The Sanctuary of Demeter is among the oldest parts of the Dion site, with continuous religious use stretching back to the 5th century BC or earlier. Demeter, goddess of the harvest, had a particular importance in Macedonia, and the sanctuary here was a major cult centre. Thousands of terracotta figurines and votive objects have been recovered from the site, many of them now in the museum.
The remains visible today are fragmentary but the location is atmospheric. A stream running nearby feeds the low-lying wetland that surrounds much of the ancient city — the same wetland that helped preserve many of the finds for excavators. Herons and egrets are often visible from the paths near the sanctuary.