Ancient Delphi: The Center of the Universe Explained

Explore with me the architectural marvels and Greek urban planning of the Sanctuary of Apollo at Delphi, delving into its rich history, intricate design, and brilliant landscape, as well as the secrets behind the great Oracle.
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The Oracle of Delphi: 00:00
The site in Greek architecture: 1:27
Treasuries: 2:52
Theater: 4:11
Greek space: 4:40
Athena Pronaia complex: 5:16
Gymnasium & Stadium: 6:16
Temenos: 7:15
Delphic Maxims: 8:46
Temple of Apollo: 9:20
Decline of Delphi: 10:58

[@ManuelBravo]

What is your favorite ancient site?

[@DavidS5118]

I loved visiting Delphi but also Olympia and the antiquities of Athens but my two most favorite.... the mosaics found up near Thessaloniki and while not ancient but still old I love Meteora.

[@JamesBond-qm1iy]

The ancient temples of Baalbek

[@roberta3530]

Delfi

[@whatwewantAItodo]

The Ishtar Gate is the most impressive ancient thing I have seen in the flesh, even though it is now in Germany.

[@jurgenkaja8824]

The British museum...

[@JiveTrkey]

I visited Delphi a couple years ago and was absolutely blown away. The Acropolis is obviously gorgeous, but there's something about an ancient site in the middle of the pristine mountains that just can't be beat. To know historical figures like Alexander the Great looked upon the exact same view when they visited all those millennia ago is a special feeling. And we virtually had the place to ourselves. It's something I'll never forget

[@raymondpronovost5491]

I'm curious - what time of year did you visit? I'm sure that Delphi is as magnificent as you say - and Manuel Bravo has done an excellent feature of it here. To visit Delphi without the usual gaggle of tourists must be wonderful.

[@JiveTrkey]

@@raymondpronovost5491 We were there in July of 2022. In the entire site, there were maybe 25 other people walking about. I assumed it was because the site is so far from Athens that most tourists don't make the trek. But it's the only time I've visited, so I'm not sure if this is usual or if we just got lucky. Either way, I'm certain it would never get Acropolis-mid-day levels of busy. If you ever get the chance, it's a really incredible place. Perhaps the only historical ruin I've visit where I feel like I'm truly in an ancient site as opposed to a tourist destination.

[@athanasiosbairlis5563]

@@raymondpronovost5491 Sir, I suggest you to visit Delphi at spring time (or late September) to avoid also the summer heat. I have guided travellers there more than hundred times. look at tourtripgreece gr Thanos

[@branni6538]

I was there in 2000's. I forget the year. It's a beautiful place! Stunning!

[@sebasstianninop]

You’d like hierapolis in turkey then. The mounatains there are amazing

[@hape3862]

When you visit Delphi, don't forget to drink from the Castilian spring, because anyone who does so can never be completely unhappy again, according to the ancient Greeks.

[@phacimo2781]

One of the things that impressed me the most at Delphi was the huge polygonal retaining wall supporting the base of the temple of Apollo. The masonry consists of perfectly cut and assembled random polygonal stones and the whole face of the wall is covered in thousands of inscriptions from manumitted slaves, it was fascinating to see

[@Qigate]

I love how you bring architecture to life not only through its purpose but also its beauty.

[@davidkuder4356]

Amazing how the Greeks got their spiritual, architectural and geophysical sensibilities into alignment here, in this space, and in others yet to be explicated. A whole new take on "Man vs. Environment... " Let's dig deeper and discover other sites.

[@lukacs37]

Every time I watch a video of your channel, I realise how much there is to know of our ancestors. Thank you! You did it again! You are a master!

[@baconisshakespeare5680]

Well done! Giving this ancient site an appropriate level of respect and excitement.

[@kidmohair8151]

one of the most magically invested human places on this planet. thank you for taking me on a tour of a place I shall probably never see for myself.

[@panakoz13]

Thank you for the video. I urge everyone who visits Greece to visit delphi. The view cannot be comprehended from the video. Its breath-taking. Also after your visit you can go to near by ARACHOVA to eat wild boar stew and other local delicacies.

