Heraion of Samos

The Heraion of Samos was a massive sanctuary dedicated to the goddess Hera on the island of Samos, situated 6 km southwest of the ancient city in the marshy Imbrasos river basin where it meets the sea [1]. The sanctuary's late Archaic temple (c. 530 BC) was the first of the gigantic free-standing Ionic temples, pioneering a new architectural scale in Greek religious structures [1]. Cult activities at the site date to c. 1700 BC, making it one of the earliest continuous worship sites in the Greek world [1]. The ruins, along with the nearby Pythagoreion, were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992 [1].