Archaeological Triangle
Ancient Olympia
Ancient Olympia is the birthplace of the Olympic Games and the sacred place of Zeus. During a visit to the archaeological site and the museum of Ancient Olympia, you can walk through one of the most important sanctuaries of ancient Greece. Ancient Olympia is located in Ilia, at the “feet” of Kronios Hill and invites you to take part in the history of Greece. According to one version, here Zeus fought with his father, Cronus, eventually defeating him and taking the throne of the gods. In memory of his victory, Zeus created the Olympic Games.
Tradition holds that the first Olympic Games took place in 776 BC,. The winners did not receive money, but enjoyed great honours. The prize was an olive wreath from the sacred tree of Jupiter and the winner was allowed to erect a statue to commemorate his victory. Among the most important buildings found in ancient Olympia are the Roman Propylon, the Prytaneum, the Philippion, the Heraion where the Hermes of Praxiteles was found, etc. The stadium had a capacity of 40 000 spectators and its circumference was equivalent to 600 steps of Hercules. ∆Next to it is the magnificent temple of Zeus, one of the greatest monuments in terms of wealth, size and symbolic value. Here stood the gold and ivory statue of Zeus, representing him seated on his throne.
The Archaeological Museum of Olympia is one of the most important in Greece. It presents the long historical development of one of the most important sanctuaries of antiquity and includes a permanent exhibition of finds from excavations at the Althea sanctuary, dating from prehistoric to early Christian times. Of all the priceless exhibits, the most important are the sculpture exhibition, for which the museum is best known, and the collection of bronze objects, which is the richest in the world and consists of weapons, figurines and other objects.
Delphi - Archaeological Museum
At the foot of Mount Parnassus, in the evocative natural landscape formed between two majestic rocks, the Phaedriades, is the national sanctuary of the Delphi and the most famous oracle of ancient Greece. Delphi was the navel of the earth, where, according to mythology, the two eagles sent by Zeus from the ends of the universe to find the centre of the world met, and for many centuries it was the spiritual and religious centre and the symbol of the unity of ancient Hellenism.
The oldest finds in the area of Delphi date back to the Neolithic period (4000 BC). Within the boundaries of the sanctuary, remains of a Mycenaean settlement and a cemetery were found.
The period from the 6th to the 4th century BC coincides with the great peak of the Delphic oracle. Its oracles, which were considered the most reliable, were expressed by Pythia, the priestess of the oracle, and interpreted by the priests of Apollo. Cities, rulers and ordinary people rushed to consult the god and expressed their gratitude in glowing tributes, which gradually flooded the sanctuary. The oracle’s fame spread to the ends of the earth and its opening was lost in the depths of antiquity and myth.
The Archaeological Museum of Delphi is one of the most important in Greece. Its rich collections include mainly architectural sculptures, statues and small works of art, offerings of the faithful to the sanctuary, which reflect its religious and political and artistic activity throughout its history, from the foundation of the Apollonian temple in the 8th century BC to its decline in the late antiquity.
Epidaurus
World famous archaeological site in a green landscape. The archaeological site consists of:
The ancient theatre of Epidaurus which is considered the most perfect ancient Greek theatre in terms of acoustics and aesthetics. It is located in the area of the Asclepieion of Epidaurus, on the slope of Mount Kynortis, very close to the small town of Lygourio.
The ancient theatre was built between 340 BC and 330 BC by the Argive architect Polycleitus the Younger as mentioned by Pausanias. The theatre was built for the entertainment of the patients of the Asclepius but also as a means of treatment as it was believed that attending theatre had beneficial effects on the mental and physical health of the patients.
The ancient theatre had a capacity of 15,000 spectators. It is divided into two parts (divisions): the upper division of 21 rows of seats for the people and the lower division of 34 rows of seats for the priests and rulers. The theatre is made of limestone which absorbs sound like the human body
The Sanctuary of Asclepius
In a pine-covered plain, above the ancient port of Epidaurus, ruins of the most important sanctuary of Asclepius, the god of Health, which reached its peak at the end of the 5th and in the 4th century. It was built by the architect Theodotus, probably between 380 and 375 BC. Of the pavilion temple, with its Doric columns, the brilliant gold and ivory statue of Asclepius mentioned by Pausanias and the magnificent sculptural decoration on the pediments, only the foundations remain today, while sculptural elements from the decoration are kept in the museum.
In the surrounding archaeological site one discovers numerous monuments, such as the temple of Apollo Maleata, of the 4th century BC, the Gymnasium is reminiscent of the palace of Olympia with its large inner courtyard and the peristyle, where a small conservatory was built, while further on there are the ruins of the Cotyos stoa and a small palace.
Immediately after the palisade begins the sanctuary itself, where the remains of the crib of the temple of Themis and the foundations of the temple of Artemis, the abaton or crematorium, a dormitory where the sick waited for the appearance of Asclepius, and the dome, the “peripheral house” according to Pausanias and the most brilliant building of the sanctuary, the work of Polycleitus the Younger. There are also ruins of a complex of buildings with arcades, a Roman bath, and the remains of the propylaea that formed the imposing entrance to the sanctuary, as well as part of a 5th century stadium.
