city of ancient Greece, situated in a rocky
valley north of the gulf of Corinth, on the
southern slopes of Mount Parnassus, site of a
famous oracle in the temple of Apollo. The
site was supposed to be the center of the
Earth and was marked by a conical stone, the
omphelos. The oracle was interpreted by
priests from the inspired utterances of the
Pythian priestess until it was closed down by
the Roman emperor Theodosius I AD 390. 
A European Cultural Center was built nearby
1966-67.