Survey
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
Listes indicatives avec leur description GRÈCE Nom du bien : Ancient Greek Theatres Coordonnées : Date de soumission : 16/01/2014 Critères : Soumis par : Permanent Delegation of Greece to UNESCO Liste du PM (nom,id) : État, province ou région : Brève description Theatre of Dionysos in Athens: Region of Attica, Regional Unit of Central Attica 23.727730E, 37.970383N Theatre of the Amphiareion: Region of Attica, Regional Unit of Eastern Attica 23.845344E, 38.291581N Theatre of Epidaurus: Region of Peloponnese, Regional Unit of Argolis 23.079200E, 37.596000N Theatre of Megalopolis: Region of Peloponnese, Regional Unit of Arcadia 22.127258E, 37.410170N Theatre of Argos: Region of Peloponnese, Regional Unit of Argolis 22.7196E, 37.6316N Theatre of Delphi: Region of Central Greece, Regional Unit of Fhocis 22.500706E, 38.482450N Theatre of Eretria: Region of Central Greece, Regional Unit of Euboea 23.790644E, 38.398603N Theatre of Larissa I: Region of Thessaly, Regional Unit of Larissa 22.415256Ε,39.640315Ν Theatre of Delos: Region of South Aegean, Regional Unit of Mykonos 25.268105Ε, 37.397040Ν Theatre of Melos: Region of South Aegean, Regional Unit of Melos 24.421035Ε, 36.737823Ν Theatre of Lindos: Region of South Aegean, Regional Unit of Rhodes 28.086576Ε, 36.089886Ν Theatre of Oeniadae: Region of West Greece, Regional Unit of Aetoloakarnia 21.199028Ε, 38.409614Ν Theatre of Dodona. Region of Epirus, Regional Unit of Ioannina 20.787700 Ε, 39.546492Ν Theatre of Aptera: Region of Crete, Regional Unit of Chania 24.141436Ε, 35.461272Ν Theatre of Maronia: Region of East Macedonia and Thrace, Regional Unit of Rhodope 25 ο 31.155΄Ε, 40ο 52.727΄Ν Theatre construction is a concept and an architectural achievement of Greek civilisation: a plain structure in which coexist, in a balanced and complete manner, functionality and excellent aesthetics. An indispensable element of every urban centre from the Classical period onwards, theatres were set in the centre of political, social and religious life: the acropolis, the agora, the stadium, the bouleuterion, the sanctuaries. Theatres were distinguished by their simplicity of design, with a circular or semicircular seating layout, which, combined with the height difference between the tiers, achieved a unique combination of an unimpeded view and excellent acoustics. The seats of the cavea were usually adapted to the side of a natural hill, its centre dug out of the earth or rock and banked up on the sides, while in some cases, albeit rare, an artificial elevation was created on level ground in order to form the basis of the cavea seating. Early, wooden theatral structures are dated to the 6 th c. BC and are known only from literary sources and vasepainting. Stone structures are found from the 5th c. onwards, while Greek theatres attained their full architectural form in the 4th c. BC, consisting of three discrete parts: the audience seating area (cavea), the orchestra and the stage building (scaenae frons), which became ever more complex to meet evolving dramatic needs. Most theatres had stone seats divided into wedge-shaped sections (cunei) by staircases made of the same material. The cavea is divided horizontally by a concentric passageway, the diazoma. The upper part of the cavea is known as the epitheatre. The front-row seats of the lower cavea and epitheatre were reserved for privileged persons. These seats of honour might stand out by their construction, or even be luxurious stone thrones, sometimes bearing the names of the dignitaries for whom they were intended (proedriae). Access to the orchestra was via two entrances on either side, the parodoi. Very often a drainage duct for the rainwater coming off the cavea ran round the orchestra, in front of the first row of seats. The stage buildings, in their fully developed form, almost always combine a stage, with a ground floor and first floor, with a proscenium. The proscenium usually takes the form of a small row of pillars, columns or semi-columns in the Doric or Ionic style. Paintings were placed in the spaces between the columns of the proscenium, while each of its three doorways, similarly painted, is conventionally thought to have led to the palace, the countryside or the port. The stage building always includes an upper storey, its floor level with the proscenium roof. Certain stages also included side rooms that served as outbuildings, while many stage buildings are connected to porticos (stoai). In some theatres, an underground passage from the stage to the orchestra, known as the “Charonian steps”, allowed the gods of the netherworld to appear and intervene in the actions of the characters on stage. The actors’ performance area, the logeion, was between the stage building and the orchestra. With the passage of time and the development of the stage building, this was moved to the flat proscenium roof or to special raised platforms. In Roman times, most Greek theatres were turned into arenas, adapted to the new types of spectacle which became popular during this period. Protective structures were added for the audience, while the orchestra area was enlarged to host gladiatorial combats and wild beast fights. In some cases water cisterns were placed in the orchestra for water sports and other spectacles. The theatres were built to host plays, which were originally closely linked to religious rituals. They later evolved independently of religion, culminating in performances by actors and a chorus (combining recital and dancing), with all the features of a theatrical production as we would think of it today, involving stage direction, scenery, stage machinery and theatrical equipment. During the course of their evolution, theatres acquired a central role in the function of the city-state, and became multifunctional, used not only for dramatic and religious performances but also for political purposes linked to the institution of Democracy. It is telling that the ancient traveller Pausanias regards the theatre as one of the basic urban features of a Greek city, along with the agora, the gymnasium and the public administrative buildings, and an important element in recognising cities in the East as being Greek (Phocis, X 4.1.) The theatres 1) Theatre of Dionysus in Athens On the east part of the south side of the Acropolis stand the imposing ruins of is theatre, directly north of the Sanctuary of Dionysos. Most of the remains preserved today belong to the monumental structuring of the theatre by the archon of Athens Lycourgos, in the second half of the 4 th c. BC. The core of the theatre, however, dates back to the 6th c. BC. That was when the Archaic Sanctuary of Dionysos was erected, while just to the north of it a circular area was levelled, where the cult performances in honour of the god were carried out. These ceremonies were watched by spectators sitting on the hillside, where wooden seats were placed shortly afterwards. This circular area of beaten earth, approximately 25 m. in diameter, formed the first “orchestra” of what was later to become the theatre. It was from the dithyrambic circle dance of the worshippers of Dionysos that tragedy was born. The theatral structure of the 5th c. BC must have been a simple one, although its precise form has not been fully clarified. The cavea seats were gradually replaced by stone ones, while for the first time staircases were constructed, dividing the cavea into wedge-shaped cunei, and the parodoi of the theatre were delimited. A permanent stone stage was also built, most probably consisting of a plain rectangular building. During the time of the archon Lycourgos, in the second half of the 4th c. BC, the cavea of the theatre was constructed wholly of stone and extended to the foot of the Sacred Rock, incorporating the section of the Peripatos, the path circling the Acropolis, which passed above the original cavea, and turning it into a diazoma (horizontal passageway). The part of the cavea above this diazoma formed the epitheatre. It is estimated that during this period the theatre had a capacity of approximately 15,000-16,000 spectators. The front tier of seats included 67 marble thrones. The stage was probably a rectangular building with two parascenia. The only major changes during the Hellenistic period must have been to the stage building, which, however, acquired a particularly monumental form in Roman times. In 86 BC, during Sulla’s invasion of Athens, the stage building suffered considerable damage, as did the whole theatre. In the mid-1st c. AD, in the reign of the Emperor Nero, a new stage of impressive dimensions was constructed. The orchestra was restructured into a semicircle and paved with marble. In the mid-2nd or the 3rd c. AD a high logeion was added in front of the stage building. 2) Theatre of the Amphiareion In the sacred sanctuary of the oracle of Amphiaraos in Oropos, Attica, stood its theatre, where musical and dramatic contests were held every four years following the establishment of the Greater Amphiareia festival in 332 BC. The theatre of the Amphiareion preserves elements of at least two different phases: the fan-shaped plan of the cavea and the circular orchestra date from Classical times, while the proscenium and the five separate inscribed thrones of the proedria are works of the Late Hellenistic period. Only a small part of the lower cavea survives, together with the retaining walls of the parodoi. The rectangular stage building, with a tall proscenium 2.70 m. high, has a façade of eight marble Doric semi-columns, supported on the inner side on a corresponding number of pillars. An architrave with triglyphs and metopes crowned the colonnade. The reconstructed proscenium, together with the thrones of the proedria and the dedicatory inscriptions, all form a particularly instructive group from an important phase in theatre architecture during the Hellenistic period. 3) Theatre of Epidaurus The ancient theatre of Epidaurus was built of local stone on a natural slope of Mt Kynortion at the southernmost edge of the Sanctuary of Asklepios, the seat of the healer-god of antiquity and the greatest healing centre of the ancient Greek and Roman world. The theatre hosted music, drama and singing contests and poetry recitals, spectacles that formed part of the festivals in honour of Asklepios. The theatre of Epidaurus is considered the most perfect theatral structure of antiquity, thanks to the harmony of its proportions, the symmetry of its parts and its exceptional acoustics. Its symmetry and beauty are praised by Pausanias, who attributes the monument to the Argive architect Polycleitus. Until today, the prevailing view was that the theatre was built in two phases, at the end of the 4 th and in the 2nd c. BC, when the epitheatre was added. Recent research, however, inclines to the view that the cavea was constructed in its entirety at the end of the 4th c. BC. The theatre appears to have been in use up to and including the 3 rd c. AD. The theatre was constructed according to a unified design governed by mathematical principles influenced by Pythagorean philosophy. More specifically, the overall plan is based on a pentagon centered on the orchestra, around which the cavea is laid out. For the Pythagoreans, this geometric shape expressed the harmony of the parts of a whole. At the theatre of Epidaurus the basic parts of the ancient theatre are clearly distinguished: stage building, orchestra and cavea. The cavea is delimited by two poros-stone retaining walls and is divided by staircases into wedge-shaped cunei, which radiate out from the orchestra, drawn from three centres, an invention to which the excellent acoustics of the theatre are due. The cavea comprises 55 tiers of seats in total, which are divided by a paved passageway into two sections. The front tiers of each section and the last tier of the lower cavea boast luxurious backed thrones. In the parodoi, two monumental two-door propyla (porticos) led to the stage building and the orchestra. The orchestra forms a perfect circle with a diameter of approximately 20 m. At its centre is preserved a stone base, interpreted by scholars as the base of the altar of Dionysos. The stage building was built of poros stone. It originally comprised the proscenium and a two-storey stage, flanked by parascenia. Colonnades adorned both the façade of proscenium and the back of the stage building at ground level. In the 2nd c. BC the structure was adapted to the functional changes of drama. A few statues discovered during the excavations form just a sample of the sculptures decorating the stage building. Today the stage building is preserved as a low ruin. The capacity of the theatre is estimated at approximately 13,000-14,000 spectators. 4) Theatre of Megalopolis The ancient theatre of Megalopolis, with the largest capacity in Greece according to Pausanias (Paus. 8,32,1), was designed for a large audience (17,000-21,000 spectators). Set on the left bank of the River Elissonas, in a landscape of exceptional natural beauty, it is less than 2 km from the modern town of the same name. The theatre was built circa 370 BC and was used not only for performances of ancient drama, but also for gatherings of the representatives of the people of Megalopolis and the Arcadian League, as well as festivities connected to the pan-Arcadian worship of Zeus Lycaeus. The theatre was constructed using the natural slope of the hillside. The semicircular orchestra was 30 m. in diameter, while the cavea, with a maximum diameter of approximately 130 m., was divided into three sections. The columned portico of the Thersilion, built on the south side of the theatre, served as a stage backdrop facing the cavea, a unique innovation in the architecture of theatres incorporated in the fabric of a city. Originally there was a movable wooden stage that was removed and stored in the skenotheke (storeroom) that was constructed at the west parodos. The stone proscenium, whose foundation is preserved today, was built in the Roman period. 