Two hours east of Athens, in the Peloponnese, lies Ancient Epidaurus, an ancient sanctuary of great archaeological significance, surrounded by natural beauty combining mountains and sea, and inhabited by a small local population.
The highlight of Epidaurus is its spectacular theatre which provided entertainment and healing for those who made the pilgrimage from all over Greece. Given its size of over 14000 seats, the acoustics needed to be perfect - and they still are! The sanctuary, the best-preserved theatre in the ancient world, is surrounded by the scant remains of its city. In 400 BC Epidaurus, with a sprawling complex of hospitals, was the most famous healing centre in the Greek world. A place of miraculous cures, the sick came to be treated by doctor priests. It continued to operate until 426 AD when it - and all other pagan sanctuaries - were closed by the Christian emperor and left to ruin in the early years of Roman occupation.
The official sanctuary of Ancient Epidaurus was the sanctuary of Asclepius, the ancient Greek god of medicine, and was the largest and most famous in all of ancient Greece, and now one of Greece's 18 UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
The history of Ancient Epidaurus continues to thrive today, and it has also become a cultural, creative, and modern hub:
• the Athens-Epidaurus Festival, established in 1955, holds the ‘Festival Epidaurus’ annually,
with excellent performances of excellent plays
• since 1995, the Small Theatre of Ancient Epidaurus organises ‘Musical July’, a vast array of concerts and performances
• every July, the port of Ancient Epidaurus is transformed into an open market for the Festival of Agrotourism,
providing fresh, locally grown products
• the Epidaurus Triathlon is a two-day regional sports event with 2km sea swimming, 95km biking on surrounding
mountains and 21km trail running
• snorkelling and diving the well-preserved ruins of The Sunken City, found in the shallow waters of Kalymnios beach
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