1. Tiryns

It is 4 kilometres from Nauplion with regular bus service ( every quarter of an hour). Today there still rise imposingly the walls of the prehistoric city. «Tyrins with great walls» as it is called by Homer. It was built by Proetus, brother of Acrisius, king of Argos, with the help, according to tradi­tion, of the Cyclops that came from Lycia. Direct descendants of Proetus were Perseus, Amphitryon, Eurystheus, and Hercules. In the Mycenaean period Tiryns belonged to the King of Mycenae. After the descent of the Dorians, Tiryns became an indepen­dent city and took part in the battle of Plataea (479 B.C.). Excavations brought to light the ruins of a palace and of prehisto­ric houses. Next to the Acropolis of Tiryns, in the old Agricu1tural School organized by Ka­podistria, there is the Agricultural and Cri­minal Prison and the Technical School of Argolis.

2. Mycenae.

  It is situated at a distance of 25 Km from Nauplion and one can go there on the special bus that starts from Argos (10.30. a.m., 2 p.m., 18.30. p.m., 19.30. p.m.). At Mycenae there are hotels and a touri­stic pavilion. It is the centre of the civilization bearing its name and has been praised by Homer and the ancient Greek tragic poets. The rise of the city starts with the Perseidae dynasty in the 17th century B.C. Sch1iemann, after having studied Homer, started excavating the area and brought to light such precious findings, that justify its title of «gold - abounding Mycenae». The Mycenaean tombs, the ones of «pit style», have been dug into soft rock. On the right on the Lion Gate there were found at first six intact ones. The dead had gold marks and precious armour. During the Atreideae dynasty the Acropolis walls and the Lion Gate were erected and it was then that the city reached the peak of its glory, having established contact with Egypt and Asia Minor. One can still see the remnants of the palace at the top of the Acropolis, as well as the famous Atreus' Treasure or Agamemnon's tomb (1250 B.C.) Clytem­nestra's tomb and some more. The lίntel stone of Atreus' Treasure consists of one block of stone 8,50 m. 10ng, 3 m. wide and 1.20 m. ta1. Its weight is 120 tons. Mycenae was destroyed by the Argeians (468 B.C.) and during the historical times was lust an unimportant village, that still kept some of its old splendor.  

3. The Asklepeion at Epidaurus.

At the distance of 30 Km. from Nauplion with regular bus service. There is a special touristic bus starting at 10 and 11.30 a.m. At the archaeological site there is a touri­stic pavilion and a hotel.

Epidaurus is a prehistoric city mentioned by Homer. Apollo Maleatas was worshiped here. At the area of the temple Aescu1apius was the main deity worshiped. Thousands of pilgrims, during the Greek-Roman pe­riod, thronged here seeking rest or remedy. Such was the faith to the healing abilities of Aesculapius that his worship continued long after the establishment of Christianity.

Entering the archaelogical site one sees, on the right, the Stadium (5th century B.C.) with many of its seats still preserved. Gym­nic athletic games used to take place here. Other monuments are : the Tholos with its labyrinth basement, a work of Polycleitus junior from Argos, the temple of Aescula­pius, where there was a gold - ivory statue of the god made by Thrasymedes, the Aba­ton, the patients' lodging area, the Gymna­sium, the Roma Odeum and finally the famous theatre, the best preserved ancient theatre. It is also a work of Polycleitus junior (middle of 4th century B.C.). It is not a perfect circle but an elliptic curve with three centres in the orchestra. Its acoustics is exceptional and it can take 14 thousand spectators. First started in 1953, every summer there take place here «The Εpidavria», theatrical performances of anci­ent Greek tragedies and comedies with the National Theatre of Greece.

4. Ancient Asine.

Homeric Asine is found at a distance of 11 Km from Nauplion and there is a bus to it every hour. According to the tra­dition it was colonized by the tribe of Dryopes that came down from Mount Par­nassus. It was destroyed by the king of Argos Democratidas during the second Messe­nian war (middle of 7th century B.C.) be­cause it had allied with Sparta, which was an enemy to both the Messenians and the Argeians. The excavations (1922 - 1930) we­re came out by the Swedish, in which the crown prince then and later king of Swedes Gustav Adolph worked together with professor Persohn. The findings are exhibited at the museums of Nauplion and Athens.

The poet George Seferis in his characte­ristic poem «The King of Asine» describes vividly the realm of the deficient homeric memory and the futi1e search for the rem­nants of the king of the city, who has been enwrapped by the darkness of oblivion. Α lyric answer to this melancholic poem was given by the Nauplian poet Nikos Karou­zos, to whom the symbolic presence of Virgin Mary's church on the ruins and the orange trees all around give faith in the beauty of life, when it is made worthy by the christian existence.

 

5. Agia Moni (Holy Convent).

       Three Ki1ometres from Nauplion. It was founded in 1144 by the Bishop of Argos and Nauplion Leo and today it has 19 nuns. The church of the Convent, bui1t in 1149, is a prototype of byzantine architecture and, as the French Byzantinologist Charles Dieh1s says «it is the most beautiful monu­ment of the second millennium». It has four pillars and a light dome and has been bui1t with carved porous stone blocks. On the west gate of the church there is a marble stone with the following inscri­ption :