[@jktekkerz8735]

Great video! I visited in March 2016. There was hardly anyone around. Delphi is special! There are places that you can visit around the world that have an ‘aura’. Delphi has a ‘presence’. Whatever drew the ancients to build here is still present. When you spend a little time here, for anyone who is at the right ‘place’ within themselves, if you listen carefully, Delphi starts to ‘whisper’ its secrets. But only to those who can keep a secret! Know Thyself! Nothing in Excess!

[@francesco3089]

Yes, I felt that too. So surreal, I feel drawn to that place and I can't wait to go back. Those who get it, get it, I encourage anyone to visit

[@alexius23]

I have visited Delphi. It was an epic experience!

[@heraldocosta1469]

I was in Delphi several years ago. The location its breath taken. The view of the surround mountain making the place amazing. If you end up to be there don't miss Meteora isn't the far from there. A must to see place in Greece. Tks for the video well done

[@DavidS5118]

Delphi was one of the best places I have visited. Manuel, thanks for all the great content on this incredible site.

[@andyroo9381]

Even in ruins, this place is beautiful.

[@chiptenor]

Wonderful documentary! Very informative. Perhaps the ancient Greek civilization is best and over all defined in this great temple district of Delphi. Thank you.

[@malcolmcurran6248]

Thanks for the very informative nicely done video especially explaining the sacred way and its intentional viewpoints and architectural perspectives. I went to Delphi several times as a boy more than 60 years ago and the quiet enchantment and impression it left especially of the views of the mountains beyond and endless olive groves that fill the valley has never diminished. And there was practically nobody and there were only two small hotels for perhaps 50 guests.When two french Chat tour buses arrived one midmorning it seemed like an invasion but I must say they were wonderful good company. Many were teachers and my late brother and I got to practice our very basic French with them as we shared our oranges and chocolate together by the Tholos.

[@malcolmcurran6248]

Thanks. Great video. Delphi definitely has something inexplicable, remote and deep about it everybody picks up on.

[@msrjorge1805]

👏 bravo Manuel! Excellent video. Delphi is absolutely a stunning place the view around is magnificent, it really feel like a magic place.

[@guepardo-kg2wr]

I've recently been in Delphi and I can see how good this video is. Very well recorded and edited. The 3D integrations and visuals are included with proper meaning. I'd would like to had it watched before my visit. Congrats!

[@jimgray1094]

We're visiting Delphi in June. Your video was great and very informative. Thanks!

[@cynthiam6487]

Another great video! Thanks for sharing your knowledge!

[@KNIGHTTEMPLAR555]

As a Greek,living in Athens,I’ve been only once in Parthenon/Acroplolis, but seven times in Delphi.When I’m there,I feel that I ‘m passing to another not earthly dimension.I can’t explain it better.Magical.

[@Nikosk00]

castalia fountain still exists, its just outside of the temple and the are bars preventing entrace (when i was there at least). we jumped in and drunk from the water nonethe less and walked all the way to its origins were some (propably ancient) and very slippery steps are. the stadium also has some clay pipes underneath it, maybe to remove water from it. its truly spectacular. i m greek, been in a lot of sites as a kid and now as a grown up i am visiting them again. some more than once

[@yannistsili6585]

I have heard about the energy of Delphi and didn't believe it. After being there twice, I have to admit that both times I felt something very strong and unique that I cannot explain

[@frankdunbar4140]

Thanks for another great video. Your narration and photography are outstanding. I'm looking forward to your next video.

[@AdCreative-ik7dg]

Delphi is amazing 🤩 Thanks for sharing 👏

[@vonchaled]

The absence of a vedio about Palmyra is the only thing standing in the way of your channel's perfection.

[@lilypondlane]

It must have been difficult to get building materials to the site. Breathtaking view and structures.

[@melere777]

Very much so I'm sure! I did a unit on Delphi in uni a couple of months ago and the different city-states would use stone (usually marble) from their region, even if it was TERRIBLE to work with, to both show their nationality/wealth but also so offerings "never left home" so to speak because they were still "on home land" in a treasury made from their stone. It was an essential expense for them since city-states were often at war with each other and Delphi served as a space where all the city-states were one-upping each other.

