.

The destruction

During the Middle Ages, a Christian church was constructed on top of the temple’s remains. Later, under Venetian rule, it was dismantled so that the marble could be used to build the Kastro fortress and other monuments or buildings.
Thankfully, the Portara was too heavy to be completely dismantled. Nonetheless, only three out of the four columns survive to this day.

Even though climbing the steep hill is not so easy, the experience of viewing the sunset through the photogenic Portara is totally worth it!