Peloponnese is one of the richest Greek areas with regard to important historical monuments and sites. In this article, you will read about the 6 top archaeological monuments that you should not miss when you visit Peloponnese.
1. Temple of Apollo Epicurius
The temple was dedicated to Apollo the Healer and is located at Bassae, an archaeological site in Messinia, Peloponnese. This site was the first in Greece that UNESCO inscribed in its World Heritage List. Pausanias considered it to be one of the finest temples in Peloponnese thanks to its beauty, harmony and the combination of the Archaic with the Doric style.
2. Ancient Korinthos
Korinthos was one of the largest city states (polis) in ancient Greece. In this archaeological site, you can see the well-preserved Temple of Apollo, the ruins of Lerna Theatre, the Pirini Fountain, the museum and Acrocorinth, the Acropolis of ancient Korinthos.
3. Archaeological site of Olympia
In western Peloponnese, is located the site of Ancient Olympia, where the Olympic Games of the antiquity took place. In this monument, you will see the sanctuary of Zeus and many buildings that were used for the preparation and the celebration of the Olympics, such as the Temples of Zeus, the Prytaneion, the Stoa, the Gymnasium and the Palestra.
4. Ancient Theatre of Epidavros
The Theatre is located on the end of the sanctuary, which is dedicated to the God of medicine, Asclepius. It is considered to be the best ancient theatre in Greece with regard to acoustics and aesthetics. The monument retains the characteristic tripartite structure of the ancient Greek theatres that had auditorium, orchestra and staging building. During the Athens Greek Festival that takes place every summer from June to September are displayed performances of ancient drama in the Theatre of Epidavros, in which they were displayed for the first time.
5. Castle of Mystras
Mystras is a fortified town in Laconia, on Mountain Taygetos. It was the capital of the Byzantine Despotate of the Morea and experienced a period of prosperity and cultural flowering. The city was abandoned in 1832, leaving only the breathtaking medieval ruins in a beautiful landscape. These ruins, including the palace, the fortress, the churches and the monasteries, was inscribed in 1989 in the List of World Heritage Sites of UNESCO.
6. Archaeological Site of Mycenae
Mycenae is located in Argolis and is one of the most famous sites in Greece. It is the symbol and the centre of the Mycenaean civilisation, which flourished in the Late Bronze Age and played a vital role in the development of classical Greek culture. This city was the kingdom of the King Agamemnon and the most important palace of the Bronze Age. In Mycenae, you will see the massive defective walls, the Lion Gate and the corbelled tholos tombs.
