The ancient center of Delphi sits most of the way up Mount Parnassus, at an elevation of about 7000 feet. Delphi, home of the ancient Oracle, was the center of worship for Apollo throughout ancient Greece. As the Parthenon was to Athena, Delphi was to Apollo. For at least a thousand years (and maybe longer), the high and mighty came to Delphi from all over the Aegean and eastern Mediterranean to receive the prophecies of the Oracle. She was famous throughout the ancient world as Apollo's voice on Earth. In reality, she was kept in a hidden chamber, out of view of the visitor, sitting over a fissure in the earth, inhaling noxious fumes. Her incoherent ramblings were then interpreted by the priests as prophecy. Delphi was a thriving center for the prophecy industry in ancient times; every major city in Greece constructed its own treasury at the site, showcasing its ostentatious offerings to the god. Below the temple itself were the treasuries, as well as a thriving marketplace where people could buy offerings, snacks, and tacky souvenirs. Above the temple is a spectacular amphitheater.