Palaestra at Delphi

It is the oldest existing gymnasium from the Greek world, dating to the second half of the fourth century B.C.

The frequent earthquakes and landslides at Delphi have damaged the palaestra the most seriously of all of the gymnasium areas.

The central court is 14 metres square with an Ionic peristyle in blue limestone.

The middle of the three rooms was faced with two columns in antis and divided by a wall pierced with a door.

The bathhouse or loutrón had eleven animal head spouts, through which water flowed from a nearby spring into ten basins and a large plunge bath 9.70 metres in diameter and 1.904 metres deep.