Heraion of Perachora

Heraion of Perachora
Ηραίο Περαχώρας (in Greek)
Overview of the lower sanctuary looking west with the L-shaped stoa in foreground and the temple of Hera Akraia in the distance at right and the West Court in the distance at left.
Heraion of Perachora is located in Greece
Heraion of Perachora
Shown within Greece
LocationLimni Vouliagmenis, Corinthia, Greece
RegionCorinthia
Coordinates38°01′41″N 22°51′09″E / 38.02806°N 22.85250°E / 38.02806; 22.85250
TypeSanctuary
History
PeriodsGreek Dark Ages to Hellenistic
Satellite ofCorinth

The Heraion of Perachora (Greek: Ηραίο Περαχώρας) is a sanctuary of the goddess Hera situated in a small cove of the Corinthian gulf at the end of the Perachora peninsula. In addition to a temple of Hera of unusual construction and antiquity, the remains of a number of other structures have also been found, including an L-shaped stoa, a large cistern, dining rooms, and a second potential temple. The Sanctuary of Hera at Perachora is 14.2 kilometres (8.8 mi) north-northwest of Corinth and 75.9 kilometres (47.2 mi) west of Athens. Although there is debate between Argos, Megara and Corinth, the sanctuary was probably under the control of Corinth, as it faced the harbors of that powerful city across the Corinthian gulf. Cult activity at the site continued from perhaps the 9th century BCE to 146 BCE, when the Roman general Mummius sacked Corinth during the war with the Achaean League. In the Roman period, domestic structures were built on the site, indicating that the area was no longer a sanctuary. This site is significant for the study of the origins of Greek temple architecture and rural cults.