5) Theatre of Argos Cut into the bedrock of the southeast slope of Larissa hill in the 3 rd c. BC, the theatre of Argos hosted the musical and dramatic contests of the Nemean Games in honour of Hera, as well as meetings highlighting its political character. Scholars estimate the capacity of the theatre at approximately 20,000 spectators. The cavea of the monument, with 82 tiers of seats, is divided by five radiating staircases into four wedge-shaped cunei. Two entrances, the north and south parodos, facilitated access to the orchestra. The proscenium was oblong with a façade of twenty columns. Behind it stood the stage building, accessed by two ramps. The theatre originally had a single entrance on the southeast of the stage building. In 100 AD a second entrance was added with a ramp on its north side. On the arrival of the Romans in Argos, the stage building of the theatre was renovated. The monumental façade with its three entrances, the new logeion with its niches, added under Hadrian, and the symmetrical parascenia communicating with the raised platform of the logeion, all form part of the interventions of this period. Three staircases led from the stage building to the logeion. With the introduction of new spectacles, such as gladiatorial combats and wild beast fights, protective fencing for the spectators was set up, supported on posts set into holes in the floor of the orchestra. Other holes in the area of the cavea indicate the presence of a canvas cover (velum) to shade the audience from the sun. North of the central staircase was constructed a new platform for dignitaries (proedria). In the 3rd c. AD mosaic flooring with geometric patterns replaced the wooden floor at the ends of the stage. In the 4th c. AD a cistern was built in the orchestra for use in water sports. The theatre fell into disuse in the 5 th-6th c. AD. 6) Theatre of Delphi The theatre of Delphi is the largest structure within the enceinte of the Sanctuary of Apollo, set in its northwest corner, very close to the temple of the god which formed the cult centre. It was built in the 2 nd c. BC, although the area of the cavea had probably already been laid out appropriately at an earlier date, for the musical contests that formed part of the Pythian Games. An inscription records that the theatre acquired its monumental form circa 160 BC, with funding provided by Eumenes II of Pergamon. The final form of the theatre dates to the 1st c. BC, while many modifications and repairs were carried out in the Late Roman period. The cavea of the theatre is divided into two sections by a horizontal passageway (diazoma). The lower cavea has 27 rows of seats and is divided by eight radiating staircases into seven wedge-shaped cunei. The upper cavea has eight rows of seats and is divided by seven staircases into six cunei, corresponding to the central cunei of the lower cavea. The orchestra, 18.24 m. in diameter, is horseshoe-shaped, although it is originally thought to have formed a perfect circle. The stage building consists of a large room facing south. In the Roman period, the proscenium façade was decorated with a marble frieze carved in relief depicting scenes from the Labours of Hercules. Dozens of inscriptions commemorating the emancipation of slaves and acts of the Amphictyonic League were carved on the stone blocks of the east retaining wall, indicating the public and political character of the monument. 7) Theatre of Eretria The theatre of Eretria is in the west part of the city, between the west gate, the stadium and the upper gymnasium, while the Temple of Dionysus has been uncovered at its southwest end. The current form of the monument features elements of the three main building phases, according to the recent excavation data. It is one of the most typical examples of a theatre of the Hellenistic period, whose original form was not particularly affected by the restructurings of the Roman era. It is striking that the cavea of the theatre did not exploit the natural slopes of the acropolis, but was set on an artificial embankment with many retaining walls. It had a total of 30 tiers of seats, divided by 10 radiating staircases into 11 wedge-shaped cunei forming a single block. The upper level of the cavea, corresponding to five or six tiers of seats, appears to have been intended for standing spectators. Based on this information, the theatre would have had a capacity of approximately 6,000-6,400 people. The first building phase of the monument is dated to the late 4 th c. BC. At this stage the cavea probably had no seating, so the spectators may have sat on temporary structures, while the stage building was on a level with the orchestra. This single-storey building was shaped like an upside-down Π with the open end facing the audience, and consisted of a façade with an Ionic colonnade flanked by two parascenia. The second building phase is dated circa 300 BC. During this phase the stone seats, the staircases and the two sturdy retaining walls of the parodoi were built. This was also when the stage building and orchestra were set on different levels, and the vaulted passageway connecting the two, the “Charonian steps”, was constructed, along with the raised proscenium, one of the earliest examples of its kind. Following the destruction of Eretria by the Romans in 198 BC, the theatre was rebuilt out of poorer-quality materials with the addition of two further side structures, and was probably turned into an arena for secular spectacles. 8) Theatre of Larissa I The Ancient Theatre of Larissa I, one of the largest and most important theatres in Greece, was built at the southern foot of Frourio (“Fortress”) Hill, on which the fortified acropolis of the ancient city stood. The theatre was built in the early 3rd c. BC. During its first centuries of operation, apart from theatrical performances, it was also used for meetings of the supreme administrative regional body, the Thessalian League. At the end of the 1st c. BC it was turned into a Roman arena and continued to function in this form until the end of the 3 rd c. AD. The theatre is a huge monument, constructed almost exclusively of marble with rich relief decoration. The cavea was formed by the hillside itself, which had been terraced for seating. A two-metre-wide passageway, the diazoma, divided the cavea into the lower or main theatre and the epitheatre. The epitheatre is now largely destroyed, but we know that it was divided by 20 small staircases into 22 wedge-shaped cunei with 14 to 18 rows of seats each. The main theatre was divided by 10 small staircases into 11 cunei with 25 rows of seats each. The orchestra is thought to have measured over 25 m. in diameter. The two parodoi, together with their retaining walls, are preserved in excellent condition. The stage building, consisting of four rooms with three entrances between them, is the best-preserved part of the theatre. The stage building, 20 m. long and 2 m. wide, was added in the first half of the 2nd c. BC. It had a row of six jambs and six monolithic Doric semi-columns, and its colonnade supported a Doric entablature, while the whole structure supported a wooden platform, the logeion, on which the actors performed. In the 1st c. AD, the stage building was severely damaged, partly due to the transformation of the theatre into an arena. That was when luxurious marble cladding, semi-columns, pillars and sculptures were added, along with a second storey of as-yetunknown form. 9) Theatre of Delos The theatre of Delos was built by the Delians with money from the treasury of the Temple of Apollo, using marble from a neighbouring quarry and local stone, and also marble imported from the islands of Paros and Tinos. The construction of the theatre began circa 310 BC and was completed around 70 years later, circa 240 BC. The theatre was definitively abandoned following the destruction of 88 BC. The cavea of the theatre is supported by a sturdy marble retaining wall. A passageway running across it divides it into two sections of 27 and 16 tiers, seating approximately 1,600 spectators. Access to the cavea was via the two parodoi, two more entrances at the level of the passageway separating the two sections, or by a final one in the middle of the highest point of the theatre. The semicircular orchestra was closed on its straight side by the skene, a rectangular stage building with external dimensions of 15.26 x 6.64 m. with three entrances on the east side and another on the west. In front of the stage building was the proscenium (proskenion), a 2.67-m.-high colonnade with pillars and Doric semi-columns. The metopes on the proskenion entablature were decorated with alternating tripods and bulls’ heads in relief. Later a portico was added to the other three sides of the stage building, the same height as the proskenion, with Doric pillars. Southwest of the theatre are preserved the remains of altars and sanctuaries dedicated to Artemis-Hecate, Apollo, Dionysos, Hermes and Pan. 10) Theatre of Melos The ancient theatre of the island of Melos in the Cyclades is set on the slope of the hill over which the ancient city spreads, in an impressive site overlooking the bay of Melos. Excavations to date have revealed the orchestra and part of the cavea, the stage building and the west retaining wall. The cavea, constructed on the natural slope of the hill, is in the typical horseshoe-shaped layout of ancient Greek theatres. Seven wedge-shaped cunei with up to nine rows of white marble seats are preserved. Each row contains four to five seats. The orchestra lies approximately 1.70 m. below the level of the paving-stones of the circle, in order to serve as an arena. The vertical rock face between the arena and the circle was faced with marble slabs. Of the stage building, part of the stage and proscenium is preserved, as well as scattered architectural members. The preserved form of the ancient theatre of Melos dates from the Roman period, although it may originally have been built in Hellenistic times. The architectural elements of the stage building are similar to those of theatres in Asia Minor. 11) Theatre of Lindos The ancient theatre of Lindos lies at the foot of the west slope of the rock of the Lindos acropolis, directly below the temple of Athena Lindia. It is connected to the great city festivals in honour of Dionysos, the Sminthia, which included dramatic, musical and athletic competitions, processions and sacrifices. The theatre is dated to the 4 th c. BC and had a capacity of 1,800-2,000 spectators. The cavea was divided into nine wedge-shaped cunei separated by eight narrow staircases. It had 19 rows of seats, most of them carved into the rock although some were built, as were the endmost cunei and the side retaining walls, which do not survive. The staircases led to a passageway (diazoma) above which lies the upper cavea with six rows of seats. The upper cavea is more steeply inclined, in order to provide even the non-privileged spectators with a good view. The seats of honour, or thrones, were arranged in a circle on a projecting band of rock. The orchestra of the theatre is circular and also carved into the rock. The stage building was at least 19 m. long and 4.80 m. wide. Today only the rock-cut parts of the theatre are preserved: the circular orchestra, the three central cunei of the upper cavea together with parts of the two cunei on either side, and the central section of the upper cavea. 12) Theatre of Oeniadae The theatre of Oeniadae, built on a steep hillside, offers spectators an unrivalled view of the Acheloos river valley running down to the Ionian Sea. The monument is architecturally unique, due to the fact that the orchestra, cavea and staircases are drawn from three different centres, and also thanks to its excellent acoustics. The east part of the cavea is carved into the bedrock, while the rest is built of limestone. It has a horseshoe-shaped plan and preserves 27 rows of seats and 10 wedgeshaped cunei, divided by 11 staircases, without an intervening passageway. The orchestra is 16.34 m. in diameter, with a covered stone rainwater drainage duct running around it. All that survives of the stage building is the foundations of the proscenium, 26 m. long, and those of the parascenia, measuring 5 x 16 m. each. Three building phases have been identified, mostly connected to restructurings of the stage building, the earliest phase of which is dated to the mid-4th c. BC. The proscenium was added during the Hellenistic period. 13) Theatre of Dodona The theatre of Dodona was built in the early 3rd c. BC, in the reign of King Pyrrhus (297-272 BC), and is one of the largest theatres in Greece, with a capacity of approximately 15,000-17,000 spectators. It is set in the natural surroundings of the Sanctuary of Zeus, west of the temple. It was built to host the Naia festival, held every four years in honour of Zeus Naios. It may also have accommodated the activities of the Epirote League, of which the Sanctuary was the seat during the period 330/325-233/2 BC. The excavation finds indicate four building phases. To the first phase (297-272 BC) are dated the cavea, with 55 rows of seats, the circular orchestra and the stage building. Four passageways (diazomata) divide the cavea into three sections of 19, 15 and 21 rows of seats respectively. Ten radiating staircases divide the cavea into nine wedgeshaped cunei. The upper part of the cavea is subdivided by intermediate staircases into 18 cunei to provide spectators with better access, and culminated in large orthostats (stone blocks) on a three-stepped base. Two large staircases on either side of the cavea led spectators straight up from the two parodoi to the upper passageways of the theatre. Above the central cuneus, a wide exit, secured with a movable grille, was used to let the audience stream out en masse after the performance. The lowest seats with the proedria (seats of honour), as well as the corridor paving, were later removed when the theatre was turned into an arena. The earthen orchestra, 18.72 m. in diameter, formed a perfect circle. At the centre is preserved the base of the thymele, the altar of Dionysos. The rectangular, two-storey stage building was fronted by a row of pillars and flanked by a pair of square rooms, the parascenia. In the south wall of the stage building was a doorway with an arched lintel, leading to a Doric colonnade with a façade of 13 eight-sided pillars. During the second building phase, following the destruction of 219 BC, the two square rooms on either side of the stage were connected by a stone proscenium consisting of 18 semi-columns. The parodoi were flanked by two monumental porticos with twin entrances and Ionic semi-columns. In the third building phase, repairs were carried out to the stage building following the Roman destruction of 167 BC. Some of the proscenium semi-columns were replaced by rough-built walls. Finally, during the fourth building phase, the theatre was turned into an arena. The front rows of seats were removed and the floor of the orchestra was filled in and raised, covering the thymele, the drainage duct and the remains of the proscenium. 