Greece – Archaeology
The Acropolis – Athens
The Acropolis of Athens is the main and most famous archaeological site in Greece which is also called the Sacred Rock. It is considered the most important heritage of the Classical period and as Europe’s most important ancient monument. The Parthenon Temple is the main building on the Acropolis and constitutes an architectural splendor of ancient times. Other buildings that you can find in the Sacred Rock include the Erechtheion, the Temple of Athena Nike and the Propylaea. The Acropolis and its buildings were constructed in the 5th century BC.
More info: https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/404/
Temple of Poseidon – Sounion, Attica
At the southernmost peninsula of Attica is Cape Sounion, the site of the astonishing cliff-top temple of Poseidon that was completed in 440 BC. The temple was built on top of earlier ruins dating back to the Archaic period. It is believed that the earlier temple was destroyed in 480 BC by Persian troops during Xerxes I’s invasion of Greece.
More info: https://www.athensguide.com/sounion/
Ancient Olympia – Peloponnese
Ancient Olympia is an archaeological site situated in an area of great natural beauty in Peloponnese. It is considered one of the most important sanctuaries of the antiquity and it was dedicated to Zeus. Olympia was also the place where the ancient Olympic Games were first held in the 7th century B.C. In the archaeological site of Olympia there are over 70 temples, treasuries, altars, statues, and other structures to explore.
More info: https://western-greece.com/ancient-olympia/
Mycenae – Peloponnese
The site of Mycenae is considered as one of the oldest ancient sites in Greece and witnesses the development of the Mycenaean civilization that followed the Minoans. Mycenae was the legendary home of Agamemnon, ruler of the Greeks during the Trojan War. The most characteristic spot of the site is the Lion Gate.
More info: https://www.grekomania.com/places/mycenae
Epidaurus – Peloponnese
Located on the eastern side of Peloponnese, Epidaurus developed as a religious center and more particularly as a sanctuary of Asclepius, the healing god. In fact, according to the myth, Epidaurus was the birthplace of god Asclepius and this is why an important healing center was established there, famous all over the Mediterranean area. The ancient theatre that survives today was constructed in the 4th century BC. It is large, made of marble and stone and famous for its amazing acoustics. In summer, performances of ancient Greek drama are presented there as part of the Greek Festival.
More info: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epidaurus
Delos – Cyclades
The whole island of Delos is an archaeological site and a world heritage monument, dedicated to the god Apollo (the God of Light). There have been extensive archaeological excavations on the island, revealing ruins that show Delos as a holy sanctuary from 900 BC to 100 AD – though some ruins date even further back to the 3rd millennium BC.
The ancient city of Aigai – Vergina, Macedonia
Aigai or Vergina as called in modern times is the first capital of the Kingdom of Macedonia, home to the family of Philip II and Alexander the Great. The archaeological site was only discovered in the 19th century. There you can experience ruins of the theatre, the sanctuaries of Eukleia and the Mother of the Gods, the city walls, and the royal burial grounds, among others, dating from the 11th to the 2nd century BC.
Knossos & Phaistos – Crete
The two most famous palaces on Crete of the Minoan Civilization, that flourished in Greece from 2,700 to 1,450 BC. The first, just outside Heraklion, is a place connected to many legends such as the Labyrinth with the Minotaur and the story of Daedalus and Icarus and was the capital of the Minoan civilization. The second, was the most wealthy and powerful city in southern Crete.
More info: https://ancient-greece.org/archaeology/knossos.html http://www.minoancrete.com/phaistos.html
Delphi, central Greece
Known in ancient times as the ‘navel of the Earth’, the Delphi site was the most important oracle of ancient Greece. The development of the sanctuary and Oracle started at the beginning of the 8th century B.C with the establishment of the cult of Apollo. At that time, people from all over the Mediterranean would come to the oracle of Delphi to ask for advice from the priestess Pythia. One of the most important monuments of Delphi is the Temple of Apollo.
More info: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/393
Ancient and Medieval Rhodes – Rhodes
The Greek island of Rhodes hosts a variety of important archaeological sites: the ancient city of Kamiros, the Grand Master’s Palace and Monolithos Castle. The Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights of Rhodes is known as the primary historical and architectural landmark of the medieval city of Rhodes. Along with Monolithos Castle, this Gothic style of architecture is very rare in Greece and those will be of the few examples of this type of structure that you will see in the entire country.
More info: https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/493/
