Palace of Knossos and Lion Gate in Mycenae. Mycenae ruins and lion gate

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The main entrance to the fortress was through the Lion Gate

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The lion gate in Mycenae, the mask of Agamemnon in the museum - this is in any guidebook and fully corresponds to their descriptions

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The ruins of the Ancient City, the Lion's Gate, the tomb of Agamemnon or the treasury of Atreus - the hero of the Trojan War (XII century BC

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Described in the legendary work of Homer, this city was powerful and prosperous, and its ruins, from the Lions Gate ( oldest specimen monumental sculpture in Europe) to palace complex, ancient buildings and the tomb of King Agamemnon, make an indelible impression on visitors

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In Mycenae are the famous Lion Gate, the tomb of Agamemnon, the royal palace

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Olympia - since prehistoric times, the Olympic Games in honor of Zeus have been held here every four years. Since the revival of the Games in 1896, the Olympic flame has been lit again here in the ancient sanctuary. From here he makes his journey to the venue of the next Olympic Games. Mycenae is a city and fortress in the northern part of the Peloponnese. In the second half of the II millennium BC. here was one of the centers ancient civilization called Mycenaean. In Mycenae are the famous "Lion's Gate", the tomb of Agamemnon, the royal palace. Epidaurus - theater. Built in the IV century. BC. It is well preserved and today is used for its intended purpose. The festival "Epidauria", held here today, includes musical and theatrical performances. Crete is the largest island of Greece, the cradle of one of the most ancient civilizations on earth - the Minoan, a place with which the legend of Daedalus and Icarus is connected.

http://turometr.ru/geo/europe/greece/_tury/

Buy a tour to Greece with special offers, and you will see the famous stadium where Greek athletes competed in ancient times. The ancient ruins of the grand temple of Zeus and the temple of the goddess Hera still keep their secrets. The homeland of the inflexible Spartans is also located in these parts. Book a tour of this land, and it will tell you about the valor and courage of the ancient warriors, who have become an example for real men of all ages and peoples. During the tours, travelers explore with interest the ancient Acropolis with the temple of Athena, ancient temples and the theater. Other no less interesting city Peloponnese, Mycenae, was a powerful stronghold of Greece for four hundred years. Buy a tour to Greece, and the cost of this trip will be negligible compared to the impressions of coming into contact with the living history of Mycenae and the splendor of its antiquity. From here, the formidable king Agamemnon led his troops to Troy. Also a kind of tour .... In the middle of the ruins of ancient Mycenae, there are the Lion's Gate, guarding the treasury of King Agamemnon into the tomb.

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In Mycenae are the famous "Lion's Gate", the tomb of Agamemnon, the royal palace

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Art of the XV-XIII centuries. BC e., like Cretan, paid great attention to man and nature (frescoes of palaces in Thebes, Tiryns, Mycenae, Pylos; vase painting, sculpture), but gravitated towards stable symmetrical forms and generalization (heraldic composition with figures of lions of the relief of the Lion Gate in Mycenae)

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And now through the "Lion's Gate" we enter the ancient city

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Achaia is worth a visit pebble beaches Simpolitia and on the sand in Kalogria. Messinia is one of the most beautiful and interesting places Peloponnese. Local beaches just scream about it - it's hard to describe, it's a must see. Those who cannot imagine a vacation without a comfortable stay will feel great in Mikri-Mantinia: there are just a lot of cafes and restaurants right on the beach. Ancient Greece. Here is concentrated most of all Greek attractions. Mycenae is the stronghold of the most ancient civilization on the planet, meeting visitors to this day with ruins with the Lion's Gate. Ancient Sparta, Olympia is famous as the ancestor of modern Olympic Games, in which, by the way, the ancient stadium, where the first competitions were held, has been preserved. Yes, after reading this, you will definitely want to enjoy your holiday in the Peloponnese. But in Corinth you can also see what is found to this day in different parts of the world near various private houses and administrative buildings - the famous Corinthian columns.

