Epidavros

The cradle of medicine

Myth

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STADIUM

The earliest reference to athletics games at Epidavros, called “gymnikoi” because the competitors were nude (Gr. gymnos), is in a victory hymn of the fifth century BC by the lyric poet Pindar.

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AKOAI

There were four bathhouse complexes in the Asklepieion of Epidavros during the period of Roman rule (31 BC-AD 330). This is not surprising, considering the catharctic nature of water and the magical and therapeutic properties that the ancients attributed to it. 

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PROPYLAIA

The entrance gateway to the Asklepieion of Epidavros was so impressive that on passing through it visitors felt they left the everyday world behind them and came out into a sacred space.

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VIRTUAL TOUR - EPIDAVROS - THOLOS

This building is considered the most perfect one of circular plan in the history of ancient Greek architecture. The traveller Pausanias (2nd c. AD) called it Tholos, whereas in the related building inscription it is referred to as Thymele (altar).

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ABATON

Only the patient who had permission from the god could enter the Abaton or Enkoimeterion, a place prohibited, as its name denotes, to those who had not made the appropriate preparations. 

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TEMPLE OF ASKLEPIOS

In the cella stood the cult statue of Asklepios, work of the Parian sculptor Thrasymedes. Housed there too was the thesauros of the temple, a special construction in the floor.

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TEMPLE OF ARTEMIS

Artemis, twin sister of Apollo, was worshipped in the Asklepieion of Epidavros in her own temple, built in the late fourth century BC. However, her presence in the sanctuary goes back much earlier.

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SANCTUARY OF EGYPTIAN GODS

In this sanctuary Apollo, Asklepios and his daughter Hygeia were worshipped as Osiris, Horus and Isis, respectively.

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CEREMONIAL HESTIATORION - ODEUM

As its name denotes (in Modern Greek hestiatorion = restaurant), the Ceremonial Hestiatorion housed ceremonial meals, in which the god himself participated alongside the pilgrims.

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BATHHOUSE OF ASKLEPIOS

Holy water was ubiquitous in the Asklepieion of Epidavros, as purificatory ablutions were a prerequisite of the devotees’ participation in the rituals. Asklepios ordered the patients to bathe.

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KATAGOGION

The numerous visitors to the Sanctuary of Asklepios, patients and pilgrims, needed somewhere to stay nearby, as the city of Epidavros was 15 km. away, a long distance for the means of transport of the day.

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THEATRE OF THE ASKLEPIEION OF EPIDAVROS

This is the most perfect and famous monument of its kind, attracting over one million visitors a year.

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APOLLO MALEATAS

When Ares and Aphrodite were wounded in the Trojan War, they were healed with herbal medicines by Paieon or Paion. This is related by Homer in the Odyssey, thus linking Paieon with Apollo.

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Arts & Crafts

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EPIDAVROS FESTIVAL

The Epidavros Festival, paramount cultural event of international renown, is held annually in the ancient Theatre of the Asklepieion of Epidavros.

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Shepherd's Pipe

Its sound lives on through the centuries

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The secret of seabed of Epidavros

An underwater treasure left to explore

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THEATRE OF THE ANCIENT EPIDAVROS

Known today also as “little Epidavros”, the theatre of the city-state of Epidavros is more or less contemporary with the theatre of the Asklepieion.

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Experience

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Horse Riding

Along the lost pathways of Epidavros

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PALAIA EPIDAVROS

Built upon the ruins of the ancient city-state from which it its name derives, Archaia (or Palaia) Epidavros is nestled between two peninsulas.

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ARKADIKO

Built at the foot of Mount Arachnaios, on the road towards Lygourio, Arkadiko is a farming village with a population of 350.

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NEA EPIDAVROS

Built on a precipitous hill-slope that ensured it was hidden from the seaward side, to protect it from piratical raids, Νea Epidavros preserves ruins of its Byzantine castle, which reinforced its naturally fortified location.

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LYGOURIO

This is the closest settlement to the Sanctuary of Asklepios, which means that the one million and more visitors annually to the Asklepieion of Epidavros pass through Lygourio.

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AGIOS DIMITRIOS

Famed for its honey, which is redolent with the aromas of the many herbs of the Epidaurian earth, Agios Dimitrios is a thriving village with a population of about 870.

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DIMAINA

Built in a fertile plain between four mountains, Dimaina has 650 inhabitants who, since the 1990s, have been involved with cultivating new crops.

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Gastronomy

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Leonidas Tavern

A tavern full of stars

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OLIVES

Wherever you go in the Municipality of Epidavros you will see olive groves. This means that every dish of food you taste will have been cooked with premium-quality virgin olive oil.

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FISHING

The region of Epidavros is renowned for its delicious fresh fish. That is why in the summer months the fish tavernas and restaurants are filled with theatre-lovers, who come here to see a performance at the Epidavros Festival.

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CITRUS FRUIT

In many of its settlements the Municipality of Epidavros resembles a large grove of citrus trees. The air is always filled with the fragrance of lemon blossom and the essential oils of the fruits. 

