Taking the road at the north-east of the citadel uphill, you arrive as a supplicant at the court of the great king. A relic of a civilization that exists in the ancient fairytales and beyond, the legendary Palace of Mycenae holds a monumental position in European culture due to the development of classical studies.
The palace dominates high above on the acropolis, built in various levels with a large number of other buildings surrounding it; they stand as witnesses of its fame and riches. Having a rare aesthetic magnitude, it appeared to be the most resplendent among the buildings of its time. A large forecourt lead to a porch, an anteroom and from there, to the Dome (Throne Room). Our glance is enchanted by the evident traces of the great and heavy palace door. It was there that Orestes arrived as a vindictive "stranger" and "murderer" of his mother. Out there, at the heavy door, Apollo gives him a last breathe of courage. It's the gods' will: Mycenae's throne shall taste Clytemnestra's blood. The matricide was a divine order and Orestes would become the young heir to the throne.
Influenced by the magnificence of the Minoans, the Mycenaeans built palaces based on a social structure that resembled a pyramid. Their architecture is adjusted to the reinforcement of the legality of authority and underlined the prestige of the King and his city. At the top is the "wanax", followed by the noble court men, the priesthood, the citizens and last, the slaves. The palace was an administrative centre of monumental architecture and was divided into three sections, level by level: the highest at the top was levelled-out and covered by the foundations of the Archaic and later Hellenistic temple.