14) Theatre of Aptera The theatre of Aptera is built in a natural declivity, facing south towards the White Mountains (Lefka Ori) of Crete. It is situated in the south part of the city, close to the corresponding entrance. The excavation and architectural information to date indicates that there were three building phases: Hellenistic, Roman I (1 st c. AD) and Roman II (3rd c. AD). Of the cavea, only the seats in the central section remain, along with a sizeable part of their stepped foundations. The retaining walls of the parodoi, mostly dating to the Hellenistic building phase, have partly collapsed, probably in the great earthquake of 365 AD. Many of their stone blocks are lying in the parodoi. The front of the stage building has the typical scenae frons layout, with three large niches corresponding to three entrances. The three construction phases of the monument are combined in the stage building, whose walls are preserved to a height of half a metre above the floor. 15) Theatre of Maronia In the southeast part of ancient Maronia, against the wall of the city and among its ancient buildings, stands its theatre, built on the slopes of two hills between which a seasonal stream once ran. The cavea of the theatre, facing southwest, is constructed of hard yellowish poros stone, while the stage building is made of local limestone. The cavea was divided into nine wedge-shaped cunei, of which the first rows of seats are visible. The capacity of the cavea is estimated to have been no more than 1,300 spectators. Around the horseshoeshaped orchestra ran a large marble drainage duct that led the rainwater off the cavea into the main channel of the stream. The theatre formed part of the urban plan of the Hellenistic city, dating it to the end of the 4th c. BC. The rectangular stage building was constructed in the Roman period. It was divided into three parts, with a proscenion with a colonnade, preserving 13 bases of semi-columns. During the next building phase, in the Early Christian era, the theatre was turned into an arena. The front row of seats was removed and a protective balustrade was placed around the orchestra. The monument fell into disuse in the 4 th c. AD. Nom du bien : Ancient Lavrion Coordonnées : Date de soumission : 16/01/2014 Critères : Soumis par : Permanent Delegation of Greece to UNESCO Liste du PM (nom,id) : État, province ou région : Region of Attica, Regional Unit of Eastern Attica Brève description The Lavreotiki area, at the SE end of Attica, was the largest silver-mining centre in both ancient and modern Greece. The mine workings cover an area of 120 km2, from Mt Paneion in Keratea to Cape Sounio and Legraina. Most of the Lavreotiki is protected by law and is a designated archaeological site, an area of outstanding natural beauty and a historical site, while the area around Sounio is a National Forest planted in the mid-20th century (Natura 2000 site totalling 36,000 m2, of which 4,900 m2 are its core). Aleppo pines (Pinus halepensis) cover most of the forest. The flora also includes Mediterranean plants such as wild olive trees, strawberry trees, lentisc, kermes oak, cyclamen and an endemic species of knapweed (Centaurea laureotica), while the local fauna consists of various reptiles, mammals such as hedgehogs, hares and foxes, and many bird species. The forest also contains the impressive “Chaos” sinkhole, a basin-shaped karstic depression 55 m deep and 120 m in diameter. The Lavreotiki is a mineral and chemical museum, as its subsoil contains over 265 types of mineral, 6.8% of those known worldwide. Of these, the silver and lead ores (cerussite, galena) were heavily exploited in both ancient and modern times, while zinc and iron-manganese ores were particularly mined in the latter. The systematic exploitation of the mineral wealth of the area began during the transitional period from the Neolithic to the Bronze Age (3200 BC). In the Bronze Age, the mines of Lavrio supplied the great civilisations of the Aegean (Cycladic, Minoan and Mycenaean) with silver, lead and copper. During the Classical period (5 th and 4th c. BC) the exploitation of the mines by the city of Athens became extremely important to the creation of the great Athenian fleet and the financing of the major building projects of the Athenian Hegemony. The silver of Lavrio set the foundations of the city-state of Athens, making it possible to mint the famous silver “Owl” coin of Athens, and thus transported by trade to all parts of the known world. Throughout the area, underground galleries, kilns, ore washeries, large water cisterns and the ruins of metallurgical workshops dated to the Classical period testify to the intense mining activity carried out by thousands of slaves. Scattered settlements-industrial villages, secular and religious buildings (including the Temple of Poseidon at Sounio), fortifications and cemeteries make up the overall operation of the site: economic, military, religious, cultural and administrative. From the 3rd c. AD the area entered a period of decline, and in the 6 th c. AD the mines were abandoned. However, Sounio and Lavrio continued to be reference-points. Greek and foreign travellers from Late Antiquity to the 19 th century visited the Lavreotiki and recorded their impressions on paper and canvas. The regeneration of Lavrio began in 1860 with the exploitation of the ancient tailings and slags, the exploration of ancient galleries and the opening of new ones, the development of transport services (the railway in 1885, the construction of a port), and the construction of modern metallurgical plants based on the cutting-edge technology of the time. A period of political, economic and social upheaval (the Lavreotiki Affair) led to the establishment of two companies, the Greek Lavrion Metallurgical Company and the French Compagnie Française des Mines du Laurium, ushering in a new period of prosperity. Specialists were hired from all over the world, while the numerous local labour force was also mobilized. New villages, churches and schools were built. Mores and customs were transformed and Lavrio became a multicultural industrial centre, one of the largest in the Mediterranean. After the Second World War, the mines began to fall into disuse, closing down in the 1970s. Mining activity in the area finally ceased altogether in 1990. Since 1994, the site of the Compagnie Française plant has been occupied by the Lavrio Technological and Cultural Park, run by the National Technical University of Athens. Nom du bien : Ancient Towers of the Aegean Sea Coordonnées : Date de soumission : 16/01/2014 Critères : Soumis par : Permanent Delegation of Greece to UNESCO Liste du PM (nom,id) : État, province ou région : Brève description Cheimarros Tower, Naxos: Region of South Aegean, Regional Unit of Naxos 25.519974E, 36.995901N Tower of Agios Petros, Andros: Region of South Aegean, Regional Unit of Andros 24.759528E, 37.894729N Tower of Agia Triada, Arkesini, Amorgos: Region of South Aegean, Regional Unit of Naxos 25.801391E ,36.792445N White Tower, Siphnos: Region of South Aegean, Regional Unit of Melos 24.738005E, 36.932551N White Tower, Serifos: Region of South Aegean, Regional Unit of Melos 24.451975E, 37.147270N Tower of Agia Marina, Kea: Region of South Aegean, Regional Unit of Kea-Kythnos 24.303191E, 37.616622N Drakanou Tower, Ikaria: Region of North Aegean, Regional Unit of Samos 26.361214E, 37.687285N Tower of Kastellorizo: Region of South Aegean, Regional Unit of Rhodes 29.576937E, 36.147995N Tower of Ro: Region of South Aegean, Regional Unit of Rhodes 29.502804E, 36.156801N Tower of Strongyli: Region of South Aegean, Regional Unit of Rhodes 29.630578E,36.107820N The numerous ancient towers scattered across many Aegean islands (Amorgos, Andros, Thasos, Ikaria, Kea, Kythnos, Mykonos, Naxos, Serifos, Sifnos, Skiathos, Paros, Tinos, etc.) and the mainland, constitute a particular type of ancient building with various uses. The vast majority of the towers are dated to around the mid-4th c. BC and up to the first quarter of the 3rd c. BC. Despite their numbers and dispersal, they present common architectural features, such as their circular, square or rectangular plan and their sturdy construction of local stone. The towers were built in non-urban areas, in order to serve a wide range of needs depending on circumstances and location. The main motive for their construction was defence in the wider sense, i.e. the protection of people, animals and goods. The towers sometimes formed part of a wider system of defences and refuges, while others functioned as watchtowers and lighthouses. They are also often found in areas where mining activities are attested. One notable use of towers is as points in an early communication system consisting of networks of beacons (fryktoriai), for the transmission of light signals between towers in direct line of sight, in some cases covering extremely wide geographical areas. Sometimes the towers formed the main building of farmhouses owned by wealthy citizens. Towers of later date in the Cyclades, built to serve similar needs, are almost identical parallels to these. A multitude of ancient towers, dominating the characteristic island landscape, are preserved in the Aegean. Many preserve their integrity to a striking degree, while a major project for their restoration and promotion has been undertaken in recent years. The towers 1) Cheimarros Tower on Naxos The Cheimarros Tower is located on the SE side of the island of Naxos. It is a circular marble tower of the 4th c. BC, measuring 9.20 m. in diameter and preserved to a height of 14 m., with an estimated original height of 17 m. The tower is built with double walls, its two faces joined with bondstones extending through the full thickness of the wall. The interstices are filled with mud and rubble. Inside are four storeys connected by a marble staircase set into the wall. The entrance is on the south side. The few openings, the single window 10 m. above ground level and the arrow-slits highlight the defensive nature of the structure, which is surrounded by an almost square fortification wall measuring 35 m. on a side. Workshops (olive presses) and storerooms of the Late Roman period have come to light within this enceinte. 2) Tower of Agios Petros on Andros On the hillside below the small village of Agios Petros Gavriou on Andros rises the imposing mass of the cylindrical tower of the same name. The tower, dating from the Hellenistic period (4 th/3rd c. BC), is one of the best preserved in the Cyclades, together with the Cheimarros Tower on Naxos. The monument is preserved to a height of approximately 21 m. and is built of large ashlars of local stone. It is set on a circular base, approximately 20 m. in diameter and 4 m. high. The main entrance (on the east) is low (1.30 m. high) and square, framed by four blocks of masonry, two of which form 2-metre-thick door jambs. There was a second, smaller entrance at first-floor level. The ground floor consists of a single room with a vaulted roof. On the upper storeys are windows and narrow openings. A spiral staircase leads from the first floor to the upper part of the tower. The second storey is 2.30 m. high and it seems that the monument would have had at least another five storeys. The area around the tower was mined for iron in antiquity, continuing into the modern era (19 th-20th c.). There is evidence that in antiquity there would have been a settlement here, probably connected to the mining activity. The tower was presumably built to protect the local mines, and was a good observation post overlooking both the interior of the island and the sea. 3) Tower of Agia Triada at Arkesini on Amorgos The Tower of Agia Triada (the Holy Trinity) is located in the countryside of ancient Arkesini and constitutes a characteristic example of Hellenistic architecture. It is a rectangular fortress built of local limestone in irregular coursed masonry. It consists of two rectangular structures of unequal height (the tower and the paved courtyard). Access is via an elevated archway, while there is also a low exit door at the back of the tower. The location of the baths and latrines has been securely identified, while other areas were the andron (men’s quarter), the atrium, etc. The tower water supply and drainage system is also interesting. The main tower was accessed by a staircase, of which the lowest steps survive. The area around the monument also includes the remains of an ancient olive press and a cellar, while the movable finds demonstrate that the site has remained in use from antiquity to the present day. The remains of the early modern era are also impressive: modern built structures linked to agricultural installations, collection channel systems, a rainwater collection cistern, a built oven, an olive press and a byre, all indicating the continued use of the site through the ages. 4) White Tower on Sifnos The White Tower (Aspros Pyrgos) is located in the southern ore-bearing zone of Sifnos, close to ancient gold-mining galleries. It dominates the hilltop of Cape Pounta, with an unimpeded view of the east and southeast Aegean and the interior of the island. It is one of the largest, best preserved and best known of the 77 identified towers on Sifnos. It is a circular structure, with an outer diameter of 13m. and a preserved height of 5.50m. (12 visible courses of masonry). It is built of coursed masonry, with rectangular and trapezoid blocks of white, and more rarely grey, marble, their size diminishing with height. On the inner side is a second course of well-built marble blocks. Two parallel inner walls divide the interior of the tower into three rooms; the north room is the only space in which beam-holes to support the floor of the upper storey remain. In the south room, against the outer wall, to the left of the entrance, is a staircase of 10 steps which used to lead to the upper storey. The central room has three triangular niches on the west face of the inner surface of the outer wall, opposite the entrance. This room also contains the remains of an olive press next to a built platform, a stone vessel set into the floor, a block of stone with two mortises and an underground cistern. The tower entrance is on the SE, with doorposts formed of vertically and horizontally placed blocks of stone. In the inner corners of the doorposts are mortises corresponding to the sockets in the threshold for closing the door. There are two unique cylindrical marble elements on the inside of the doorposts, perhaps to support the wooden beam used to bar the door. There are traces of outbuildings in the area around the tower, although their presence has not been confirmed by excavation. The monument is dated to the 4th c. BC, mainly on the basis of elements of the masonry. The White Tower is a landmark for modern-day Sifnians, a symbol linked to beliefs and legends, a source of inspiration for painters and poets. 