27-06-2008

ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES
BY HARIS ARGYROPOULOS
42
Epidaurus,
an ancient feat
in acoustics
The ancient site of Epidaurus in
Argolis, 145 kilometers from
Athens, is the site of Greece’s bestpreserved
ancient theater, part of
the wider complex of the Sanctuary
of Asclepius, the Greek god of
healing.
Epidaurus was a famous healing
and cultural center in ancient times,
where people came to pay tribute to
the gods and ask them for remedies
for their physical ailments.
The complex was built circa the 3rd
century BC and included a
multitude of buildings of various
uses associated with the cult of
Asclepius, the most famous of which
today is the ancient theater.
This is one of the very few ancient
theaters that has retained its
original circular orchestra and it is a
rare aesthetic sight. During the
Roman occupation of Greece, most
theater orchestras were changed
from the original circular shape to
that of a semicircular amphitheater,
but luckily Epidaurus was not only
preserved as it was but was also
extended. It emerged with only
minor damage when it was
rediscovered and excavated in 1881.
Its view and acoustics are
breathtaking: A person sitting in the
top row can hear a conversation
being spoken in normal tones at the
center stage of the theater, which
can accommodate 14,000 people.
A 2007 study by researchers at the
Georgia Institute of Technology
indicates that the astonishing
acoustic properties are either the
result of an accident or the product
of advanced design. The rows of
limestone seats filter out lowfrequency
sounds, such as the
murmur of the crowd, and amplify
or reflect high-frequency sounds
from the stage.
Every summer since 1954, the
theater hosts performances of
ancient Greek drama, which will
start again for the season next
Friday . The nearby Little Theater,
which predates the main one, was
dedicated to the god Dionysus. It
has been restored and is used for
musical performances, which this
summer start June 27.
ESCAPES & DIVERSIONS
Archelon
Saving the sea turtle
Smokovo baths
Healing waters
ATHENSPLUS • FRIDAY, JUNE 27, 2008
AROUND GREECE
Archelon, Greece’s Sea Turtle Protection Society, every
summer relies heavily on hundreds of volunteers from all over
the world who work at the stations it operates on the island of
Zakynthos, at two locations in the southern Peloponnese and
on the island of Crete, where the major nesting areas of the
Caretta-caretta lie.
Archelon’s mission is to protect the sea turtles and their
habitats via monitoring and research, to develop and
implement management plans, and to work toward habitat
restoration, raising public awareness and rehabilitating sick
and injured turtles. Every year around 300 turtles are tagged
in order to follow their movements in the sea.
Their work includes monitoring more than 2,500 nests along
some 75 kilometers of coastline. On Zakynthos, Archelon
conducts its projects under an agreement with the National
Marine Park. Pilot sand dune restoration projects have been
carried out behind nesting beaches.
The organization also works closely with state agencies, local
authorities, institutions, other NGOs, fishermen and local
inhabitants in order to mitigate and reverse the population
reduction of sea turtles.
Volunteers have to be prepared to rise early and work several
hours outdoors. Accommodation is in camping facilities. The
cost of participation is 150 euros for two weeks and includes a
year’s subscription to the organization’s publications.
Volunteers also work in Archelon’s rescue center in the Athens
suburb of Glyfada, where over over 50 injured sea turtles are
treated every year. The center is open to visitors.
INFO: Rescue Center, 3rd Marina Glyfada,
tel/fax 210.898.2600, www.archelon.gr.
The history of the Smokovo
baths, near the central Greek
town of Karditsa, dates back to
1662. Endowed with great
natural beauty, and fed by
mineral-rich waters, these baths
are among the most famous in Greece for their benefits to the
health. The healing waters flow at temperatures ranging from
29 to 40 degrees Celsius and are thus considered ideal for
people suffering from respiratory and digestive disorders, skin
conditions and chronic rheumatism, or endocrinological and
gynecological ailments. The newly renovated facility includes
53 private baths with hydromassage, an inhalation therapy
room, a nasal irrigation room and a communal steam bath and
sauna. The baths, which are nestled in a small valley located at
the 35th kilometer of the Karditsa-Rentina road at an altitude
of 450 meters, are open to the public from June 1 to October 15.
There are also a number of hotels in the area that are run by the
municipal authorities to serve those who want to visit the
baths, as well as a regular bus service from Karditsa.
For more info on the Smokovo baths,
call 24410.61210/80.
Santorini
Art center
in an old
sub-level
winery
Historical evidence in the
form of grape seeds and
engravings on pots found
during excavations on the
island of Santorini shows
that viticulture on the
island was developed
well before 1700 BC.
Because of the strong
winds and little water on
the island, the local
grapes do not grow in
arbors but are cultivated
close to the ground in
baskets that are actually
made up of the stems or
stalks of the vines
themselves.
There are a number of
large wineries on the
island that offer tours all
day long and that include
winetasting and food.
Most people visit the
larger wineries on the
island which are well
advertised and offer
informative tours of their
pumice rock-carved
chambers, most of which
are more than 100 years
old.
Art Space at the Exo
Gonia village is now a
gallery as well as a
winery, dating back to
1861.
You won’t find the
massive equipment that
you find at the larger
wineries but you will find
some pretty good art,
contemporary Greek
paintings and sculpture.
Another unique feature
of the museum, besides
the winemaking facilities,
is its tomato paste
processing plant which
has been preserved as as
it was in the preindustrial
era of the 19th
century.
Tel. 22860.32774. Open
daily from 11 a.m. to
sunset.
Kavala
Imaret, a monumental hotel
The Imaret is a new luxury hotel – one of the most unique
in the world and located within its namesake historical
monument – built in 1817 and overlooking the city of Kavala
in northern Greece. The original facility, which included an
Islamic seminary, a mosque and a hamam (Turkish baths),
was a gift from Mohammad Ali Pasha, the Ottoman
Empire’s viceroy to Egypt, to the city where he was born.
The complex crowns the hillside of Panagia, the city’s
oldest district, offering stunning views of the sea and the
surrounding hills. After almost a century of neglect, the site
reopened in 2005 as this superb 27-room – and suite –
hotel, with a gourmet restaurant, outdoor pool, massage
and relaxation area, conference room, reception hall and a
heated indoor pool under the original domes of the
mosque. The building is an architectural delight, blending
the Oriental and Western influences of the period. Its
architecture closely resembles that of the Topkapi Palace in
Istanbul. Last year, the Imaret received the Best Boutique
Hotel in Greece award. Prices vary from 220 to 1,500 euros
per night for two people, not including breakfast.
Reservations: tel 2510.620151.
Lake Trichonida
A nature lover’s paradise
Trichonida, Greece’s largest lake, is located in the western
mainland region of Aitoloacarnania and is a wetland of
great aesthetic, environmental and economic interest. It
has a surface area of 97 square kilometers. It offers a large
variety of delights: Visitors can either enjoy a cool swim or
the huge biodiversity, starting with some serious birdwatching.
The lake is an important stop for migratory birds
and home to many endangered species. More than 200
different species have been recorded along its shores. Lake
Trichonida and its environs also host eight amphibian and
over 17 reptilian species.
Another of the area’s highlights are treks through the
beautiful valleys and surrounding mountainsides, with
perhaps a stop for a refreshing sip of fresh water from one
the many springs along the way. After the day’s activities,
you can sample some of the local delicacies, such as fresh
fish from the lake (some 25 species live here), handmade
pastries and pies, or meat cooked on the spit at one of the
many tavernas that dot the shoreline.