[@grahamthompson2594]

Walking back down from the sports stadium I stopped and sat on a wall to admire the view. I closed my eyes to do some quick meditation. Almost immediately a huge yellow reptilian eye appeared in my mind. It moved. I freaked out and opened my eyes. Strange, powerful experience. This was before I knew the dragon/snake connection to Delphi. Anyone else tried meditating there?

[@LemurianMermaid]

Reptilian influence perhaps? Can you please tell me more on the dragon-snake connection of Delphi? I haven't heard of it before! Sounds very interesting 😮

[@grahamthompson2594]

@@LemurianMermaid The guardian of the Oracle is a big reptile/dragon, something I did not know at the time. Longing to go back and try again someday.

[@johnkilburn5392]

I visited for the first time this spring, fulfilling a lifelong dream. We stayed the night before in town and were the first ones to pass the gate the next morning. We had the place almost to ourselves for almost two hours before the first bus arrived. To say it was a magical experience would be a vast understatement. Thank you for this video. The architectural insights are invaluable to my understanding of Delphi

[@williamlloyd3769]

Thanks for the tip on how to see area before tourist busses arrive

[@karinleffer6470]

Book The shamanic way of the bee. Delphic priestess had the name the Delphic bee.The oracle did not speak with the vapors from the earth's interior, but with the help of a swarm of bees. What is not written anywhere is: The slopes around Delphi were overgrown with laurel. The honey of the laurel has a psychedelic effect. The round temple at the bottom, with an unknown purpose, is in my opinion the original temple and is modeled on the shape of the queen cell in a beehive. The Temple of Apollo was built later. This also describes the story of Apollo defeating the serpent.

[@rayn8740]

That was excellent, very infirmative. You answered several questions I had about Delphi. Thanks so much for producing it.👍

[@StoneHerne]

😃 Woao! I'm speechless! What an amazing place! 😃

[@premahenryraj12]

I am from India now British Asian thank you for beautiful video clip sure to visit this spiritual place the temple for SUN GOD 🙏🏼🙏🏼

[@starmountpictures]

Then ur still indian. Can't change ur spots.

[@ElliotOracle]

I love these videos. So well researched 🙌

[@alokabanerjee1701]

I have been to Delphi 😊

[@odna-baba]

And I haven’t been to Delphi😢

[@bartholomewesperanza3442]

Wrong

[@Halo_Legend]

Congratulations.

[@davepowell7168]

You were thousands of years late for the vapors (Ethyl ethylene) , tragic

[@jktekkerz8735]

So have I!! So there!! 😛 👅

[@jespersort1]

My teacher Erik Hansen spent every spring for 37 years measuring architectural details in Delphi, for the French archeological institute in Athen what a privileged life.

[@grasshroom]

sounds like a dream

[@JacksonTaylorandTheSinners]

Greece is the pearl of the world.

[@redtobertshateshandles]

I don't know if it's just suggestion, but I got the impression of a navel from the landscape. Some unknown ancient Greek got the same feeling.

[@au574]

I had no idea Delphi was so beautiful, it is awe inspiring.

[@alpineflauge909]

world class content

[@athanasiosbairlis5563]

About the shape of the surrounding mountain cliffs, It is obviously the use of "falling rocks" for defending needs (Persian invation etc. I am tourguide myself and scholar. Excellent presentation again ! I am professional and learning from your "architect" point of view. Please continue to educate...Thank you Manuel. Love from Greece

[@JamesBond-qm1iy]

Nice video . The Delphi - Amphitheatre was a frequency - amplifier .🎉

[@softekguy1]

Amazing description and detail well done!

[@ingridkrederdt8598]

Estuve por alli ..inolvidable todo...

[@kirkdougherty8690]

My maternal Greek DNA vibrated with joy while viewing this. Thank you so much.

[@ZeusAmun-pt9dc]

I would really appreciate getting to visit Delphi

[@sharonhoerr6523]

Your description and explanation of the architecture to the surroundings was fascinating and insightful. 🙂

[@mariettamollolucic4512]

Wow, genial !! Mientras dejo mi like 👍 15 Saludos Manuel. 🙋‍♀️

[@jeannettejimenez5228]

Excellent, thank you!!