5) White Tower on Serifos The ancient tower known as the White Tower (Aspros Pyrgos or Aspropyrgos) is built high on the rocky ridge of the line of hills delimiting Koutalas Bay on the northwest. It is a fortified structure that stood alone in the Serifos countryside, dominating the southwest part of island, the richest in metal ores. The tower is built of local white marble and its foundations are set firmly into the sloping rock. It is circular in plan with an external diameter (at the base) of 8.54 m. Its masonry is particularly well built and the double outer wall, 1.05 m. thick, is built of well-dressed marble ashlars, laid without the use of mortar, in courses whose height diminishes progressively as they rise. The ground floor is preserved to a height of 4.20 m. Based on the building material found fallen inside the tower, scattered around it, set into the walls of nearby buildings and used in drystone walls (over 500 marble blocks), it is estimated that the tower would have been three storeys and approximately 12 m. high. There are no attached annexes and no traces of an enceinte or outbuildings have been found in the immediate environs. The entrance is on the southeast side, while there appear to have been arrow-slits and windows on the upper storeys. The roof was probably flat. Inside and immediately to the right of the entrance is a spiral staircase that led to the upper storeys. The five lowest marble steps are preserved in situ, but the rest of the staircase may have been of wood. On the ground floor, a transverse party wall isolates the stairwell and divides the room in two. The features of the White Tower - solid construction, prominent position overlooking the surrounding area, visual contact with other towers (Psaropyrgos, Tou Choirou i Trypa) - indicate its defensive character and multiple uses, simultaneous or otherwise, as a watchtower, beacon tower and guardhouse. Its presence in this area - where there is evidence of active mines, at least during the Late Classical, Hellenistic and Roman periods - also means that it was connected to their activities and protection. The White Tower would have been built in the 3 rd c. BC, while its final period of use is dated to Late Roman times, specifically the 4th c. AD. 6) Tower of Agia Marina on Kea The Tower of Agia Marina still rises to its original height and is the best-preserved example of an ancient square tower in Greece. It is located in the interior of western Kea, in the middle of a valley between the two ancient western cities of the island, Korissos and Poiessa. The building appears to have stood alone, while in the modern era it was incorporated into the post-Byzantine Monastery of Agia Marina. The tower was square, measuring 9.90 x 9.90 m., and built of ashlars of local stone (schist and grey dolomitic marble) in irregular trapezoid masonry, with small plaque-like plugs in the gaps. The inside of the tower was laid out on five storeys, which were connected by a stone staircase set into the external tower walls, and divided into smaller rooms. On the fourth storey is a small, isolated balcony on the south side of the building, while on the upper storey a circular balcony supported on stone corbels runs right around the tower. The tower entrance is on the south side, at a height of 2.00 m. above the ground. On the south, east and west sides are windows with white marble frames and cornices, while on the north side there were only narrow slits, widening on the inside. It is still uncertain whether the roof was flat or pitched. The Tower of Agia Marina is dated, based on the evidence available today, to the 4th c. BC. The Monastery of Agia Marina was founded circa 1600 AD and the ancient tower was incorporated into the enceinte and used for lodging, storage and defence until 1837, when the monastery was abandoned. 7) Drakanou Tower on Ikaria At the northeast tip of Ikaria, on Cape Fanari, stands the ancient Drakanou Tower, a round marble tower with an external base diameter of 8.4 m. and a maximum preserved height of almost 13 m. It is built on rock, approximately 51 m. above sea level with an uninterrupted view. Two sides of the enceinte wall, approximately 2.4 m. thick, converge on the tower at an angle of 34◦. Drakanou Tower is the best-preserved ancient Greek tower in the Aegean. It is three storeys high with a wall approximately 1 m. thick at the base, progressively diminishing to 0.85 m. as it rises. The ground-floor entrance, with a free opening 1.32 m. wide and a maximum 2.33 m. high, is on the east side, while a little to the north is an entrance to the first storey, 1.26 m. wide and 2.80 m. high. There are three arrow-slits on both the ground floor and the first storey, and six windows on the second storey. No traces of the staircases connecting the storeys remain. Presumably they were wooden and have been destroyed along with the floor-beams. The tower is built of massive marble ashlars, varying in colour from white to grey. The original total height of the tower is estimated to have been 13.5 m., so it would have had another two courses of stones. The tower would have served a variety of needs simultaneously. Due to its position, it is an excellent watchtower and beacon tower. The fortified part of the cape is defended on the east and north by the steep rocky cliffside, for gathering and defence in case of attack. The walled area would have been a particularly safe refuge and a protected area in which to collect goods. The tower is dated by the archaeological evidence to the 4 th c. BC. 8) Ancient towers of Kastellorizo - Ro - Strongyli Palaiokastro is the main and largest fortified site of ancient Megisti, modern-day Kastellorizo. It stands on a hill on the west side of the island, the closest to the Asia Minor coast opposite, in order to control the sea routes and the port on the north side of the island. It consists of an enceinte fortified by three towers on the southeast side and a smaller inner tower, which is proposed for inclusion in the list. The inner tower, measuring 11.6 x 5.6 m., is built in coursed masonry of dressed ashlars and is preserved to a height of 8 courses (approximately 4 m.), while in the enceinte the original ashlars are only visible in the foundations. Numerous rainwater collection cisterns have been cut into the rock and faced with clay and lime plaster. On the west side of the tower, on a sheer rock face, rectangular niches were intended to house votive reliefs. In the Byzantine period and the era of the Knights of Rhodes, the site continued in use as a fortress and a refuge for the local population in case of danger. Outside the walls, a small wine press indicates that people engaged in agricultural activities in times of relative peace. The fortress would have housed a small permanent garrison, to control the seas. It would have communicated with the other towers on the island, which were in line of sight, and also with the corresponding watchtowers on the opposite coast. The strategic position of the tower was also exploited in the modern era by the Italians, as evidenced by the three gun emplacements built during the Second World War. Palaiokastro would have had lines of sight to both the ancient harbour fortress and the beacon towers (fryktoriai) on the two islets below Kastellorizo, Ro to the west and Strongyli to the east. The fortress on the islet of Ro is set on a hilltop and covers a small area of 30 x 25 m. Access is from the south side, while there are steep cliffs on the north. The fortress consists of a double enceinte, parts of which survive on the southwest and southeast sides, and an inner rectangular tower measuring 12.5 x 13 m., both built in coursed masonry of dressed ashlars. The central tower is preserved to a height of approximately 4 m. Inside there is a rainwater collection cistern faced with clay and lime plaster, approximately 5.5. m. in diameter. The remains of a wine press outside the tower and a stone conical vessel indicate engagement in agricultural activities to supply the small garrison posted there. In the early modern era, Lambros Katsonis used the fortress as his base of operations during the Ottoman rule (1788-1792). That must be when the upper course of small stones was added to the west wall. The islet of Strongyli with its tower, east of Kastellorizo, completes the southeast end of the chain of watchtowers operated by the Rhodian state. The foundations of an ancient tower are preserved on the west peak of the island. A double enceinte protects mainly the north side, while on the south are cisterns cut into the rock and faced with clay and lime plaster, and the remains of an olive press. The central rectangular tower covers an area of approximately 7.5 x 8.5 m. and is built in coursed masonry of dressed ashlars. Only a single course of stones of the superstructure is preserved. The tower has not been built on the highest peak of the island, but watches the opposite shore unseen, while also being situated at the closest point to the port. The three towers of Kastellorizo, Ro and Strongyli comprise the main links in a dense network of watchtowers constructed by the Rhodian state during the Hellenistic period, to control the sea routes and the Lycian coast across the water. Nom du bien : Archaeological site of Ancient Messene Coordonnées : Date de soumission : 16/01/2014 Critères : Soumis par : Permanent Delegation of Greece to UNESCO Liste du PM (nom,id) : État, province ou région : Region of Peloponnese, Regional Unit of Messenia Brève description The archaeological site of ancient Messene lies in a fertile valley approximately in the centre of the Regional Unit of Messenia, south of Mt Ithome. Ithome was the strongest natural and manmade fortress of Messenia, controlling the valleys of Stenyclaros to the north and Makaria to the south. (Strabo compares it to Corinth as regards strategic importance). The first installation on the site dates to the Late Neolithic or the Early Bronze Age, while in the 9 th-8th c. BC the cult of Zeus Ithomatas was established on the peak of Mt Ithome. A heroon shrine was founded in the lower city during the Geometric period (800-700 BC), along with the first sanctuary of Artemis Orthia, Asklepios and Messene. All the sacred buildings belonged to a town named Ithome. The Spartan annexation of the area following the First Messenian War (743-724 BC) put a stop to the evolution of the town into a more complex urban organism and the development of an urban outlook. The Spartan occupation, however, did not result in a total loss of national consciousness among the inhabitants, who were now helots. The city of Ancient Messene was founded in 369 BC by the Theban general Epaminondas (after the Battle of Leuctra in 371 BC, which resulted in Spartan defeat and the establishment of the Theban Hegemony). It became the capital of the free Messenian state following a long period (about four centuries) of occupation of the Messenian territory by the Spartans. Strong fortification walls with towers and gates are preserved along a course of 9.5 km, surrounding the city and Mt Ithome, where the sanctuaries of Zeus Ithomatas (9 th-8th c. BC), Artemis Limnatis and Eileithyia (3rd-2nd c. BC) stood. On the site of the city are preserved public and religious buildings, many of them reconstructed to a large degree. The extensive complex of the Asklepieion (3rd-2nd c. BC) stands out, with the Doric sanctuary of Asklepios, which is surrounded by stoai of buildings of a religious and secular-funerary nature. A series of reconstructed monumental structures, such as the Ecclesiasterion-Odeion, the Bouleuterion, the Theatre, the Arsinoe Fountain, the Agora and the Stadium, as well as an extensive group of funerary monuments and heroons, including the reconstructed monumental Saithid Mausoleum (1st c. BC-1st c. AD), bear witness to the size of the city and its political, religious, economic and social importance. Particularly luxurious Roman villas with mosaic floors complete the urban plan, while a multitude of inscriptions sheds light on hitherto unknown facets of the historical events that took place during the period of the Alexander’s Successors, the Macedonian Kingdom, the Achaean League, the Koinon of the Arcadians and the Aetolians, and Roman interference in Greek affairs. A plethora of statues, vessels and other moveable finds is on display at the nearby Archaeological Museum, testifying to the thriving society of Messene. Nom du bien : Archaeological site of Nikopolis Coordonnées : Date de soumission : 16/01/2014 Critères : Soumis par : Permanent Delegation of Greece to UNESCO Liste du PM (nom,id) : État, province ou région : Region of Epirus, Regional Unit of Preveza Brève description A. History: The city of Nikopolis was founded following the victory of Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus (Augustus) in the naval battle of Actium in 31 BC. The city is associated with the effort to establish Roman dominion and the whole process of “Romanizing” Greece. The province of Nikopolis extended southwards from the mountains of Cassopeia to the province of Roman Patras, and northwards from the river Acheloos to Leucas (present-day Lefkada). Augustus Caesar granted the city substantial political and economic privileges and adorned it with magnificent monuments, while also reviving the Actium Games. The name of King Herod I of Judea and those of many Roman officials such as Germanicus, Nero and Hadrian are associated with donations to Nikopolis. Nikopolis was the capital of Epirus and Acarnania during the first three centuries of the Roman Empire. Built at the crossroads of