Ancient Theatre

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The Fountantions of Tholos
 

The Theatre in evening

The Small Theatre

 The Theatre of Epidavros
 

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The theather of Epidavros is one of the most impresive sight in Greece. Probably built in the 4th century, possibly by Polykleitos, the architect of the Tholos, this theater seated - all still seats - some 14.000 spectators. Unlike so many ancient buildings, including almost everything as the sanctuary of Ascelpios, the theater was not pillaged for building blocks in antiquity. As a result, it is astonishingly weel preserved; restaurations have been minimal.

A LOOK AT THE PAST:

In pre-Greek times the god of Maleas wasworshipped on the hill of Kynortion (above the theatre), and the Greeks equated the earlier divinity with their god Apollo. Then, at a time that has not been esthabilished Apollo was joined by his son Askelpios, who had grown up at Trikka in Thessaly. Every four years games were held in honour of the god, and from 395 B.C. there was also dramatic festival. from the end of the 5th century B.C. the cult of Ascelpios spread widely throughout the ancient world, reaching Athens in 420 B.C. and Rome in 293.

WHAT TO SEE & DO:

The Old Theatre
On the top, you can look down over the 55 rows of seats, divided into a lower section of 34 rows, and a upper section with 21 rows. The theater's acoustics are famous and you'll almost certainly see someone demonstrating that a whisper can be heard all the way from the round orchestra to the topmost row of the seats. Still there's almost always a respectful silence here when a performance of a classical Greek play begins as the sun sinks behind the orchestra and the first actor steps onto the stage.

Sanctuary of Ascelpios
As at Olympia, the Ascelpios had accommodations for visitors, sevral large bath houses, civic buildings, a stadium, gymnasium, and several temples and shrines. If you wonder why the inner foundations of the tholos are so convoluted and labyrinthine. Next to the tholos are the remains of two long stoas. At the entrance, the excavation museum helps toput some flesh on the bones of the confusion remains of the sanctuary. It has a extensive collection of architectural fragments from the sanctuary, includin lovely acanthus implements from the mystarious tholos and the terra-cotta body parts.

Classical Production At The Ancient Theatre
Performance at the ancient theater are usually given Saturday and Sundays from June through September. Many productions are staged by the National Theater of Greece some by foreign company. A Music Festival during the last two weeks of July are staged by the greek or foreign orchestras.

GETTING THERE:

44 km. from Tolo, 152 km from Athena
Altitude: 90m
By Bus
There are two busses a day run from the Stathmos Leoforia Peloponisou in Athens. There are three buses a day from Nafplion Bus Station, as well as extra buses when there are performance at the Theatre of Epidavros.
By Car
From Athens - Corinth - Nemea - Mycenae - Argos - Nafplio - Epidavros or, Athens - Corinth - Nea Epidavros - Palaia Epidavros