Acrocorinth

Acrocorinth is the massive fortified acropolis above ancient Corinth, rising 575 metres on a flat-topped limestone rock that has been continuously fortified since at least the 7th century BC. The site passed through the hands of Romans, Byzantines, Crusader princes of Achaea, Venetians, and Ottomans — each layer of occupation leaving its mark on the concentric ring walls that still encircle the plateau. At the summit stood a celebrated temple of Aphrodite, which ancient sources linked to a community of temple priestesses, a claim modern historians treat with considerable scepticism. The 45-minute ascent on foot winds past three successive gate complexes spanning more than a millennium of military architecture, culminating in one of the broadest panoramas on the Peloponnese: on clear days both the Saronic and Corinthian gulfs are visible simultaneously.