Kardaki Temple, Ancient Doric temple in Corfu, Greece

Kardaki Temple is an Archaic Doric temple built around 500 BC within the Mon Repos estate on Corfu. It is a hexastyle-peripteral building measuring 11.91 m by 25.5 m, with six columns on each short side and twelve on each long side, spaced abnormally wide. The temple has no frieze, no porch and no adyton, and its eastern edge has slid into the sea.

The temple was built around 500 BC in what was then the city of Korkyra, making it one of the earliest Doric structures on the island. It remained unknown until 1822, when British engineers came across it while exploring the area around a nearby spring.

The temple's dedication to Apollo or Poseidon has not been established. Its name comes from the locality Kardaki, called Cadachio in Italian. Many roof tiles bore names, likely of chief magistrates such as Aristomenes, Thersia and Damon, from the construction or renovation periods.

The site sits within the Mon Repos estate, which you can reach on foot along a path through wooded grounds near Palaiopoli. The ground around the temple can be uneven, so sturdy footwear is a good idea before heading out.

The temple was built without a frieze, which is very unusual for a Doric building and sets it apart from most temples of its era. This detail suggests that local builders felt free to adapt the classical form rather than follow it exactly.