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Ruins remain at Mycenae royal palace with the famous Lion's Gate

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Mikri-Mantinia is worth visiting for those who love developed infrastructure: there are a lot of restaurants near the water. The “family” Stupa beach, which is 38 km from Kalamata, and the sandy Petalidi, and the coast of the former fishing village of Finikunda are also noteworthy. Near Pylos there are also a couple of luxurious sandy beaches. . Map of the Peloponnese. . . Peloponnese Hotels. . The number of hotels on the peninsula is noticeably less than in most other Greek resorts. However, there are hotels belonging to the well-known Greek "chains". . . Entertainment, excursions and attractions. . In the Peloponnese, you can study the history of Ancient Greece, this is one of the richest regions of the country in sights. For example, Mycenae is the center of the most ancient civilization of the planet, where the ruins of the palace with the legendary Lion Gate are still preserved. Or the same Sparta, the birthplace of 300 Spartans, the strongest in spirit and body of the inhabitants of Ancient Greece. Everyone knows Olympia as the ancestor of the Olympic Games.

http://turcorp.ru/novosti/ksklyuzivnyj_tur_na_ceremoniyu_zazhzheniya_olimpijskog...

The cyclopean walls and the famous "Lion's Gate", the royal burial places of the 15th-16th centuries, are well preserved. BC, discovered by Schliemann; palace of the Mycenaean kings; the famous tomb of King Agamemnon

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From here, from the hill, you can clearly see what is left of the ancient Agora - main square ancient Athens. And the dominant of this species is the temple of Hephaestus. . . And here is my second cherished place - ERECHTHEION. Here my second little Greek dream came true - the photo "Me and the Portico of the Caryatids". Now this photo takes place next to "Me and the Lion's Gate"! . . The caryatids you see now are only copies. The originals were moved to the New Acropolis Museum, as environment big city had a very detrimental effect on the stone. One of the Caryatids was barbarously removed by the British and is now in the British Museum. . . . The first king of Athens, Kekrops, had to decide who would be the patron of the city. Athena and Poseidon - were supposed to make a gift to Kekrop, and whoever makes best gift became the patron saint of the city. Poseidon was the first to strike with a trident, and a spring gushed out of the earth - but the water turned out to be sea, salty. After the blow of Athena, a small olive tree grew out of the ground.

http://www.panteon.ru/countries/520/docs/50/153/

You visit the fortress city, passing through the famous "Lion's Gate" - one of the oldest architectural structures the world that has come down to us

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fee - 6 euros per person. + 8 euros per person). . . . . . If you want to visit places that are rightfully considered famous centers ancient civilization, go to Argolis - the pearl of the Peloponnese. After a short stop at the Corinth Canal, which connects the Aegean and Ionian Seas, you will head to the city of Mycenae (50 km from the canal), one of the main archaeological sites in Greece. The fortress that surrounded the city was built from giant blocks of stone, giving rise to the legend of the Cyclops who built it. Now in place legendary city there is a museum famous for its royal burials of the 15th - 16th centuries. BC, discovered by G. Schliemann, the lion gate, the palace of the Mycenaean kings and the famous tomb of Agamemnon. You will visit the ruins of the prehistoric Acropolis of Mycenae. 25 km from Mycenae is the city of Nafplion, the first capital of independent Greece and the most significant city among the "living" cities of Argolis.

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Today, only ruins remain of the former power of the city of Mycenae, among which are the famous Lion's Gate, framing the entrance to the tomb - the treasury of King Atria - an underground domed room, the vaults of which are made of stones interconnected only by their own gravity. Subsequently, G. Schliemann discovered 5 more tombs different centuries, each of which contained countless riches and golden treasures, the description of which takes up 206 pages large format. Although there are rumors that all the jewels found during the excavations are just a skillful forgery of G. Schliemann, because subsequent archaeological expeditions in the city of Mycenae did not result in any significant finds. . . Athos. . On the Athos peninsula there is the only Orthodox monastic state in the world, Agion Oros (Holy Mount Athos), with 20 active monasteries X - XIV centuries, one of which is the Russian monastery of St. Panteleimon.