[@BedeLaplume]

Beautiful documentary..

[@The_Not_So_Great_Cornholio]

Well-made, knowledgeable video. I have always wondered if the ethylene gas that the oracle was huffing is still coming out of the temple. Also curious to know if they used entasis at the temple, as they did at the Parthenon, or if it wasn't long enough to warrant that. Now I'm wondering if the Greeks had a standard for using entasis based upon the length of the building. Anyhoo great video.

[@jonnymak1079]

I just moved from Philly to anout 20 minute from delphi... alllll the way down the mountain pretty much on the ocean... its paradise

[@Travelswithgirlbear]

Heading there in April, you can appreciate it so more with a little foreknowledge.

[@montserratbadiaamate2213]

Excellent video. Thank you

[@RobertoCortesePhotographer]

Love these videos! Well done! Question: do you have any suggestions for books about the connection between ancient greek architecture and culture? I find it's difficult to understand one without at least grasping the other (being architecture for me which I don't know too much about 😅)

[@The-Organised-Pianist]

Very interesting, thank you!

[@oboealto]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge, and for infusing it with the emotional context about what the place actually felt like to you. Ancient Greeks regarded architecture very differently than how we do nowadays. For us, the intellectually and spiritually regressed people of the modern age, architecture is the practice of constructing buildings from a purely technical point of view. You get a budget, you have a bunch of things to fit in it, and oh, you better pull some eye candies for the client! Ancient Greeks, on the other hand, regarded architecture as an emotional tool. Greece will always be my beloved Home. However, living here in the 21st century, surrounded by past greatness, does make you wonder... how did we manage to f*** it all up?

[@AXNJXN1]

Absolutely remarkable! Great video!

[@horaciomillan4181]

Qué excelente video, tan bien explicado y fundamentado. Me habría venido perfecto hace unos años cuando estudié la Antigüedad Clásica en la Facultad. Gracias!

[@omegaroyal]

Always love your presentations.

[@jamesbueker11]

I went with my Serbian wife 8 years ago. We spent the whole day. I loved the fact that it had not been rebuilt to enhance tourism. The ruins have been preserved, but not substantially rebuilt. This allows the visitor to use their imagination. Beautiful

[@DK-vw7pe]

Agree, Delphi is well worth visiting..I’ve been fortunate to stay there twice, 30 years apart.

[@Breakfast_of_Champions]

The Greeks made the greatest things and the Romans destroyed everything. I really wonder if people will ever find such such greatness again in themselves?

[@Satoshi799]

Ironic because the Italians look after their ancient sites much better than the Greeks lol

[@flyinglobster9552]

Great video really helping me revise classics

[@angelovalavanis2314]

Beautiful video my friend.

[@melere777]

Delphi is so fascinating! The treasuries and statues, and their positions/sizes/height, were used to send a "message" to other city-states (which were often at war with each other). I believe near the entrance to the Sanctuary there was a statue group from Athens, so Sparta put an even bigger statue right across from it. City-states would use marble from home (even if it was awful quality) for their treasuries so offerings "never left home." All of the carvings and artwork had to use myths from the gods, they weren't allowed to depict real people basically it HAD to be religious art, but they were used as allegories for the values and identities of respective poleis. As for the Pythia, you could only visit once per month for (I believe) 9 months a year? But only men were allowed to visit. The Temple had been built 3 times (getting destroyed by earthquakes). I'm surprised the video didn't mention that it was ultimately destroyed the final time by Christians.

[@gineve2915]

I fell over a cliff at Delphi and survived as i landed on a ledge 75ft down, followed a small path and found a little cave directly under the temple site. Moved into the cave for 4 weeks and saw every animal sacred to Delphi within 10 mins of moving in.

[@chanaheszter168]

❤ great!

[@tailwheel]

Excellent material Manuel. Thanks a lot for preparing this and for sharing. Keep up the great work!

