A field excursion to the archaeological site in Corinth, Greece, was an integral part of 5th Mediterranean Seminar on Engineering and Technology Education. The Corinth archaeological site includes the remains of the Temple of Apollo, as well as the Corinth Canal, one of the world’s civil engineering marvels.

The tour started with a visit to the Archaeological Museum of Ancient Corinth housing numerous artefacts from the region. Inside the museum, the Conference participants were welcomed by Mr Alexandros M. Pnevmatikos, Mayor of Corinth. The ancient city of Corinth was a flourishing polis strategically located between Athens and Sparta, with a population of 90 thousand in 400 BC, as stated by the tour guide. The site is also well known through letters written by Saint Paul addressing the Corinthians, and the spot from which Saint Paul preached was pointed out by the guide. As the weather was sunny and bright, and the site provided an interesting backdrop for photographs, the participants indulged in taking several shots of the Temple of Apollo, the museum, the preaching site, the ancient theatre and market, and other objects of historical and civil engineering significance.

On the trip back to Athens, the participants stopped by the Corinth Canal, and viewed this icon of civil engineering ingenuity of the past. Today, the canal is too narrow for modern vessels to pass through, but it remains an impressive structure extending six km to connect the Gulf of Corinth with the Aegean Sea.