Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus
Αρχαίο Θέατρο Επιδαύρου
Interesting facts
- A 2007 acoustic study suggested the stepped limestone seats act as a filter, damping crowd murmur while reflecting performers' higher voice frequencies.
- The first modern performance here was Sophocles' Electra in 1938, with the celebrated actress Katina Paxinou in the cast.
- Maria Callas returned the year after her Norma to sing Cherubini's Médée on the same stage in 1961.
- The curve of the auditorium is not a simple semicircle but is drawn from three separate centres, a refinement linked to its fine sightlines and sound.
- The front rows of both the lower and upper tiers were reserved seats of honour for important spectators.
- The stage building went up in two phases, in the late 4th and mid-2nd centuries BC, and actors later performed on its roof.
- The drain around the orchestra is almost two metres wide and was originally hidden under a circular stone walkway.
- Systematic excavation of the theatre began in 1881 under the Greek archaeologist Panagiotis Kavvadias.
Why it is worth it
The theatre at Epidaurus is the most complete of all ancient Greek theatres, and it is famous for its acoustics: a voice from the orchestra carries clearly to the upper rows. It was built at the end of the 4th century BC in the sanctuary of Asclepius, the healing god, on a hillside in the Argolid; ancient sources name the architect as Polykleitos the Younger, and even in antiquity it was praised for its symmetry and beauty. Performances were part of the cult: watching drama was thought to be good for the mind and body of the patients who came here to be healed.
Up to 13,000 or 14,000 people could sit in its auditorium, divided by a walkway into a lower section of 12 wedges and an upper one of 22. The circular orchestra, 20 metres across, still has the base of the altar in its centre and is ringed by a stone drain. Unlike most Greek theatres it was not rebuilt by the Romans, so its original geometry survives. Restoration work between 1907 and 2016 put back most of the auditorium and the two monumental gateways; only the stage building is reduced to foundations.
Leave time for the sanctuary of Asclepius itself, inscribed by UNESCO together with the theatre in 1988, where the ruins of the healing complex and the temple of the god lie spread out below the hillside. Even better, come on a summer evening: since 1955 the Athens and Epidaurus Festival has staged ancient drama here, and Maria Callas sang Norma on this stage in 1960.
Getting there
The theatre is near the village of Lygourio in the Argolid, about 31 km from Argos as the crow flies and around two hours by car from Athens. KTEL buses run from Athens with limited departures, plus extra services on performance nights. Athens International Airport (ATH) is about 85 km away as the crow flies.
Plan your visit
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Nearby places
- Palamidi 24.6 km · fortress
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From the encyclopaedia
The Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus is a theatre in the Greek city of Epidaurus, located on the southeast end of the sanctuary dedicated to the ancient Greek God of medicine, Asclepius. It is built on the west side of Cynortion Mountain, near modern Lygourio, and belongs to the Epidaurus Municipality. Constructed in the late 4th century BC, it is considered to be the most perfect ancient Greek theatre with regard to acoustics and aesthetics. Because of its exceptional architecture and aesthetics, the theatre was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1988 along with the Temple of Asclepius.
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