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Small villages and towns (Vrahati, Derveni, Kiato, Xylokastro, Isthmia), located on the shores of the Corinthian and Saronic Gulfs, attract many tourists from all continents, as well as the Greeks themselves.. . . . . . Argolis (Nafplio, Tolo, Drepano, Kandia, Porto Heli) Argolis is one of the most beautiful regions of Greece, located in the eastern part of the Peloponnese. On the territory of Argolis there are extremely interesting archaeological sites: Epidaurus, which was famous in antiquity thanks to the sanctuary of the god of healing Asclepius (Aesculapius), a well-preserved theater of the 4th century BC. BC, distinguished by extraordinary acoustics, where a famous music and theater festival takes place in the summer; the ancient city of Mycenae with the famous Lion Gate and domed tombs; Tiryns, where, according to myths, Hercules lived; the ancient city of Argos with one of the most significant sanctuaries of the goddess Hera in ancient Greece; archaeological sites of Nemea and Isthmia, where the pan-Greek Nemean and Isthmian games were held, analogues of the Olympic ones; Nafplio is the first capital of independent Greece.

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Mycenae - "Lion's Gate", royal tombs, the palace of the Mycenaean kings, the tomb of Agamemnon

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Food: It's hard to stay hungry in Greece anywhere in the Greek city there is some snack bar, barbecue, pastry shop, coffee shop, cafe, bar, tavern, wine glass or pub. Restaurants with international and Greek cuisine also found everywhere. Opening hours from 12:00 to 16:00 and from 20:00 to 2:00.. . Excursions:. . Athens: sightseeing tour visiting the main sights, visiting the White Marble Stadium, the buildings of the University of Athens, the Academy of Sciences, the State Library; excursion to the Acropolis (temples). Cape Sounion (or Kolones) visiting Glyfada, Vouliagmeni, Varkiza, the Temple of Poseidon... . Excursion to Argolis with a visit to the Corinth Canal, excursion to Epidaurus, the ancient theater, the temple of Apollo the healer, the city of Nafplion. Mycenae "Lion Gate", the royal tombs, the palace of the Mycenaean kings, the tomb of Agamemnon... . Excursion to Delphi temple of Apollo (the famous oracle is located there), the opportunity to bathe with water of the Kastalsky key, the cities of Livadia and Thebes, the village of Arachova.

Mycenae "Lion Gate", royal tombs, the palace of the Mycenaean kings, the tomb of Agamemnon

The so-called Lion's Gate - main entrance to the acropolis. Traditionally for the art of fortification of that era, the walls of the fortress at the gate created the conditions for attacking the advancing enemy from the right side, not covered by a shield. The gates are built from three slabs of approximately the same size.

A triangular insert was placed on the lintel, which redistributed the load of the stones lying above the lintel. A somewhat smaller northern gate had a similar design.

The inset depicts two relief lions standing with their front paws on an altar with a column. It is believed that the lion heads were made of separate stones and were turned to the side of those entering the gate. This is suggested by a sample of archaic bronze - hydria of the 6th century. BC. ( Historical Museum Bern), to which is attached the figure of Artemis with two lions, whose heads are turned towards the viewer. But such an image is not typical. Much more common are images of a winged goddess who holds lions by the neck - so that their heads are turned upwards. The profile image is the rule for heraldic (symmetrical) products of Mycenaean times. Nevertheless, for some reason, the reenactors really wanted to turn the heads of the lions in the direction of the viewer.

Considering analogues, we have the right to doubt that the Lion's Gate is named correctly.

Triangular inserts above the upper gate beam are found in the British Museum. Unfortunately, here, too, the upper part of the bas-relief is lost. But on the other hand, the sphinxes of the lower tier have been completely preserved. The question remains: were all the gates in the cities of the Mycenaean civilization were "lion" or are we dealing with a later copy of the Mycenaean model.

We find a possible clue to the image of lions on the Mycenaean gates in the vase painting. On one of the samples of the geometric period, we see that the heads of the lions are turned away from each other. With such an image, the heads of the lions do not rest against the column separating them. But even in this case, there is a problem: there is too little space left on the triangular insert for such an image.

