Pandora's Temple

“	This temple was erected in honor of and at the command of the mighty Lord Zeus.' Only the bravest hero shall solve its puzzles and survive its dangers. Only one man will receive ultimate power. All others shall meet their doom.	”
― Pathos Verdes III to Kratos in God of War.

Pandora's Temple, or the Temple of Pandora, was a temple that Pathos Verdes III constructed on the orders of Zeus, Poseidon and Hades to house Pandora's Box, the most powerful weapon a Mortal could wield. The temple and its traps were made to prevent those who sought to use Pandora's Box against Zeus and Mount Olympus.

History

The building of Pandora's Temple was the largest architectural undertaking of its time. As Hephaestus had advised Zeus to store Pandora's box on the back of the Titan Cronos (all so Hephaestus would protect his daughter Pandora, who was created to be the key to the box), riders on pegasi had to tie down Cronos, allowing the temple to be built and chained to the latter's back.

As Cronos wandered the Desert of Lost Souls, one had to cross the Desert, resist the song of the Sirens, and kill all three Sirens in order to get to Pandora's Temple. By the time construction on the temple was been complete, it had come to represent the growing madness of Pathos Verdes III, as the first trials to enter the temple were straightforward, but the later ones became more tasking and gruesome. Eventually, Pathos used the bodies of his family members as part of the trials before committing suicide.

Many heroes and soldiers attempted to breach Pandora's Temple, but none of them succeeded and they died to the many traps and enemies in the temple. As Kratos attempted to reach the temple, many soldiers were still inside, battling its guardians. No had ever reached Pandora's Box, except for Kratos, who was the first and only person to do so. After 2,500 years, and having completed all of the challenges, its door was finally opened to Kratos after he retrieved the box.

Objects/Treasures

Gallery

Trivia

Early concept art for Pandora's Temple changed the way it was presented. One such example included the temple being twice as large as its final design and being used to keep Cronos bound in place, while another concept had the temple constructed solely atop the Titan's cranium, implying either the temple was smaller or Cronos was much larger.
Despite the seemingly impossible tasks involve simply to reach the Temple in the first place, Pandora's temple is littered with many bodies of people who seemingly tried and failed to conquer its challenges, including one live soldier Kratos discovered within.