Mycenae is an archaeological site near Mykines in Argolis, north-eastern Peloponnese, Greece. It is located about 120 kilometers south-west of Athens and is UNESCO World Heritage Site.
In the second millennium BC, Mycenae was one of the major centers of Greek civilization, a military stronghold which dominated much of southern Greece, Crete, the Cyclades and parts of southwest Anatolia. The period of Greek history from about 1600 BC to about 1100 BC is called Mycenaean in reference to Mycenae. At its peak in 1350 BC, the citadel and lower town had a population of 30,000 and an area of 32 hectares.
In the absence of documents and objects that can be precisely dated, events at Mycenae can only be dated relatively within the constraints of Helladic chronology which relies on categorization of stratified material objects, mainly pottery, within an agreed historical framework.
Mycenae, an acropolis site, was built on a hill 900 feet above sea level, some 19 kilometers inland from the Gulf of Argolis. Situated in the north-east corner of the Argive plain, it easily overlooked the whole area and was ideally positioned to be a center of power, especially as it commanded all easy routes to the Isthmus of Corinth. Besides its strong defensive and strategic position, it had good farmland and an adequate water supply.
The Lion Gate was the main entrance of the Bronze Age citadel of Mycenae, southern Greece. It was erected during the 13th century BC, around 1250 BC in the northwest side of the acropolis and is named after the relief sculpture of two lionesses or lions in a heraldic pose that stands above the entrance.
The Lion Gate is the sole surviving monumental piece of Mycenaean sculpture, as well as the largest sculpture in the prehistoric Aegean. It is the only known monument of Bronze Age Greece to bear an iconographic motif that survived without being buried underground, and the only relief image which was described in the literature of classical antiquity, such that it was well known prior to modern archeology.
The imposing gate of the citadel with the representation of the lionesses or lions was an emblem of the Mycenaean kings and a symbol of their power to both subjects and foreigners.
How to visit Mycenae
We at Monterrasol Travel welcome you to see Mycenae during multiday private car tour. Contact us if you would like to customize your tour to Mycenae.
We have developed several tours that visiting this beautiful place. But, if you have a special conditions or any from these tours fit you, please do not hesitate to contact us, we can organize a tour exactly as you would like. And remember, we have no problems to take you from almost any place where you stay, hotel or private accommodation.
This off-season balanced tour is aimed for people who interesting in the history of Greece, to walk that ancient historical places where are roots of culture of our civilization. During this tour we will visit 6 places that are on the list of UNESCO. Many other we going to visit places now expecting to be on UNESCO list; such places are prepared, available for public for fraction of cost, and are on so called UNESCO tentative list.
This 14 days tour will allow you to meet amazing south Balkans countries: Bosnia & Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania, and of course beautiful Greece. The route will pass through Trebinje, Podgorica, Durres, Ioannina, Nafpaktos, Olympia, Sparta, Nafplio and other towns. We will see old castles, monasteries, archaeological sites, and amazing coastal line. At summer time we will stop on beaches to take a rest, refresh and enjoy the crystal clear water.
This off-season tour is for people who would like to get to know deeply the history of Greece and walk that ancient historical places where are roots of culture of our civilization. Around the world such places are on the list of UNESCO. And many other places now expecting to be on UNESCO list; such places are prepared, available for public for fraction of cost, and are on so called UNESCO tentative list.
During this tour we going to visit main UNESCO places and UNESCO tentative list places, located in Greece mainland. Greece is so rich with history that visit all UNESCO places in one tour will take very long time. Because of that we, Monterrasol Travel, created this tour to be able to visit the main UNESCO places in one tour.
In this tour we will travel 15 days by Adriatic coast of Montenegro and Albania, and discover Greece mainland and Peloponnese. Meet during the tour ancient monasteries and castles, enjoy amazing beaches, touch stones of old places in 3 countries.
tour destinations: Corinth, Diros, Epidaurus, Kalamata, Methoni, Monemvasia, Mycenae, Mystras, Nafplio, Porto Kagio, Sparta
Greek Peloponnese round tour in 15 days. Visit all main attraction of Peloponnese peninsula and see castles, ancient places, beaches. Travel Peloponnese with Monterrasol and visit Sparta, Corinth, Mycenae, Epidaurus, Monemvasia, Methoni and other places.
Balkan route from Dubrovnik to Athens in 16 days. Visit Bosnia, Montenegro, pass hills of Albania, and discover fortresses and ancient towns of Greece. Bosnian old towns and monasteries, Montenegro oldest monastery, hills of Albania, and discover greek fortresses, beaches, monasteries and archaeological sites.
This off-season tour is focused on people who would like to get to know deeply the history of Greece and walk that ancient historical places where are roots of culture of our civilization. Around the world such places are on the list of UNESCO. And many other places now expecting to be on UNESCO list; such places are prepared, available for public for fraction of cost, and are on so called UNESCO tentative list.
During this tour we going to visit most of UNESCO places and UNESCO tentative list places, located in Greece mainland. Greece is so rich with history that visit all UNESCO places in one tour will take very long time. Because of that we, Monterrasol Travel, created this tour to be able to visit the most of UNESCO places in one tour.
From 1 Feb 2019 we load on our site the description of new place: Monemvasia, Greece. We have visited this beautiful place few times and we definitely like to be there, and we are welcome you to have a trip there with us!
Monemvasia is a town and a municipality in Laconia, Greece. The town is located on a small island off the east coast of the Peloponnese. The island is linked to the mainland by a short causeway 200m in length. Its area consists mostly of a large plateau some 100 meters above sea level, up to 300 m wide and 1 km long, the site of a powerful medieval fortress. The town walls and many Byzantine churches remain from the medieval period.