We can see the further development of paired symmetrical images in the images of the Great Mother or Artemis Orphia, in which a pair of lions or other animals serves as an attribute (hydria from Bern also belongs to this type of images). Archaic images of the gods are pillar-like figures. therefore, the column on the Lion Gate could well mean the body of the goddess, and her head and upper body were located higher and were made separately. A narrow space can only be filled with a bird's head, and then the lost overhead part complements the lion's bodies, turning them into figures of griffins. In this case, the overlay should also contain flat wings located on top of the masonry.

It is believed that the gods of Mycenae are those mentioned by Homer. That is, the usual set of names of the Olympian gods for classical Greece. But in reality, the Homeric epic dates back to the decline of the Mycenaean civilization. According to the artifacts of its heyday, we do not see any gods at all. One of the clay tablets tells about the donation to the temple: "To the Lady - 1 vessel, 1 woman, in (that) month when they go to sea." We can only say that no images of the mistress goddess were found. It would be too bold to think that figurines "phi" and "psi" or anthropomorphic vases and distorted faces are the image of the goddess.

Let's pay attention to one more feature. There is obviously not enough space between the stones and the triangular insert to place the heads of lions in full face. At the same time, on analogues, we see that the heads of sphinxes or leopards are thrown back, and if the "lions" had the same upturned muzzles, then they looked somewhere up. Where? It is logical to assume that the column was the basis for the symbol to which the eyes of the "lions" are turned. What was the symbol of Mycenae, placed on a column above the main entrance to the citadel? We cannot resolve this issue today.

MYKENES

The Mycenaean culture was formed under the strong influence of the Cretan, but unlike the Cretan ones, the Mycenaean palace buildings are surrounded by fortress walls. The Peloponnese is vulnerable both from the sea and from land. Cyclopean masonry, so named for the huge size of the stones, which can only be lifted fairy giants, gives the buildings a somewhat primitive, but impressive look. It is characteristic of both Mycenae and Tiryns.

Powerful stone walls turn the building into military fortress where dominates central room- megaron - with four internal columns supporting the roof and framing the hearth. Megarons of the kings in Mycenae and Tiryns, rectilinear in plan palace isolated buildings, consisting of an open vestibule with two pillars, a front room and a hall with a hearth in the middle, are considered the prototypes of the first Greek temples.

LION GATE IN MYKENAE

The gate leading to the Achaean citadels had an impressive appearance. The entrance to the acropolis of Mycenae - the famous Lion Gate - was decorated with a slab of golden yellow stone depicting two lionesses leaning with their front paws on a pedestal with a column resembling a Cretan one. The lionesses breathe with a confident power that Cretan art did not know.

Lion Gate at Mycenae. 14th century BC e.; Mycenae. grave circle

TOMBS IN MYKENAE

These are “shaft graves” carved into the rock, lined with stone slabs and covered with slabs from above, and domed tombs (tholos), which are round structures covered with a dome, which is formed by concentric rows of overlapping masonry. A narrow corridor (dromos) leads to the round chamber. The best-preserved domed tomb of the 14th century. BC. was discovered by Schliemann in Mycenae and named by him "the treasury of Atreus", after the father of King Agamemnon, the leader of the Achaeans, the hero of the Trojan War. Its height is 13 m, diameter is 14.5 m, its dome consists of 34 concentric circles masonry, the length of the dromos is 36 m. The entrance to the tomb is made of regular stone squares; the doorway, slightly tapering at the top, is covered with a huge monolithic slab (about 120 tons in weight), over which the masonry continues, forming a triangular opening to lighten the wall above the transverse slab. We see the same construction in the so-called "Lion's Gate" leading to the acropolis of Mycenae. The triangle above the gate span is occupied here by a large triangular slab with a sculptural relief in the form of two lionesses, leaning with their front paws on the altar along the sides of the column standing on it, expanding upwards. The relief of the majestic "Lion's Gate" is the only example of monumental sculpture in Aegean art. The heraldic character of the relief fully corresponded to the conventional art of Mycenae. Mycenaean composition architectural complexes was original, but the decoration and ornamentation developed under the strong influence of Crete, differing only in great schematism.

