Temple of Thassa Pelagea

The temple of Thassa in Altrisos is a real sanctuary. Enormous in size and height, the marble and ceramic with which it was built was chosen among the bluest of the marbles of the peninsula. Its exterior is decorated with marine motifs, seaweed and dolphins. On the roof there is a stone lantern crowned by a dome of small turquoise ceramic pieces creating a mosaic of waves. The interior is surprisingly spectacular. Surrounding the entire enclosure, narrow terraces lead to a natural cave that goes deep into the ground. On a rock in the center a gigantic image of Thassa focuses attention. Streams of salt water penetrate from the sea cascading around the rock walls creating a deafening noise in the echo of the temple. Light pours through the upper lantern illuminating the algae and mollusk covered image of the goddess. No one knows where the rock cavern leads, but many priests of the goddess claim it is one of the entrances to the caverns where Thassa imprisons sea creatures that disobey her. Almost all of the twelve priests of the temple are tritons totally adapted to the city, and with forms and customs that are a prefect blend of their two cultures. A couple of families of tritons live in the walls of the cavern of the temple, among the waterfalls climbing up and down the dangerous cliffs with a surprising naturalness.