Temple of Hera or Heraion Samos
The beautiful Samos island by now sadly famous not so much for its extraordinary beauty but for having become a landing point for immigration from Turkey, offers its visitors many things to see ranging from high mountains to pebble and fine sand beaches, to deserted coves.
On the Samos island there are the three most important monuments of the Hellenic period and in 1992 they were declared a Unesco World Heritage Site.
Today we want you to discover the Hera Temple or also called Heraion which according to mythology, the very Samos island gave birth to the Goddess. Sister and wife of Zeus, Hera or Juno (name of Roman mythology), she was the goddess of marriage and was also venerated as the goddess of love. She is portrayed sitting on a throne with a "polos" (a cylindrical headdress) and in her hand a pomegranate symbol of fertility. Extremely jealous of her unfaithful husband, she is also remembered for her terrible revenge. The cruelest refers to the deep hatred of her stepchild Heracles. While the mother of Heracles Alcmena was giving birth, Hera knotted her legs to prevent birth. The servant of Alcmena, Galantide with a lie managed to stop the Goddess in her intent which, when she discovered 'the deception, transformed her forever into a weasel. All his life Heracles had to suffer the anguish of his stepmother as when still in the cradle he put two snakes to kill him. However, the gods loved Heracles and kept watch over him always protecting him. Hera's hatred ends when Heracles saved her life from a giant who wanted to take advantage of her and from that moment on in gratitude, she ceased to be hostile to him. One of the most famous sons of Hera is Prometheus, but that's another story.
The Hera temple was discovered in 1702 by Joseph Pitton de Tournefort, and it is one of the things to see in Samos absolutely. It dates back to the 9th-6th century BC and is located about six kilometers west of Pythagorion. The temple in history has undergone various changes before becoming the one that can be admired today.
It all began with Eneleo an Athenian who founded one of the first colonies on the island. TheSamos inhabitants, give new arrivals a small area to build the temple precisely in an existing place of worship where, there was a tree placed on a platform, surrounded by supports along the circumference and with a wooden shed. The altar with reduced dimensions (1.20x3 meters) is the only piece that remains in the same position even in the centuries to come, it is enlarged more or less seven times.
The priestess Cumede, coming from Argo another area of Greece where the goddess Hera was venerated, moved to Samos with the intent to grow the cult, and together with the inhabitants she created a more appropriate sanctuary. The pirates, however, land on the island and steal the statue dedicated to Hera. In the escape, a strong storm is thrown on Samos and the evildoers interpret it as a bad omen thus deciding to return the statue leaving it on the shore. Cumede has it repositioned, ties it with ropes and begins the creation of the sanctuary which, starting in 670, begins to take on a precise shape. At the end of the 8th century the temple underwent changes, around the central nucleus columns were erected with the statue of the Goddess on one side.
Unfortunately, again in 670 a disastrous flood destroyed the temple which was built again. The Heraion II will be redone with columns and an axial entrance and inside small wooden spurs above a plinth that surrounds the base of the structure. A large wooden Stoà is erected with external stone walls to protect it from possible floods. The road is paved while the altar remains in the same position but enlarged.In 570 BC the Heraion III was born. The tyrant of the island to manifest his power, decides to fix first of all the road that leads from the sanctuary to the city about five kilometers long by introducing large statues called Curos and Corai, in the temple instead the altar is further enlarged, demolished the Stoà is located on the north side. To date, the remains that can be admired belong to this last modification.
The Hera or Heraion temple as you want to call it, is certainly to be included in the things to do in Samos, a piece of myth and unique legend that should not be overlooked.