Fortifications and burials at Mycenae. Middle of II millennium BC Partial reconstruction.

Domed tomb (the so-called Treasury of Atreus) in Mycenae. 14th c. BC e.

"The Mask of Agamemnon" is a golden funerary mask from the middle of the second millennium BC, found in 1876 in Mycenae by Heinrich Schliemann. It got its name from the legendary king Agamemnon, since Schliemann was sure that he had found his grave. However, by the time of creation, the mask is more ancient. The mask has holes for the thread with which it was attached to the face of the deceased.

Homer calls Mycenae rich in gold; excavations yielded items of exceptional wealth and artistic skill: the “mask of Agamemnon”, goblets, bowls, vessels - of coarse local work, but massive, of pure gold; a wonderful goblet made of rock crystal with a handle in the shape of a duck's head; heavy bronze swords with ivory handles inlaid with gold; many plaques, probably decorating the burial canopy and clothes; daggers of Cretan work with marvelously fine inlay on the blades depicting running lions in the midst of lilies, hunting for lions. In applied arts, in architecture, a combination of a highly developed Cretan culture with a more primitive local one can be seen.

Golden funerary masks from shaft tombs. Right - so-called. "Mask of Agamemnon"

Gold plaques for decorating clothes with an ornament of Minoan (Cretan) origin, etc. "Nestor's cup" from the shaft tombs in Mycenae. 16th century BC e.

The ancient Greeks were convinced that Mycenae was built by Perseus, and the thick, high walls of huge stone slabs were erected by the Cyclopes, one-eyed giant monsters, on his orders. Otherwise, explain how in the second millennium BC it was possible to build such grand building they simply couldn't.

The ruins of Mycenae are located on the Peloponnese peninsula, on the eastern side of a rocky ridge, 2 km from the small town of Mykenes, 90 km southwest of the capital of Greece, Athens, 32 km north of the Argolicos Gulf. On geographical map this ancient Greek city can be calculated from the following coordinates: 37° 43′ 50″ s. sh., 22° 45′ 22″ in. d.

Mycenae and Troy were discovered by a German amateur archaeologist, Schliemann. He found these unique monuments bronze age rather interesting method, using Homer's "Iliad" instead of a guide: first he found the famous Troy, and after a short period of time - Mycenae.

The heyday of the ancient Mycenaean civilization dates back to the end of the Bronze Age and dates back to 1600 - 1100 years. BC. Legends say that Mycenae was built by King Perseus, but historians tend to conclude that the founders ancient city are the Achaeans, warlike representatives of one of the ancient Greek tribes.

lucky geographical position and the wealth of the city (the Mycenaeans were active in trade throughout the Mediterranean) led to the fact that by the beginning of the XIII century. ancient Mycenae turned out to be one of the most powerful and influential states located on the territory of mainland Greece.

The power of the rulers of Mycenae extended to the entire nearby territory and, according to scientists, even covered the entire north of the Peloponnese (the researchers suggest that the kings of the city could well lead the confederation of the Peloponnesian kingdoms).

It is not surprising that the city of Mycenae had well-fortified walls designed to protect against enemy attacks: they tried to capture it more than once, and often quite successfully (this is evidenced by numerous myths of that period, whose plot was bizarrely mixed with real events, evidence of which was found by archaeologists ).

The Mycenaeans themselves were quite warlike: King Agamemnon organized a campaign against Troy, which competed with Mycenae for dominance in the region, and after a ten-year siege won a major victory. According to one of the legends, the victory was granted to him by the gods because, having fulfilled the command of the Oracle, he sacrificed his daughter, Iphigenia (later this caused the death of the king: the wife of Agamemnon, who did not accept the death of her daughter, organized a conspiracy against him).

It should be noted that the Greeks failed to take advantage of the fruits of the long-awaited victory: around 1200 BC. the territory of Greece was invaded by the tribes of the Dorians, who destroyed almost all the cities of the Peloponnese, among which were also Mycenae and Troy (the latter did not even have time to recover from the defeat and just survived a severe earthquake). For some time, the inhabitants of the cities did not leave their territory, they hid in the mountains, but later they were forced to leave their lands - some moved to the islands, others moved to Asia Minor.

