17) Temple of Apollo & Jupiter

17. Temple of Apollo & Jupiter

On the Acropolis, overlooking the islands, remain the foundations of these Greek temples, later transformed into Christian basilicas.

The Temple of Apollo is, according to Virgil's legend, the place where Daedalus, fleeing Crete, landed and dedicated his wings to the sun god. Historically, the temple dates back to the 6th century BC (Greek era), but what we see today is the result of numerous Roman renovations and a subsequent transformation into a Christian basilica in the 5th century AD. This stratification is clearly visible in the architectural remains: the Greek foundations, the Roman pillars, and the baptismal font built inside the cella.

The temple was oriented toward the sea, and its grandeur served as a spiritual beacon for anyone approaching the Cumaean coast. During excavations, fragments of polychrome architectural terracottas that once decorated the roof were discovered, now on display in the museum. Its transformation into an early Christian church allowed the structure to survive longer than other pagan buildings, although it altered the original plan. Today, sitting among its ruins at sunset, gazing at the horizon where the sun seems to dive into the sea, allows one to understand why the Greek colonists chose this particular spot to honor Apollo: the light here has a divine quality that seems unchanged in twenty-five centuries.