commercial land and sea routes, it was the centre of Greek culture and a meeting point between the eastern and western worlds. It was the seat of Epictetus’ school of philosophy, while a Jewish community lived within the city. Between the 3 rd and 5th century AD the city underwent a period of relative decline and stagnation, while from the mid-5th century AD Nikopolis became the administrative, artistic, spiritual and religious centre of the area with a Christian character. According to tradition, the Church of Nikopolis was founded by Paul the Apostle. During the early Christian period the city experienced a major economic and spiritual boom, a fact demonstrated by the fortification programme instigated by Justinian and the plethora of monuments which adorned the city. The administrative reorganization of the Byzantine Empire in the 9th century and the transfer of the capital of the Theme of Nikopolis from Nikopolis to Nafpaktos led to the city’s decline and abandonment, which was completed during the 13 th century. B. Monuments: The city, with the fortification walls and the cemeteries, occupies a fertile strip of land between the Ionian Sea to the west and the Ambracian Gulf to the east, where two of the three city harbours were located. The third harbour ran along both sides of the inlet known as Ormos Vathy at the north edge of the modern city of Preveza. The city occupies an area of approximately 375 acres. The plan of the city was the rectangular grid with the Decumanus (the main east-west street) and the Cardo (main north-south street) intersecting at its centre. Nikopolis was planned within walls with four main gates at the compass points. The southern quarters of the city were mainly composed of residential houses but also included the Odeion, while the northern section saw the construction of the Monument of Augustus, the Theatre, the Gymnasium and the Stadium. This area, known to ancient writers as the “Suburb”, is located outside the Roman fortification walls, on the hills, with a magnificent view of the Ionian sea and the Preveza peninsula. The city had a very effective water-supply system. An impressive 50-km-long aqueduct, consisting of a series of arches (arcade) and tunnels, carried water from the Louros springs to the Nymphaeum, from where it was distributed within the city. In Early Christian times the city was reduced to almost a sixth of its previous size, and strong fortification walls, known as the Christian (Byzantine) Walls, were built. Two great basilicas and a Bishop’s Palace built around this time reveal that the city flourished during this period. The most important public buildings are the following: -The Monument of Augustus: Founded by Octavian to commemorate the battle at Actium. -The Theatre: The stage building is tall, probably two stories high, with three arched doorways. The performances took place on a stage platform between the stage building and the orchestra. Three corridors allowed the spectators access to the auditorium, which was supported by three semicircular porticos. -The Odeion: It consists of the auditorium, the orchestra and the stage building. Three semicircular porticos achieve the inclination of the auditorium. It was built in the 1st c. AD and remained in use until the second half of the 3rd c. AD -The Nymphaeum: It lies on the west side of the Roman fortification walls and consists of two U-shaped brick structures with plain external façades and internal niches. These cisterns stood at the terminus of the aqueduct which brought water to the city from the Louros springs, 50 km away; possibly built at the time of Hadrian. -The North Thermae: Roman public building, situated on the west side of the Roman fortification walls. It consists of circular and square rooms, decorated with niches and arches. -The Basilicas: There are seven notable Christian basilicas. Four lie within the perimeter of the Byzantine Walls. Basilica A was founded by Bishop Doumetios (525-575 AD) and is decorated with elaborate mosaics, combining floral and pictorial motifs. Mosaics are also found in Basilica B, built at the time of Bishop Alkison, who was active during the reign of Emperor Anastasios (491-518 AD). A century later (575-600 AD), another basilica, Basilica C, was built in the northern part of the Byzantine fortification, while in the south a fourth Basilica, Basilica ST (F), was discovered in 1981. Two other basilicas - the Asyrmatos Basilica and the Basilica of the Holy Apostles - are situated outside the perimeter of the Byzantine walls. Nom du bien : Fortress of Spinalonga Coordonnées : Date de soumission : 16/01/2014 Critères : Soumis par : Permanent Delegation of Greece to UNESCO Liste du PM (nom,id) : État, province ou région : Region of Crete, Regional Unit of Lasithi Brève description Spinalonga is a barren, arid rocky islet, with an area of 85,000 sq. m., lying in the mouth of the natural harbour of Elounda in Lasithi Prefecture, Crete. The islet was fortified in antiquity, to protect the ancient city of Olous. Towards the end of the 16th century, the Venetians, as part of their great fortification works to defend Crete, built on Spinalonga one of the most important bastion-type seaward fortresses of the Mediterranean, designed according to the bastion system of fortification by Genese Bressani and Latino Orsini. At strategic points in the fortifications are set the Michel and Moceniga or Barbariga demilunes, major works of fortification architecture. During the Cretan War (1645-1669), refugees sought shelter on the islet, as did rebels (“Chainides”) who used it as a base to harrass the Ottomans. Under the terms of the treaty for the surrender of Chandax (Heraklion) in 1669, Spinalonga remained a Venetian possession. In 1715, following a siege, the islet was surrendered to the Ottomans, the Venetian garrison left and the remaining 600 inhabitants were taken captive. From 1715 onwards, Spinalonga was settled by Muslims, who built their houses on the foundations of the Venetian buildings. The village flourished after the mid-19th century, until by 1881 it housed a population of 1,112 and was the largest Muslim commercial centre of Merabello Bay. The village houses were arranged in a stepped pattern across the west and south sides of the islet. At the end of the 19th century it is estimated that there were approximately 200 homes and 25 shops or workshops on Spinalonga. Today many well-built two-storey houses and shops remain; their morphology and symmetrical proportions are indicative of the principles of local and Balkan architectural tradition. In 1904, during the period of the Cretan State, Spinalonga was chosen as the site of a Leper Hospital. Sufferers who were sent to live on the island survived on State funding and charitable donations. Their hard, wretched life did not weaken their will to live. They organised their home, fell in love, married, had children. After the Leper Hospital was shut down in 1957, the islet remained deserted and uninhabited. In 1976 it was designated an archaeological site. Today it is an organised archaeological site with hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. Nom du bien : Gorge of Samaria National Park Coordonnées : Date de soumission : 16/01/2014 Critères : Soumis par : Permanent Delegation of Greece to UNESCO Liste du PM (nom,id) : État, province ou région : Region of Crete, Regional Unit of Chania Brève description The Samaria Gorge is the acknowledged natural site and symbol of the island of Crete. It holds a unique and distinguished position in Cretan, Greek and Mediterranean history, as a place that has served throughout history as an ark for life and a haven of freedom. It is also identified with the unceasing production of the material and immaterial cultural heritage of Crete through the ages. The Lefka Ori (White Mountains), the largest and westernmost mountain range of Crete, dominate the southwest part of the island, covering almost 7% of the total surface of the fifth-largest island in the Mediterranean. More than 50 peaks of the impressive mountain range exceed 2,000 meters in altitude, while the highest, Pachnes, reaches a height of 2,453 meters above the Libyan Sea to the south and the Sea of Crete to the north of the island. The island of Crete is, justifiably, called a land of gorges, being cut by dozens, mainly running north to south. No other gorge, however, has the glamour and uniqueness of the Samaria Gorge. The Lefka Ori and the gorges that intersect them are a paradise for biodiversity and form a landscape of unique geological value and beauty. There, isolated from human presence, singular ecosystems have evolved, with dozens of endemic species and subspecies, providing shelter to the famous Cretan Agrimi Goat (Capra aegagrus cretica) and other rare species such as the Bearded Vulture (Gypaetus barbatus), the Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos), the Cretan Wildcat (Felis silvestris cretensis), Blasius’ Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus blasii), as well as the endemic plants Zelkova abelicea and Bupleurum kakiskalae. The Mediterranean Monk Seal (Monachus monachus) is found in the sea caves on the south coast of the National Park. The Samaria National Park delimits the core of the Lefka Ori, in which all these elements can be found in their full glory. The path of the Samaria Gorge from the north to the south entrance is 13 km long. Visitors set out from Xyloskalo, on the edge of the Omalos Plateau, cross the Cretan countryside vertically, and end up at the village of Agia Roumeli on the Libyan Sea. From there they can make out, on the edge of the horizon, the island of Gavdos, the southernmost point of Europe. The Samaria Gorge has already been subject to National Park protection status for 50 years. Since its designation as a National park in 1962, people from all over the world have crossed the Gorge and realized why it has been famous since the era of earlier travellers, such as F.W. Sieber, Robert Pashley and Victor Raulin. Today, the Samaria Gorge is one the most important pillars for the sustainable development of the entire island of Crete and is supremely important to the local communities living around the National Park. The Greek State has been responsible for the management of the area through the Forest Directorate of Chania since the National Park was founded. In 2008 the Samaria National Park Management Body was established with European Union funding, participating in the management of the Park while promoting the design and implementation of the Specific Environmental Study and the Management Plan for the area. The management of the Park aims to become the best example of viable administration in Greece, with the ultimate goal of protecting the integrity of this unique area. Moreover, under the threat of climate change, the role of the Samaria Gorge and the Lefka Ori as a whole as a natural ark for the entire island of Crete will be highlighted further. Nom du bien : Late Medieval Bastioned Fortifications in Greece Coordonnées : Date de soumission : 16/01/2014 Critères : Soumis par : Permanent Delegation of Greece to UNESCO Liste du PM (nom,id) : État, province ou région : Brève description SITE Corfu Zakynthos Koroni Methoni Bourtzi- REGION Ionian islands Ionian islands Peloponnese Peloponnese Peloponnese PalamidiAkronafplia Heraklion Chania Rhodes Mytilini Crete Crete South Aegean North Aegean REGIONAL UNIT Corfu Zakynthos Messinia Messinia COORDINATES 19.928385 E, 39.624538 N 20.891944 E, 37.789444 N 21.961826 E, 36.794382 N 21.700 E, 36.8150 N 22.790586 E, 37.569689 N Argolis 22.804472 E, 37.561486 N Heraklion Chania Rhodes Lesbos 22.795028 E, 37.563869 N 25.136743 E, 35.344548 N 24.013659 E, 35.518245 N 28.2270 E, 36.4450 N 26.561829 E, 39.110116 N With the appearance and establishment, in the 15th century, of the use of gunpowder, a new, powerful and destructive means of warfare, city fortification practices changed. Since medieval fortifications were unable to withstand the constantly increasing artillery power, additional defensive structures began to be added to existing fortresses. This change was completed in the 16th century, establishing the “bastion system” or “fronte bastionato”, based on the principle of “flanking fire”. In the 17th century, the need to confront even greater artillery firepower led to the construction of a multitude of smaller fortifications outside the main moat, whose aim was to keep the enemy as far away as possible from the main fortifications. Finally, up to the end of the 18th century, fortification architecture would continue to be based on the principles of the 16th century, while of course following the development of artillery. This development is documented by a series of fortifications on Greek territory. These fortifications are mostly found in areas that passed into Latin hands, such as the Peloponnese, the coasts of Western Greece, the Ionian Islands, Crete and the Dodecanese. Most were built on the site of older, ancient and/or Byzantine fortifications, but their main phase was constructed during the various phases of Latin domination. These are particularly well-preserved fortification works, which largely retain their integrity and original layout intact to the present day. This is very significant, given that they were built by the leading engineers of the time and closely follow developments in the field of defensive art. In recent years restoration projects for their protection and enhancement have taken place preserving however their particular character and their relation to the surrounding area. The fortifications also contribute to the study of the urban areas of which they form a part, providing valuable information on the organisation of urban planning, which they determined in several cases. The proposed fortifications are strategically positioned on the hubs of the trade routes between West and East and also North and South, and therefore played an important part as trading stations in the East Mediterranean basin. PROPOSED FORTIFICATIONS 1. Methoni Fortress The fortress of Methoni, a typical example of a citadel, built on an exceptional natural harbour, was in medieval times a stop on the pilgrimage route to the Holy Land and a port for cargo ships voyaging from the West to the East. Together with Koroni, the ports are known as the “two eyes” of the Serenissima. The city reached the peak of its prosperity in the two centuries after 1204, when it became a Venetian colony and international trading station. That was when the fortress assumed its present form with two fortified enclosures, the south one protecting the city and the north one covering the side facing the interior. The fortress came under Ottoman dominion from 1500 to the early 19th century, with a brief interlude of Venetian rule (1685-1715). In 1828, when Ibrahim Pasha surrendered Methoni to the French expeditionary corps, the inhabitants moved to the present-day town outside the walls. The fortress covers an area of approximately 9.3 hectares. The walls are defended by a wide dry moat and reinforced with towers at intervals. Two bastions rise below the main gate with its elaborately decorated posts. The fortress has another six gates which open onto the ground floors of towers and are protected by portcullis and machicolations. Bourtzi, an octagonal tower on the sea, forms part of the Methoni seaward defences, serving various functions through the ages. Within the walls are preserved various buildings such as the church of the Transfiguration of the Saviour (1685-1715), a square building with a pyramidal roof that served as a powder-magazine (1500-1686), two Ottoman baths and the ruins of the episcopal cathedral of the city, which was dedicated to St John the Divine and turned into a mosque after 1500. 