What did the city look like?

Most of the population of Mycenae lived outside the fortress, at the foot of the hill. Excavations carried out by archaeologists have shown that before entering the citadel, it was necessary to pass a cemetery located outside the walls of the city and residential buildings. The discovered buildings within the city showed that within its boundaries there was a palace, living quarters, temple buildings, warehouses and shaft tombs, in which representatives of the ruling dynasties were buried.

Like most ancient cities, Mycenae was a well-fortified fortress and was built on a rocky hill about 280 meters high.

The city was surrounded by a fortress wall made of huge boulders, about 900 meters long, at least 6 meters wide, and in some places exceeded 7 meters in height, while the weight of some stone blocks exceeded 10 tons.

front gate

It was possible to get into the fortress along a stone-paved road through the Lion Gate, the width and depth of which was about three meters.

The Lion Gate was built in Mycenae in the thirteenth century BC during the expansion of the fortress wall. They were erected from three huge, slightly processed limestone blocks, and closed with two wooden doors (this is evidenced by the recesses located inside the side walls).

The upper horizontal lintel was wider than the pillars on which it was laid - this was done so that a triangular limestone pediment slab with two depicted lions could be installed on top. According to one hypothesis, the bas-relief crowning the Lion Gate is the coat of arms of the Atrid dynasty, which ruled the city at that time. According to another, it is dedicated to the goddess Potnia, who is the patroness of all animals.

These lions are turned towards each other and, standing on their hind legs, their front legs rest on two located altars, between which a column is depicted. Unfortunately, the heads of animals have not survived to this day, but after carefully studying the bas-relief, scientists came to the conclusion that they were made of a different material (possibly ivory) and most likely looked at people who entered the citadel through the Lion Gate .

One of the purposes of this bas-relief was to mask the resulting hole: the Lion Gate was built according to all the rules of its time, so all the blocks that needed to be placed above the lintel were installed with a bevel, which made it possible to move most of the load on the side walls, between which they were installed Lion Gate.

As a result, an empty space was formed above the lintel, where a slab with a bas-relief was installed, which is considered the earliest monumental sculpture Mycenaean period (before Mycenae was discovered, only figurines 50 cm high were found).

Castle

Immediately after the Lion Gate, the road goes up, and then on the left side rests on a staircase, along which it was possible to climb to the palace, located on top of the cliff (according to experts, the castle was built in the XIV century BC, and some found fragments in it belong to an earlier period).

The staircase ends in a rectangular courtyard, which could be accessed from the throne room, bypassing the reception room and a portico with two columns. The throne room had a rectangular shape, its roof was supported by four columns, and the walls were decorated with frescoes depicting war chariots, horses and women.

The living quarters were north side castle, many of them were two-story. Most likely, they could be reached from the vestibule of the palace. Also here was a temple with round altars, near which was found made of ivory sculptural composition of two goddesses and a child.

Interestingly, during excavations, clay tablets with inscriptions were found in the palace, which turned out to be financial reports of military expenses, as well as lists of people working for the Mycenaean rulers: it was a list of slaves, rowers, artisans. This gives reason to scientists to suggest that Mycenae was a rather bureaucratic state.

Shaft Tombs

On the right side of the Lion's Gate, there were shaft tombs surrounded by a stone fence, in which kings were buried. These were rectangular-shaped burial chambers carved into the rock, going to a depth of one and a half to five meters. Now, on the site of ancient burials, stone slabs set on edge, marking their location, are installed. In these tombs, archaeologists have found real treasures - coins, jewelry, rings, bowls, daggers, swords made of gold, silver and bronze.

Domed and chamber tombs

Before building a fortress, the Mycenaeans buried their rulers in the so-called domed tombs, which were shaped like huge domes. In total, archaeologists have discovered nine such tombs dating back to the 15th-14th centuries. BC. The tombs were underground structures with a high dome tapering upwards, which towered above the ground. After the burial, the tomb was closed, and the corridor leading to the burial pit was covered with earth.