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TRACHEIA

The old settlement of Tracheia is famed for its cheeses. There are over ten cheese-making enterprises in this small village of 250 inhabitants.

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Myth

Epidavros Virtual Tour

Experience

Epidavros Virtual Tour

EXPLORE OUR DESTINATIONS

Athens

Athens, a modern metropolis, a european capital, a nest for all the Mediterranean cultures. Athens, the meeting point of East and West, the harbor of everyone, who still loves passionately life! There are so many different ways to describe and analyse Athens, that any given effort to do a short depiction of the city is nothing but a try doomed to fail. Nevertheless, we will try to underline some of the main characteristics of the city of Athens. Visit Virtual Tour

Crete

Knossos was undeniably the capital of Minoan Crete and is the site of one of the most important and better known palaces of Minoan civilisation. Knossos was inhabited for several thousand years, beginning with a neolithic settlement sometime in the seventh millennium BC, and was abandoned after its destruction in 1375 BC which marked the end of Minoan civilization. It was damaged several times during earthquakes, invasions, and in 1450 BC by the colossal volcanic eruption of Thera, and the invasion of Mycenaeans who used it as their capital, while they were ruling the island of Crete until 1375 BC. Knossos was ruled by the dynasty of King Minos and is connected with thrilling legends, such as the myth of the Labyrinth with the Minotaur. Visit Virtual Tour

Sinarades-Corfu

Known from the Homeric myth, as the mythical island of Phaeacians where the shipwrecked Odysseus was soothed by princess Nausika, Corfu continues to welcome visitors from all around the world. Be a synchronous Odysseus and follow the new destination of YouGoCulture initiative. Having the Central Corfu and its old town which is in the list of the Unesco World Heritage Sites, a journey begins in the history, the traditions and the unique beauties of the island. Visit Virtual Tour

Delphi

Situated in continental Greece on Mount Parnassus, Delphi was considered to be one of the most important cities of ancient Greece. It was believed to be home to the goddess Gaia, or Earth, and later to Apollo after slaying Gaia’s son, the snake Python. The Pythian games—similar to the Olympic Games—were held here every four years to honour Apollo’s slaying of the Python dragon. Visit Virtual Tour

Eleusina

A breath away from Athens, the birth place of Eleusinian Mysteries and goddess Demeter challenges you to explore it! Eleusis or Eleusina, as now known, one of the five sacred cities of antiquity enjoys the privilege of being located only thirty kilometers from the historic Athens. But let me refresh it! It could be the privilege of Athens to have so nearby a city full of life and history! Visit Virtual Tour

Epidavros

Even today’s visitors feel that they are in a sacred place as soon as they set foot in the Asklepieion of Epidavros. The place where healing was a religious mystery. The sick were cured by the god Asklepios in their sleep (enkoimesis) or received from him instructions on the therapy they should follow. From the sixth century BC until the end of antiquity, hosts of people resorted to the Sanctuary of Asklepios in expectation that their prayers for healing would be heard and answered by the god. These were patients and pilgrims who arrived there bringing precious votive offerings from all parts of the then-known world. Visit Virtual Tour

Mycenae

Peering over the plain of Argolis, up there from the heights of the acropolis, one comes to terms with the superiority of the Mycenaean civilization. It reached its heyday in the Late Bronze Age (1350 - 1200 BCE) and then disappeared, leaving to eternity its legendary acropolis, built on an inaccessible, rocky hill between two ravines. The footprints of the Atreidai, the mythical royal dynasty, are visible to today's visitor and inspire awe in an era like ours, in which myth meets the history of the most important period of the ancient world. Visit Virtual Tour

Ancient Olympia

What can be said of Olympia and not sound like a cliché? The significance of the archaeological site is self-evident, even if one is not familiar with the fascinating historical details and the political background, which literally span thousands of years. Known to the world as the cradle of the Olympic ideal, this open-air museum of imposing ruins and unique artefacts tells a story of religious piety, fair play, political ambition, and demonstration of power. All the buildings you can still admire were erected to please the gods and send a message to the thousands of visitors who swarmed to the sacred grounds. Walking around the Stadium, the Gymnasium and the Temples of Zeus and Hera – both instrumental in the ritual and competitive part of the Games – modern visitors will be able to understand why the event remained relevant even when the rest of the Ancient World was long dead. As an added bonus to the splendour of the site, the Museum of Olympia boasts some of the most famous works of art produced in the long course of Hellenic culture. Visit Virtual Tour

Messene

Travelling in the Messenian land from Mount Taygetus to the coast, our glance dives, following the sunlight dipping onto the Messenian plain. From the mountainous volumes to the fertile valley, the olive groves and herbs, we see a landscape of culture, myth, and history, unfold before our eyes. In the heart of the region of Messenia, one town stands out: Ancient Messene. This "blissful plain" as Homer calls it, became a theatre of war and mythical narrations offering a viewpoint on the past and the present. Visit Virtual Tour
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