Portara (=big gate) was the gate of Apollo’s temple (6th B.C.) in the islet of Palatia. The temple, which was never finished, is the most known monument of Naxos. According to mythology, Theseus abandoned Ariadne here and then Dionysus kidnapped her. During the early Christian times the temple was turned into a church, while during the Venetian occupation parts of the temple were used in order to build the castle of Naxos.