Tholos of Athena Pronaia | Delphi’s mysterious circular monument

History of the Tholos of Athena Pronaia

• c. 380 BC – Construction of the Tholos begins under Theodoros of Phokaia, possibly as a sanctuary or hero shrine.
  
• 4th–2nd century BC – Used as a ceremonial or religious site, possibly linked to female deities or hero cults.
  
• 1st century BC–AD 2nd century – Delphi faces a series of invasions and earthquakes; the Tholos gradually falls into ruin.
  
• AD 394 – Pagan cults are outlawed under Christian rule; the sanctuary is abandoned.
  
• 15th–19th centuries – Remains buried and largely forgotten under rubble and hillside.
  
• 1880s – French archaeologists excavate the site during the Great Excavation of Delphi.
  
• Early 1900s – Three Doric columns re-erected in a partial reconstruction.
  
• 1987 – Delphi, including the Tholos, is designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
  
• Today – The Tholos stands as one of Delphi’s most photographed and iconic ruins.

Architecture of the Tholos of Athena Pronaia

Designed around 380 BC by Theodoros of Phocea who even documented its construction, this place features a circular plan unusual in Greek temple design. Twenty Doric columns stood on a three-stepped podium, supporting a frieze of sculpted triglyphs and metopes. Inside, ten engaged Corinthian columns added interior refinement.

The structure’s multicolored brilliance came from Parian and Pentelic marble, with dark blue Eleusinian limestone for the floor and base. A richly carved coffered ceiling once adorned the interior, and the probable conical roof was decorated with acroteria shaped like dancing women. Though much of its relief decoration was defaced during Christian rule, the monument still reflects the artistic ambition and symbolic depth of ancient Delphi.