2. Koroni Fortress The fortress of Koroni, together with neighbouring Methoni, was one of the most important harbours of La Serenissima. The fortress, covering an area of approximately 4 hectares, was built in Byzantine times on the site of ancient Asine. In 1205 it was conquered by the Franks, before passing into the hands of the Venetians (1206-1500 & 1685-1715) and the Ottomans (1500-1685 & 1715-1821) due to its strategic location. For a brief period it was taken by the Genoese (1532-1534), while in 1770 it was held by the Russian Orlov brothers. In 1825 it was conquered by Ibrahim Pasha and in 1828 it was surrendered to the French expeditionary corps, before being ceded to Nikitaras, first garrison commander of liberated Koroni. The two centuries of the First Venetian period (13th-15th c.) were the peak of Koroni’s power, and most of the fortifications date from that time. There are two fortified enclosures, one on the west, landward side and a larger one on the east. The enclosures are separated by a wall with rectangular towers, which is probably the only remnant of the Byzantine fortifications. This layout of the fortress was preserved unaltered throughout its long history. Today the west enclosure is occupied by the Monastery of John the Baptist (founded in 1920). The east side of the fortress was reinforced during the First Ottoman period (1500-1685) with a dry moat and two round bastions, of which the north bastion, now ruined, was used as a powder magazine and blown up by the Germans in 1941. Within the fortress there stands today the church of St Charalambos, which was built in the late 17th c. as a Catholic church, was turned into a mosque (1715-1821), and later became an Orthodox church. The ruins of a three-aisled 8th- or 9th-century basilica, dedicated to St Sophia in early modern times, are also visible. It is worth noting that there are still people living within the walls of Koroni, as well as in the traditional village outside them. 3. Akronafplia - Bourtzi - Palamidi (Fortresses of Nafplio) Akronafplia Akronafplia fortress formed the walled burg of Nafplio from antiquity to the end of the 15th century, when the Venetians built the lower town of Nafplio. During the Frankish period it was divided by a wall into two parts, the fortress of the Franks and the fortress of the Greeks, while in the First Venetian period another fortress, the “Castello di Toro”, was built at the east end of Akronafplia. Bourtzi This is a seaside fortress built by the Venetians circa 1470, on a rocky islet in the mouth of Nafplio harbour, which it was designed to protect. In the centre rises a tall tower with three floors, with two smaller vaulted structures below it which served as canon batteries (gun emplacements), one facing the sea and the other the land. Thick chains were stretched out from the two sides of the fortress across the harbour, which is why it was known as “Porto Catena”. Palamidi The fortress of Palamidi was built by the Venetians and is a true achievement, as regards both the time taken to construct it (1711-1714) and its fortifications. It consists of eight bastions, one of which was left unfinished and was completed by the Ottomans, while the last was wholly constructed by them. The bastions were independent, with their own storerooms and water cisterns, and were connected by a wall. 4. Corfu The Old Town of Corfu, strategically located at the entrance to the Adriatic Sea, has been inscribed on the List of World Heritage Properties since 2007. It is one of the most important fortified towns in the Mediterranean. Its fortifications, technical works on a huge scale, are among the most perfect examples of Venetian fortification architecture. The present form of this impressive complex is mainly the result of the work of Venetian engineers (1386-1797), with modifications and additions dating from the period of the British Protectorate (1814-1864). The basic core of the fortifications (Old Fortress-New Fortress-Perimeter Wall-Peripheral Forts) is preserved in good condition today. The oldest part of the fortifications is the Old Fortress, which has been through all the phases of the defensive art since Byzantine times. In its final form, it was linked to Michele Sanmicheli, who applied the “bastion system” to the west side of the walls, where the monumental gate of the Fortress stands. The massive project of walling the town, completed in the late 16th century, included the construction of the New Fortress and the line of defence that isolated the town from the countryside and the sea. The fortifications of the New Fortress, which had two gates, one to the harbour and one to the town, were laid out on two levels. The first, lower level consists of a pentagonal bastion which protected the harbour. The Castello della Campana controls the ascent to the second level, where rise the twin bastions of the “Epta Anemoi”(Seven Winds) and one more known as Skarponas. The defences of the town were reinforced by the fortification of the three hills to the west in the first half of the 18th century and the fortification of the Vido islet by the Imperial French (1807-1814). 5. Zakynthos The Venetian fortress at the top of the naturally fortified hill that rises over Zakynthos harbour is built on what was, according to travellers’ accounts, the site of the ancient acropolis of the island, although no traces of its fortifications remain. There is no evidence of the medieval fort that stood on the same site, except for the Byzantine church of the Saviour, part of which survives inside the Venetian fortress, and which is known to have been used as the Latin cathedral. The walls and fortifications preserved today were built in 1646-47 under the direction of Venetian engineers. Zakynthos Fortress is a typical example of fortification architecture of the period. The enceinte is trapezoidal in shape, with an inner passageway for the movement of soldiers along the weaker east side, where most of the bastions are. The British contributed significantly to the conservation of the walls and the public buildings of the fortress, when they installed their garrison there in 1812. The fortress was abandoned by its inhabitants for good following the Union of the Ionian Islands with Greece in 1864. Excavations have brought to light archaeological material from prehistoric times to the Post-Byzantine period, demonstrating that the fortress is the longest-surviving settlement on Zakynthos. Inside the fortress there are also two Venetian powder magazines and the ruins of churches dating to the Venetian period, as well as the remains of the British government building and barracks. 6. Heraklion Following its occupation of Crete in 1211, Venice originally preserved the existing Byzantine fortifications of the city. With the change in siege technique, it was decided to reinforce the fortifications and construct a new, extended fortified enceinte. The new Venetian walls of Heraklion (known as Candia to the Venetians) are among the greatest Venetian fortifications in the Mediterranean. They are built according to the principles of the bastion system. Their construction began in 1462, with constant modifications, supplements and additions up to the end of the Venetian period (1669). The basic design was drawn up by Michele Sanmicheli and rendered definitive by Giulio Savorgnan. The fortified enceinte, with a perimeter of approximately seven kilometres, is triangular in shape, with the base of the triangle on the seafront, and the apex (the Martinengo Bastion) pointing inland. It consists of seven heart-shaped bastions (Sabbionara, Vitturi, Jesus, Martinengo, Bethlehem, Pantocrator and San Andrea) which defended the intervening straight sections of the fortifications, the curtain walls. For better supervision of the surrounding area, raised cavaliers shaped like truncated cones were constructed on the bastions (Martinengo, San Andrea, Vitturi, Zane). The walls were surrounded by a deep dry moat, while the system was completed by the earthen counterscarps and the outwork of San Demetrio. The main gates (St George or Lazaretto, Jesus, Pantocrator) leading out of the city into the surrounding countryside were set, for reasons of defence, in the sides of the bastions. Other, smaller military gates led up sloping galleries to the low squares of the bastions. Set into the walls all around the perimeter of the fortifications are relief plaques bearing the winged lion of St Mark the Evangelist, patron saint of Venice, and the coats of arms of Venetian noblemen and officials. The defences of the coastal front were further reinforced by the sea fortress (known as the “Rocca a Mare”, “Castello a Mare” or “Castello” during the Venetian period and as the “Su Kulesi” or “Koules” during the Ottoman period) at the harbour entrance, and the fortress of Paleokastro on the north coast of Heraklion Bay, both also constructed according to the “bastion system”. 7. Chania The design of the Venetian fortifications of Chania was entrusted to the Veronese Michele Sanmicheli. The work on Chania began in 1538 and continued up to the Ottoman conquest of the city, in 1645. The form of the fortifications followed the basic principles of the bastion system, the natural terrain and the boundaries of the city outside the walls, which would have to be protected. The fortifications also included the harbour and a round tower from the original harbour fortifications built by the Genoese in the early 13th c. The walls formed a rectangle, parallel to the seafront, reinforced by four heart-shaped bastions and an equal number of cavaliers. These are the bastions of: a) Salvatore or Gritti, b) San Andrea, c) Piattaforma and d) Santa Lucia, and the cavaliers of Priuli, Lando or Schiavo or San Demetrio, San Giovanni and Santa Maria. Access to the city was via three gates, the Porta Retimiotta, the Sabbionara and the San Salvatore Gate. Further north, facing the sea, were the Sabbionara and Mocenigo bastions, and the harbour breakwater, with the bastion of San Nicolò del Molo. The breakwater ended in the small tower of the Pharos (Lighthouse), which was lower than the present-day structure, built after 1830. On the opposite side, the Rivellino del Porto, with the Firkas Fortress, protected the harbour mouth. Inside, the fortress was laid out with barracks buildings and military stores, while it was also the seat of the military governor of the city. During the Ottoman period, some parts of the Venetian fortifications were restructured and added to. 8. Rhodes The medieval city of Rhodes, inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1988, is an outstanding example of an architectural ensemble illustrating the major period of history in which a military hospital order, founded during the Crusades, survived in the eastern Mediterranean area, in a context characterized by an obsessive fear of siege. Rhodes, from 1309 to 1523, was occupied by the Knightly Order of St John of Jerusalem, who transformed the island capital into a fortified city able to withstand sieges as terrible as those led by the Sultan of Egypt in 1444 and Mehmet II in 1480. It was later that the island came under Turkish and Italian rule. The ramparts of the medieval city, partially erected on the foundations of the Byzantine enclosure, were constantly maintained and remodeled between the 14th and 16th centuries under the Grand Masters Giovanni Battista degli Orsini (1467-76), Pierre d’Aubusson (1476-1505), Aiméry d’Amboise (1505-12), and Fabrizio del Carretto (1513-21). With the Palace of the Grand Masters, the Great Hospital and the Street of the Knights, the Upper Town is one of the most beautiful urban ensembles of the Gothic period. In the Lower Town, Gothic architecture coexists with mosques, public baths and other buildings dating from the Ottoman period. 