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... REGION: Peloponnese ... Prefecture: Corinthia ... / Loutraki \ ... With an area of 2,289 sq km, it is indented by the Saronic Gulf (southeast) and the Gulf of Corinth (northwest), which are linked via a navigable canal through the Isthmus of Corinth. Ephyra (Watchtower), is the ancient name of the plateau of Corinth, which has been inhabited since the Neolithic Period. The ruins of ancient Corinth are spread out at the foot of the huge rock of Acrocorinth. The monuments are mainly of Roman; only a few are Greek. One can trace the Long Walls which began at the sum-mit of Acrocorinth and descended all the way to Lechaion , the artificial harbour ïn the Corinthian Gulf. Lechaion was the start of Lechaion road which led to the ancient agora. This was paved with flagstones and lined with sidewalks, arcades and shops. The area of the marketplace was filled with imposing buildings, temples and business emporia. The Doric temple of Apollo (6th c. BC with 1st . AD restorations) stands in a knoll to the north of the agora it is the most important monument of that period. On the northwest of the agora lie the ruins of the 4th century BC theatre-which underwent some changes in the Roman era and the Roman Odeon. The museum is in the southwest sector of the site. It contains mosaic floors, Mycenaean and Corinthian pottery, terra cotta sphinxes, statues of two super-natural beings, relief plaques, the Roman head of the Goddess Tyche and small objects of various kinds. On the north side of the building one can see the remains of the fountain of Glauke hewn out of the rock. Glauke, daughter of King Creon, was the reason why Jason deserted Medea. In revenge Medea sent her as a wedding gift a poisoned mantle which envelopped the girl in flames the moment she put it in. In order to save herself she leapt into the fountain which since then has born her name. Acrocorinth The imposing mass of Acrocorinth (Akrokorinthos) rises out of the ground at the edge of the ancient city. At the top of the pinnacle, at an altitude of 575 metres, a stood the acropolis of Corinth during ancient and medieval times. This is the largest and oldest fortress the plateau narrows toward Xilocastro and terminates into a forest. Mount Killini in the central western part of the department is the highest peak, at 2,376 m, in the Peloponnese peninsula. Several navigable rivers with deep, straight valleys empty northward into the Gulf of Corinth. Some wheat, barley, citrus fruits, olives, and grapes are cultivated along the coasts. Dairy farming, vegetable growing, and raising of sheep and goats also number among the agricultural activities of the department. Forestry and food processing are the main industries. Recreational hunting (duck shooting) is done at the Stymphalian lake in the southwest. The main town is Corinth, the administrative centre of tehenoms, located at the northeastern corner of the Peloponnese near the Isthmus. Acrocorinth, the ancient acropolis of Corinth, has buildings of the Christian, Turkish, and Venetian periods. To Corinth's south, the terraced hills produce small, dark currants and seedless sultanas for raisins. Loutraki is a seaside resort on the shores of the Gulf of Corinth. Nemea, home of the ancient Nemean Games, is celebrated for its red wine. The main highway runs between Athens (east) and Patrai (west) along the north shore of the Gulf of Corinth.

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