Sacred Harbor

Arriving in Delos today on the tourist boats from Mykonos, we see signs of the historic significance of the area right away. On our right as we enter the harbor, we discern the remains of the island’s ancient sacred harbor, while on our left we find the area of the commercial harbor. Thousands of pilgrims from all parts of the Mediterranean used to come to the sacred harbor, since not only the Greek gods, but also the gods of the Romans, Egyptians, Arabs, Israelis, and others were worshiped here. After the Romans declared Delos a free port, the island became a commercial center for both the West and the East. It is estimated that at the beginning of the 1st century BC, more than 750,000 tons of merchandise passed through the island's commercial port.