9. Mytilini The fortress is set on a peninsula, between the two harbours of the city: the ancient (north) and the modern (south) harbour. The fortress, which covers an area of 9.1 hectares, stands on the site of the ancient acropolis of Mytilini and was one of the strongest fortresses in the Mediterranean. It was originally built in the 6th c. during the reign of the Emperor Justinian, although only three features of the Byzantine phase survive: a small Byzantine gate on the north side of the walls, the east wall of the keep and the water cistern in the Middle Fortress. In 1355 Lesbos passed into the hands of the Gattelusi family, who completely repaired the fortress in 1373, along the general lines of the existing Byzantine fortifications. The area is divided into two parts, now known as the Upper and Middle Fortress, where the lords lived and where most of the religious and administrative buildings stood, while the local population lived in the fortified suburb of Melanoudi. All that survives of this phase today is the central fortified keep (the donjon) and the ruins of the church of St John. The major earthquake of 1384 devastated both city and fortress. The two last Gattelusi, Domenico (1445-1458) and his brother Niccolò (1458-1462), carried out reinforcement works to the fortress, placing the first cannon there and constructing bastions and revetments, embrasures, dry moats and watchtowers. In September 1462 the Ottomans took the city of Mytilini, after a brief but violent siege. In 1501, in the reign of Sultan Bayezid, and again in 1643/44, under Sultan Ibrahim Khan, the ruined fortifications of the north harbour were repaired, two new large, round fortification towers with gun ports were built, new walls were constructed and a dry moat was dug. The most important of the Ottoman buildings inside the fortress are the Medrese (Ottoman religious school) which included a public soup kitchen and hospice (Imaret), and the Teke (Ottoman monastery), all dated to the first half of the 16th century. New, extensive repair works were carried out after an earthquake in 1765/66. During the course of the 19th century, the barracks next to the Medrese were constructed, together with the neighbouring powder magazine. Nom du bien : Minoan Palatial Centres (Knossos, Phaistos, Malia, Zakros, Kydonia) Coordonnées : Date de soumission : 16/01/2014 Critères : Soumis par : Permanent Delegation of Greece to UNESCO Liste du PM (nom,id) : État, province ou région : Region of Crete, Regional Units of Heraklion, Lasithi and Chania Brève description Knossos: 27.163122 E, 35.297778 Ν Phaistos: 24.814633 Ε, 35.051103 Ν Malia: 25.493153 Ε, 35.292869 Ν Zakros: 26.261061 Ε, 35.097981 Ν Kydonia: 24.019375 Ε, 35.516278 Ν Crete, prominently and strategically located in the East Mediterranean Basin, formed the bridge between the peoples and cultures of three continents, Europe, Africa and Asia, and was the cradle of a splendid prehistoric civilisation in the land of Greece, the Minoan civilisation. The civilisation was named “Minoan” by Arthur Evans, the excavator of Knossos, which, according to myths preserved by ancient writers, was the seat of King Minos. The Minoan civilisation is connected to a great chapter in Greek mythology: the abduction of Europa by Zeus in the form of a bull, the ingenious Daedalus and his son Icarus, the Minotaur and the Labyrinth, the seven youths and seven maidens sent from Athens as tribute to Minos, the Athenian hero Theseus - who, with the assistance of Ariadne, rid his city of this blood-tax - the bronze giant Talus and the Argonauts, are all inextricably linked with the civilisation of Crete and its palaces, and have been a source of inspiration not only for ancient Greek culture but also for world art, music and literature. The archaeological excavations carried out on Crete from the 19th century onwards continue to reveal, from one end of the island to the other, from east to west and north to south, this age-old civilisation in all its glory. Its elements have been identified even outside its geographical boundaries, since the maritime superiority of the Cretan seafarers and their expansion across the Mediterranean brought them to prominence, at the beginning of the 2 nd millennium BC, as a leading power. From their contact with the peoples of the Mediterranean coast through the flourishing transit trade, they absorbed elements of contemporary civilisations, shaping a singular and special cultural foundation that exercised a tremendous influence on the Mycenaean and, through it, the later Greek civilisation. The Minoan civilisation that developed over the course of two millennia (2800-1100 BC) culminated in a high peak for its time, boasting marvellous buildings, a ground-breaking water and drainage system, equal participation of men and women in religious and social life, and masterpieces of art. The major earthquakes that hit Crete shortly before the end of the Middle Bronze Age resulted in the destruction of many Minoan centres, but also led to the rebuilding of yet more splendid palaces in the immediately ensuing period. The palatial centres played a vital part in the evolution, development and propagation of Minoan civilisation and marked the social transformation from the proto-urban communities of the Early Bronze Age to a multifaceted and hierarchical society. The political, social, economic and religious reorganisation, the transformation of private life, and the unprecedented cultural development that emerged from the gradual centralisation of power and the accumulation of wealth, were focussed on the palatial centres, each of which covered a large populated area of Crete. The Minoan palatial centres stand out for their unique monumental architecture, with its complex internal organisation, which passed into ancient Greek memory as the “Labyrinth”. They constituted the administrative, economic and religious centres of a wider geographical area and housed multiple activities. They not only contained the residences of the rulers and the priesthood, but were home to a multitude of people: artisans (metalworkers, potters, weavers, etc.), merchants, scribes. Various events and contests were held around the palaces. Most of the palatial centres share common architectural features. They consist of a large, rectangular central court, around which are set multi-storey wings (sometimes reaching four storeys), which house the various activities: residential apartments, reception areas, archives (which have produced tablets incised with the famous Linear A and Linear B scripts, the oldest forms of writing in Greece), treasuries, sanctuaries, large storerooms, kitchens, workshops, theatral areas, all providing a picture of a small, vibrant city. The wings were furnished with propyla (porticos), verandas and colonnades that opened onto light wells and inner courtyards, ensuring that the inner rooms were well lit and aired. The walls were faced with marble orthostats and brilliant frescoes. In the workshops, the palace artisans produced masterpieces in gold and ivory, bronze and faience, sealstones, figurines, clay and stone vessels, many of which were destined for export to the countries of the Aegean and the East Mediterranean. Notable centres of power in the Minoan age were the palatial centres of Knossos, Phaistos, Malia, Zakros and Kydonia, which are distributed in different geographical units, from the eastern to the western end of Crete. 1) PALATIAL CENTRE OF KNOSSOS The palace of Knossos, the most important centre of the Minoan civilisation, is located in the Regional Unit of Heraklion. It stands on the “tou Tselebi i Kephala” hill, west of the River Kairatos, and covers an area of approximately 20,000 sq.m. Originally uncovered by Minos Kalokairinos in 1878, the palace was excavated by Sir Arthur Evans in the first three decades of the 20th century, and is still being investigated by the British School of Archaeology today. The earliest human habitation was in the Neolithic period, on the site later occupied by the Minoan palace. The palace was founded circa 2000 BC (Protopalatial period) and, following many destructions, was rebuilt on the same site and flourished in the Neopalatial period (1750-1430 BC). In the Postpalatial period (1400-1100 BC) it was the only Minoan palace that was still partly inhabited. It even preserved its administrative character, as the discovery of an archive of Linear B writings indicates. The palace consists of wings set around a rectangular paved court, while the West Court was an important point of reference in the whole architectural complex. The West Wing housed the storerooms, the sanctuaries and the Throne Room, while the East Wing contained the private apartments and the workshops. The city spread out over a wide area around the palace, with particularly important monuments and buildings, roads, cemeteries, workshops, quarries and sacred spaces. The wider archaeological area of Knossos also flourished in Historic times. 2) PALATIAL CENTRE OF PHAISTOS The palace of Phaistos is one of the largest palaces in Crete and is located in the Regional Unit of Heraklion. It came to light during the excavations carried out by the Italian archaeologist F. Halbherr in the last two decades of the 19 th century, while the Italian School of Archaeology continues investigations in the area today. In the Minoan period, Phaistos was the control centre of the south coast of Crete, and is mentioned by Homer as the kingdom of Minos’ brother Rhadamanthys, son of Zeus and Europa, who took part in the Trojan War and later became one of the three judges of the dead in Hades. The palace was originally built circa 1900 BC, at the western end of the Mesara, the largest plain in Crete. In the later Greek world, Phaistos was known as the home of the great sage Epimenides. The hill of Phaistos was first inhabited during the Late Neolithic period, circa 4500 BC. The first palace was built in the Protopalatial period (1900 BC), covered an area of approximately 8,000 sq.m. and extended over the three stepped terraces of the hill. It was destroyed by an earthquake circa 1700 BC. On the ruins of the old palace was constructed the new palace, which survived until 1450 BC, when it was destroyed and never rebuilt. The city of Phaistos, as a whole, extends over three hills and was already very large in the Old Palace period. It continued in use after the destruction of the New Palaces. It flourished once more in Geometric and Hellenistic times, but was destroyed in 150 BC by the neighbouring city of Gortys, which became the new great power of south Crete. 3) PALATIAL CENTRE OF MALIA The palace of Malia is located on the north coast of Crete, in the Regional Unit of Heraklion. It is the third-largest Minoan palace and was, according to tradition, the seat of Sarpedon, the youngest brother of Minos. The first excavations were carried out in the early 20th century by the archaeologist Iosif Hatzidakis, but the systematic excavation of both the palace itself and the Minoan city was continued by the French School of Archaeology. The palace was originally built circa 2000-1900 BC. It was destroyed at the end of the Protopalatial period (1700 BC) and rebuilt circa 1650 BC on the same site, following the basic layout of the old palace. Some alterations were made in later periods. The palace was totally destroyed at the same time as the other palatial centres, around 1450 BC, while there was a brief period of re-occupation in the 14th to 13th c. BC. The palace of Malia covers an area of approximately 7,500 sq.m. and its layout is similar to that of the palace of Knossos. Various quarters and individual town houses of the town have been excavated, the most important being Quarter Z, Houses E, Da, Db and the major Quarter M. Surviving port installations on the coast indicate that the palace of Malia was a gateway to the Aegean Sea during the Minoan period. 4) PALATIAL CENTRE OF ZAKROS Zakros is located at the southeast end of the Regional Unit of Lasithi, on a natural bay. In 1961 N. Platon began the archaeological excavation of the site, bringing to light a palace with impressive finds, as it had remained unlooted after its destruction. The palace of Zakros preserved today was founded in the Neopalatial period (c. 1600 BC). Like all the palaces known to date, it consists of four wings set around a rectangular central court. The building, which was at least two storeys high, was bounded by an enceinte, forming gardens inside. The economic peak of the palatial centre of Zakros was obviously due to the part it played in the maritime “trade” of Minoan Crete with other centres of the Aegean and the East Mediterranean. Evidence of its links with the East is provided by the discovery, in a storeroom in the West Wing, of four elephant tusks and six bronze talents, imported on the same overseas journey. Around the palace, on two hills, extended the settlement. Approximately 35 houses have been excavated, considered to be annexes to the palace. Between the houses ran paved stepped streets with rainwater drainage ducts, delimiting large building blocks. The town was densely populated, so there were no open spaces. The palace and the town were suddenly destroyed in 1450 BC, at the same time as most of the settlements of Crete, marking the end of the Neopalatial period. 5) PALATIAL CENTRE OF KYDONIA The Minoan palace of Kydonia, discovered by Greek, Danish and Swedish archaeologists, is located in the modern city of Chania in northwest Crete. The low Kastelli hill, rising above the natural harbour and the plain of Chania, was selected during the Prepalatial period (c. 3500-2000 BC) as the most convenient site for the establishment of the first organised Minoan settlement in the Chania area. Present-day Chania lies on the site of Minoan and Classical Kydonia, while the excavation data support the view that the latter was the most important city of west Crete, in both the prehistoric and the historic period. The Neopalatial (c. 1700-1450 BC) and the Mycenaean (1450-1200 BC) settlement of Chania forms one of the palatial centres of Minoan Crete, on the basis of the large number of tablets inscribed in Linear A and B, and of seals which have come to light, revealing a centralised authority and bureaucratic organisation. The very important buildings of the period indicate the existence of a meticulous urban plan, which includes at least one particularly notable sanctuary. The location of Chania as the closest major Cretan settlement to the centres of the Peloponnese and mainland Greece, played a determinative part in this. The contacts of the city were not limited to the rest of Crete, mainland Greece and the Cyclades, but extended as far as Cyprus, Canaan, Syria, Egypt, Italy and Sardinia. A particularly revealing fact as regards the history of Kydonia was the discovery of tablets in Linear B script, one of which refers to a sanctuary of Zeus at which Zeus and Dionysus were worshipped. Nom du bien : National Park of Dadia - Lefkimi - Souflion Coordonnées : Date de soumission : 16/01/2014 Critères : Soumis par : Permanent Delegation of Greece to UNESCO Liste du PM (nom,id) : État, province ou région : Region of East Macedonia and Thrace, Regional Unit of Evros Brève description Situated at the southeast end of the Rhodope mountain range, at the crossroads of two continents, the National Park of Dadia-Lefkimi-Soufli Forest (DNP) is of exceptional ecological significance at European level. Characterised by a rich habitat mosaic on a network of low hills in a transitional climate zone between the Mediterranean and the continental, the DNP extends over an area of 42,800ha