[@williamcaton8432]

What a great review of Delphi! Great job! 👏🏼 ❤

[@MonsieurChapeau]

Super inspiring video, thank you 👌

[@leeaisley3633]

Thank u for showing me such a mystical place❤❤❤

[@MarijaMarijaMari]

Magnificent documentary! ❤️

[@sivelti3914]

Interesting video again. I would like to visit this place in the future.

[@VijaySuryaAditya]

I intend to visit Delphi after this superb video. Many thanks.

[@OrphicPolytheist]

Delphi was destroyed at 392 CE by the Roman emperor Theodosius, who also slaughtered its inhabitants for being pagans, and then he buried the ruins under soil and forbade anyone from settling there. After this incident the town was forgotten and it was considered a "mythical" city like Troy that never existed, until it was discovered in the 19th century.

[@zeenatbaer138]

You did a great job on this, so interesting and well presented. I especially enjoyed the artwork recreating the scene, how it looked. I find that so helpful as it's hard to see all the details through a screen, or spend enough time on each aspect. Wondering if the fissure in the floor the oracle sat over still there ?

[@MiguelAngelLopezArias]

Excelente video, gracias por compartir.

[@kricketflyd111]

The Fu Dog has his paw on The Flower of Life, it looks like it shares God's geometry with the artifact you showed at the beginning of this program. 🌼

[@down-to-earth-mystery-school]

As an intuitive oracle reader, I can only imagine how exhausted she became with endless questions about life, love and politics. Kudos to her, a time when women were embraced as spiritual leaders, instead of suppressed🌟

[@Omm3693]

I had a Greek Girlfriend , Her mother lived in Greece .We went to Greece 2003 At Delphi i had a spiritual experience and Patmos Island. I sat and meditated at the sports and training ground area you showed at the top. In my meditation i saw a Buddha like spirit in the mountain behind me. I was hearing voices and felt like i was back in Ancient times. The voices were probably people talking with the trek Guide while walking up the mountain but not sure.

[@karpland]

Excellent explanation!

[@crownofhair]

This was great, thank you 😊

[@user-bs6fd1ko7d]

Excellent video, astonishing narration and fantastic presentation. Congratulations my friend!!

[@-IvoryTower-]

Congratulations for your good research. Very insightful data.

[@pprehn5268]

Yes, I really enjoyed my visit there - it was the first archeological site in Greece I got to see.

[@juanm5027]

¡Gracias, Manuel!

[@neilritson7445]

The idea of essence, of the land, of context and the idea that it's sacred is nowadays so popular in commentary on Japanese aesthetics - mainly gardens it seems!

[@melinat9584]

Excellent !!

[@MariaAlves-ps3lk]

Merci. Bon Nadal. ❤

[@harryjones5260]

great presentation

[@josephpiskac2781]

Thanks Again!

[@taniaramaki5142]

As s greek i am familiar with greek antiquity and through the years i visited every thing the ancient temples scattered around the country are bewitching especially if you see them st sunset then they sre breath taking

[@HM-qk7vw]

Excellent!!!

[@LondonPower]

The center of the world is not just an expresion Greece stands in the center of Europe Africa and Asia just take a map and try to find the center of the 3 continents is Greece

[@kristiano100]

Anatolia looks more central

[@LondonPower]

@@kristiano100 Its far away from Africa

[@LondonPower]

@@kristiano100 The center of Africa Europe and Asia is the island of Crete check out for yourself in Google maps

[@bobbykiefer4306]

​@LondonPower Anatolia is just as close to Africa as Greece.

[@LondonPower]

@@bobbykiefer4306 it's not Crete is 200 km from Africa

[@Verdeangela12]

I was there as a child in ‘69. It’s gorgeous with a wild ride to the top.

[@brutus4013]

Well done.

[@mariusgrikinis9415]

Thank you! I was lucky to have a chance to visit Delphi.

[@ManuelBravo]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@HeathBrand-te3qr]

Thanks for the amazing history lesson! The first time I ever flew to Europe was April of 23 and it was too Corinthios. I was blown away with seeing the ruins either in Greece or acro Corinth (spelling!) can’t wait to go back and discover more