One of the most famous tombs of this type is the tomb of Atreus (XIV century), which could be reached through a long corridor, the dromos. The burial pit was underground and had 13 meters in height and 14 in width (unfortunately, it was not possible to find out what exactly the king took with him to the afterlife, since the grave was plundered in ancient times). A nine-meter square slab was installed above the entrance to the burial room. How exactly the ancient masters managed to establish it, scientists still have not figured out.

Aristocrats and members of their families were buried in nearby chamber tombs. These were mostly family crypts carved into the mountainside, which can be reached via the dromos.

How to get to Mycenae

Those wishing to see one of the most famous monuments of the Bronze Age should take into account that it is located on the territory archaeological park"Mycenae", and therefore the entrance to its territory is paid (a ticket costs about 8 euros).

The city of Mycenae is best reached from the capital of Greece by regular bus, the road in this case will take about two hours, and the ticket will cost 12 euros. You can also use a car and a map - first get to the city of Argo, passing the Corinth Canal, and from there go to Mykenes.

The Mycenaean era is counted from the 2nd millennium BC. The center of culture of this civilization is located in the ancient city of Mycenae, the ruins of which have been preserved on the territory modern Greece. According to legend, the city was built by Perseus himself.

The grandeur, scope, size of the ruins that have survived to this day leave no doubt about the veracity of this legend. The ancient city was built from impressive boulders at a great height above sea level. It is believed that the Cyclopes built it, so any buildings made of rough, unhewn stone large sizes later they were called cyclopean.

The wall around the Mycenaean acropolis was built around the 13th century BC. The entrance to the city is guarded by a gate called the lion gate. Above the giant stone opening, which, according to historians, was closed with wooden gates, there will be a triangular pediment depicting the figures of two lions. The heads of the lions have not been preserved.

It is assumed that the heads were made of a different material and collapsed over time. The lions looked at the incoming person and inspired fear in him. But the function of this triangular part above the gate was not only frightening and decorative. The lions are made of a lighter material so as not to create a load on the gate opening.
The Lion's Gate is one of the oldest architectural monuments Mycenaean culture. Prior to this pediment, only small sculptures were mastered by the Mycenaeans.
On the territory of the ancient city there was a treasury, most of the materials of which were transferred to the Athens Museum.

Jewelry, dishes, funeral masks, and tablets with writings were found here. Under the arches of the acropolis was the "Source of Perseus" - a cistern 18 m deep, in which water accumulated, flowing through the masonry into a drinking well.

The Mystery of the Thracian Horseman

Greek land covered in many myths and legends. Some of them continue to live today, having gone through a long and thorny path historical upheavals. Back in the 4th century BC. e. in Thrace, the cult of the mysterious Thracian horseman was widespread, who was worshiped not only by the local warlike tribes, but also by the Romans and Greeks. Scientists draw significant parallels between the cult of the Thracian horseman, the cult of heroes in Hellas and Celtic myths.

Ancient Greek architectural orders.

Polis in Ancient Greece

Greece in antiquity is not one whole state in the understanding of contemporaries. The ancient country consisted of policies - city-states. They were independent units, considering themselves independent, but if it was necessary to unite against an external enemy, the allies instantly came to the aid of each other. A special form of organization of the economy, law and political relations

Thessaloniki in Greece. History, sights (part seven)

In 1988, several ancient Christian and Byzantine monuments Thessaloniki has been added to the list world heritage UNESCO, and already in 1997 the city was officially named European capital culture, which is marked big amount ongoing events. To date, the list of UNESCO in Greece includes 17 historical monuments World Heritage. 15 of them are included according to cultural criteria, 11 are classified as masterpieces of human genius and recognized as a phenomenon of exceptional natural beauty and aesthetic significance. 8 historical monuments are candidates for inclusion in the heritage list. Thessaloniki is the only city in Greece rich in monuments of Byzantine and early Christian architecture, it has 15 monuments belonging to the World Heritage.