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Greece Archaeological sites: A guide to the sites of Greece and the Greek Islands

 
This section proposes a brief description of some of the most interesting and beautiful archaeological sites of Greece and the Greek Islands that the visitor can see in a travel to Greece.

The Acropolis of Athens

The Acropolis of Athens, also called the sacred rock, is considered as the most important heritage of the Classical period and also as Europe’s most important ancient monument. The Parthenon temple is an
The Site of Ancient Olympia

Ancient Olympia is situated in an area of great natural beauty. It is considered as one of the most important sanctuaries of the antiquity and it is dedicated to the

Greece archaeological sites: A guide to the most important archaeological sites in Greece
The site of Knossos

Knossos is the most important and best preserved palace of the Minoan Civilization. According to the myth, Knossos was the seat of the legendary King Minos and it is also a place connected to many legends such as the “Labyrinth with the Minotaur” and the story of “Icaros”. About 2.000 B.C., the Minoans were characterised by a flourishing commercial, political, social and cultural system, as well as by the construction of impressive palaces such as Knossos
 
architectural splendour which is situated in the centre of the Acropolis. Today it stands proudly over the modern and busy city of Athens and keeps reminding us that Athens was the cradle of one of the greatest civilization ever. The Acropolis and the white pentelic marble of the Parthenon Temple can be seen from almost every part of Athens and it is the ultimate achievement of the city classical and architectural glory.

The Acropolis of Athens

The most important monuments on the Acropolis are: the Parthenon, the Erechtheion, the Temple of Athena Nike, the Propylaea.
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Athens Acropolis

The Site of Delphi

The site of Delphi was discovered in 1893 by the French school of Archaeology. It is the most important oracle of pagan Greece ever built.
During the Mycenaean Period, the female deity of Earth was worshipped in the small settlement of Delphi. 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.
After the First Sacred War, the sanctuary continued to work autonomously and enlarge its influence on religious and political orders. The sanctuary was enlarged and decorated with beautiful buildings, statues and other kind of offerings.
The excavations revealed more than 5.000 sorts of offerings: statues, miniatures, decorative pieces.

Greece archaeological sites: A guide to the most important archaeological sites in Greece

The most important monuments of Delphi are: the Temple of Apollo, the Treasury of the Athenians, the Altar of the Chians, the Stoa of the Athenians, the Theatre of the sanctuary, the Stadium, the Castalia spring, the Tholos, the Polygonal wall, the Gymnasium and the cemetery
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Delphi

father of all gods, Zeus. Olympia is also the place were the Olympic Games saw the light for the first time in the 7th century B.C and the place were they also held. The Games was organised to honour Zeus and, according to the myth, they were founded by Pelops, King of Peloponnese. .
The site was excavated by French archaeologists in 1829 and some of the finds were transferred in the Louvre Museum in Paris.
The area where are situated the main religious buildings and temples is called the “Altis”. The area outside the altis housed the auxiliary buildings, the priests' houses, the baths and the areas for the preparation of the athletes.

The most important monuments of the site are: the temple of Zeus, the Temple of Hera, the Stadium, the Bouleuterion, the Philippeion, the Leonidaion, the workshop of Pheidias, the Palaestra, the Gymnasium…
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The site of Delos

The sacret site of Delos

Delos, included in the World's Cultural Heritage protected by the UNESCO, is a little islet situated few miles from the famous island of Mykonos, in the centre of the Cyclades. Delos is considered as one of the most important Pan-Hellenic sanctuaries of Greece.
According to the Greek mythology, Delos was the birth place of Apollo, the god of light and Artemis, the goddess of hunting (both Lito and Zeus children).
Delos was a sacred place dedicated to Apollo and used to have splendid buildings and sanctuaries. Many references to its splendour from the numerous travellers who passed from the island the last centuries have been noted.
The excavations of Delos started in 1873 and are still carried out by the French School of Archaeology. Many of the masterpieces can be seen in Museums of Greece and abroad.
The most important monuments of the site are: the Agora of the Competaliasts, the Temple of the Delians, the Minoan Fountain, the Terrace of the Lions, the Establishment of the Poseidoniasts from Beirut, the Stoivadeion, the Theatre, Temple of Isis
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The Minoan also developed for the first time a trade network with the rest of the Aegean and even established colonies like Akrotiri in Santorini.

The Palace of Knossos

According to the remains of Knossos and the lack of defensive walls, the Minoans must have had peaceful relations with their neighbours.

Knossos was discovered an 1878 by Minos Kalokairinos and its restoration started in 1900.

The most important monuments of the site are: the palace of Knossos, the little palace, the Royal Villa, the house of the Frescoes, the caravanserai, the Temple tomb…

The site Mycenae

The site of Mycenae is considered as the most important Mycenaean site and witnesses the Mycenaean civilisation.
Mycenae is the legendary home of the Atreides. The Mycenaean civilization took its name after the discovery of the site of Myenae.

The Site of Mycenae

The Mycenaean civilization followed the Minoans. Their society, as proved by the excavations, was formed by an elite group.
Their citadels were fortified with what we call the Massive “Cyclopean” walls, named this way for the reason that people thought that only Cyclopes could have lifted the stones that compose them. Their society was based on a military force.

The most important monuments of the site were: the palace, the wall-painted “cult-centre”, the Lion gate and “Grave Circle A” which contained the treasures now contained in the National Archaeological Museum of Athens.
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