in Evros Prefecture. It is located at the easternmost edge of a huge forested area that extends all the way west and north along the Rhodope mountain range, while major forested areas are absent for hundreds of kilometres eastwards. Pine trees predominate in the area of the National Park, forming coniferous forests of Pinus brutia, with P. nigra found at the lowest altitudes of its known distribution, while mixed and deciduous forests also occur over a large expanse. Geologically, the northern part of the DNP is dominated by Tertiary ophiolith complexes, while the south mainly consists of Paleogene volcanic and sedimentary rocks. The location of the DNP, on one of the most important migration routes for birds of the Western Palearctic, makes this forest one of the few regions in Europe cohabitated by 36 out of the 38 European raptor species, where three of the four European species of vulture (Aegypius monachus, Neophron percnopterus and Gyps fulvus) co-exist. The resident Black Vulture population in particular is of great importance, as it is the last remnant of an initially large population of the species within the Balkan region, while the presence of the endangered Egyptian vulture is also significant. Nom du bien : Petrified Forest of Lesvos Coordonnées : Date de soumission : 16/01/2014 Critères : Soumis par : Permanent Delegation of Greece to UNESCO Liste du PM (nom,id) : État, province ou région : Region of North Aegean, Regional Unit of Lesvos and Limnos Brève description Located on the island of Lesvos (North Aegean Region), one of the most important natural heritage monuments in the world, the Petrified Forest of Lesvos, is a unique testament to the ecosystem that once existed in the Aegean region during the Miocene Epoch. The forest consists of hundreds of fossilized trunks, standing or downed, coniferous or fruit-bearing, which are scattered over an area of 15,000 hectares in major concentrations within the protected region and at many other sites in the layers of volcanic rocks. To protect and promote the wonders of this ancient forest, the Greek state declared the area a Protected Natural Monument in 1985 (Presidential Decree 443 /1985). It has also been included in regions protected by the Barcelona Convention (Protection of the Mediterranean Sea against Pollution, OG235/A/1978). The area of the Petrified Forest is also part of the European “Natura 2000” network (GR. 41100003). The Lesvos Petrified Forest constitutes a fossilized forest ecosystem. It flourished in the Aegis region during the Burdigalian Period, in the Lower Miocene, approximately 18.5 million years ago. This forest was a mixed sub-tropical forest with a wide variety of vegetation, mainly conifers and fruit-bearing trees, which formed consecutive vegetation zones according to the morphology of the landscape. During the Miocene, the whole area of the Aegean was a continental land with intense calc-alkaline volcanic activity that formed a series of volcanoes due to the subduction of the African tectonic plate under the Eurasian tectonic plate. When the products of the volcanic eruptions blanketed the plants of the forest, all the plant organs were covered and fossilized in turn. Thus today, throughout the region, one can find fossilized branches and twigs, fruits, root systems and pieces of tree roots, as well as impressive fossils and imprints of leaves and animals living within or around the forest. The anatomical characteristics of the plants, such as the growth rings visible in cross-sections, the external part of the trunk, and the internal wood structure, are well preserved in all the fossils. The fossilized flora of the Petrified Forest includes large numbers of conifer and angiosperm (fruit-bearing) plants, with a smaller showing of pteridophytes. The fossilized trees include the highest standing fossilized tree in the world, with a height of 7.20 meters and a circumference of 8.58 meters. Trees in the petrified forest of Lesvos reach circumferences of 15 meters. Nowadays the volcanic landscape of Lesvos Island presents a unique tomography of the crust, showing the complete sequence of the volcanic structures such as laccoliths, veins, necks, domes, cones and calderas, lava and pyroclastic flows, etc. Thousands of visitors and students visit the area annually in order to admire and study the petrified forest through organized visits, to participate in special events and educational programs, and to see temporary exhibitions and activities. Additionally, the distinct geographical location of Lesvos island, in the vicinity of the Asian coast, contributes to the rich biodiversity of the area, as it is a meeting place of the European and Asian flora and fauna, where several Asiatic species reach their western limits of expansion. The vegetation of the area consists of phrygana (dominant species are Sarcopoterium spinosum, Centaurea spinosa, and Ballota acetabulosa) and forests of Pinus brutia, Pinus pallasiana ssp. nigra and Quercus macrolepis. In the west part of Lesvos there are riparian plant communities, along stream banks, with Rhododendron luteum accompanied by Osmunda regalis, Nerium oleander, Pteridium aquilinum, Juncus sp. and Platanus orientalis. The presence of Rhododendron galleries dominated by Rhododendron luteum Sweet as dominant species is considered very important for both Greece and Europe. Ruta montana L.: Very rare plant of the Greek flora. Osmunda regalis L.: This calcifuge fern is quite common in W. Europe but very rare in Greece. Pancratium maritimum L.: This used to be a common species of sandy shores but its populations are gradually decreasing. Haplophyllum megalanthum: Recently reported (1993) by Hansen and Nielsen as new for Greece. A very rare endemic East Mediterranean species. Anthemis cretica ssp. cretica is a Balkan endemic (it currently includes the species A. panachaica and A. meteorica which are included in the IUCN list of threatened plants as rare and are protected under Greek Law - Presidential Decree 67/81). All the orchid species listed under “other important species” are protected by the CITES Convention. The first references to the fossils of Lesvos can be found in Theophrastus’ works. Theophrastus of Eressos, who was born was born circa 371 BC in the area of the Petrified Forest of Lesvos, was one of the greatest thinkers, scientists and philosophers of antiquity and the first scientist to consider fossils, to which he devoted special attention. A charismatic, observant and systematic genius, he is unquestionably considered the founder of many branches of science, such as botany, ecology and mineralogy. Diogenes Laertius refers to an index of approximately 240 works attributed to Theophrastus. The topics of these works are drawn from many areas of cognition, metaphysics, logic, ethics, politics, rhetoric, poetry and the natural sciences. Later, the first scientific references to the Petrified Forest were made by the Austrian botanist Franz Unger (18001870), who made the forest known to the scientific community. Unger described the fossilized trunks in his books on the Past World (1841-1847) and in articles describing his trip to Greece (1862). Unger’s publications inspired large numbers of researchers to visit Lesvos and the Petrified Forest in the 19th century to study the natural monument. Nom du bien : The Area of the Prespes Lakes: Megali and Mikri Prespa which includes Byzantine and post-Byzantine monuments Coordonnées : Date de soumission : 16/01/2014 Critères : Soumis par : Permanent Delegation of Greece to UNESCO Liste du PM (nom,id) : État, province ou région : Region of West Macedonia, Regional Unit of Florina Brève description The Prespa National Park (PNP) is situated in Northwest Greece, in the Region of West Macedonia; it covers an area of 327km2 and is part of the Transboundary Prespa Park, which is shared between Greece, Albania and FYROM. The PNP consists of the lakes, Megali and Mikri Prespa, and the lake basin which extends to the tops of the surrounding mountains. The two lakes are separated by a narrow isthmus called “Koula”. Mikri Prespa has a maximum depth of 8.4 m and covers an area of 47.7 km2, of which 43.5 km2 belong to Greece and 3.9 km2 to Albania. Megali Prespa is 55m deep and covers an area of 259.4 km2 which is divided between Greece, Albania and FYROM. The PNP has approximately 1,500 inhabitants. The region of Prespa preserves various monuments and many remains of settlements created through the long-term human presence in the area. The archaeological data show that people have lived in the Prespa valley for over four thousand years, but documented human presence does not emerge until the 2nd century BC. Inscriptions found on the island of Agios Achilleios, dated to the Hellenistic era, refer to Julius Crispus and the independent city of Lyca. In Classical times the Prespa region formed part of ancient Lyncus, and the lakes were called Little and Great Brygeis. In 148 BC Prespa became part of the Roman Province of Upper Macedonia. In the Early Christian period it belonged to Macedonia Deutera as a part of Illyricum Prefecture. In the late 8th and early 9th century AD the region belonged to the Theme of Thessaloniki. In the 10th century, Agios Achilleios became the first seat of Czar Samuel Comitopoulos’ government. He founded the basilica of Agios Achilleios, in which he placed the relics of Saint Achilleios. In 1018 the Byzantine Emperor Basil II reconquered the territory, built two fortresses, Vasilida and Konstantion, and established the seat of the Archbishop of Ohrid. In 1072 the Alamani and Franks passed through Prespa and ravaged the church of St Achilleios. In the 12th century Prespa was referred to as Province of Prespes in the chrysobull of Alexios III Angelus. For a while, the region of Prespa remained under the control of the Despot of Epirus, Michael II Angelus, before passing into the rule of the Emperor of Nicaea, Michael VIII Palaeologus. During the 14th century Prespa was incorporated into the kingdom of Stephen Dusan and was conquered in circa 1386 by the Ottomans. The region remained under their rule for 526 years. Nom du bien : The broader region of Mount Olympus Coordonnées : Date de soumission : 16/01/2014 Critères : Soumis par : Permanent Delegation of Greece to UNESCO Liste du PM (nom,id) : État, province ou région : Regions of Central Macedonia and Thessaly, Regional Units of Pieria and Larissa Brève description Olympus, the highest mountain in Greece (the highest peak is 2,918 m. above sea level), rises on the border of Macedonia and Thessaly, between the provinces of Pieria and Larissa. Owing to its specific microclimate, which is partly due to the short distance from the sea and the steep increase in height above sea level, it stands out for its great diversity in terrain, climate and vegetation. The shape of the massif and the majestic peaks, covered in fog and low-hanging clouds, which often bring storms, in conjunction with its diverse and changeable natural beauty, have always induced awe and admiration. In this eerie landscape, the ancient Greeks placed the residence of the Twelve Gods of Olympus (with Zeus at their head), the Muses and the Graces. There, according to Hesiod, Zeus fought Cronus and the Titans and, after winning, settled there and became lord all the gods, demigods and humans. The myths and traditions collected by Homer and Hesiod were passed on throughout the ancient Greek and Roman world, making Olympus the epicentre of ancient Greek mythology and a symbol of Greek civilization. According to ancient Greek tradition, the twelve gods lived in the gorges – or ‘folds of Olympus’ as Homer calls them – where their palaces were situated. On the highest peak was the throne of Zeus. On the rounded and hospitable summit of Agios Antonios, south of Mytikas, an open-air sanctuary has been uncovered - the oldest finds dating to the Hellenistic period - which has been identified as the Temple of Olympian Zeus mentioned by ancient writers. This is probably the sanctuary Plutarch was referring to when, in the 2nd century A.D., he wrote that regularly occurring processions led small animals to a peak on the Macedonian side of Olympus and there sacrificed them to Zeus. The god’s share of the sacrificial meat was burned in the altar fire and the ashes were gathered in a pile upon which letters were inscribed. When the procession ascended the following year, they would find everything intact and the letters in the ashes just as they had left them, since neither wind blew to erase them nor rain fell to dissolve the pile. Antiquities have also been found on other peaks, but these have not been excavated. Since Olympus was the home of the Gods, human settlements were restricted to the foothills of the mountain. The cities of Herakleion/Platamon, Pythion, Petra, Pimpleia and Leivithra (where, according to tradition, the grave of the mythical Orpheus was located), are some of the ancient cities neighboring the realm of the Gods. The history of Olympus has been a tumultuous one. Even since ancient times, the surrounding area, apart from being a site of sacred pilgrimage, formed a battlefield for the control of access from Thessaly to Macedonia. On Mount Olympus one can find the chapel of the Prophet Elias, on the peak of Prophitis Elias at 2,803 m. This is the highest elevation upon which a chapel has been constructed in the whole Orthodox world. It was built in the 16 th century by Hosios Dionysios of Olympus, reportedly constructed upon ancient ruins. The same saint founded the most important monastery in the region, the Old Monastery of Hosios Dionysios, located at an altitude of 820m within the gorge of the River Enipeas. Owing to its outstanding natural beauty, Olympus was the first area in Greece for which a special protection scheme was implemented, with its proclamation as a National Forest in 1938. The forest itself features an anarchic succession of vegetation. As the altitude increases, the vegetation of Olympus, and particularly its distribution, presents many peculiarities. Thus, while in the neighbouring mountains of Pieria, Titaros, and Ossa there is a clear sequence of vegetation zones, on Olympus one witnesses an anarchy in zone succession due to its great variety of microclimates, which are due to the bedrock, slope, altitude above sea level, steep gradients and general terrain. Generally speaking, there are four discernible zones of vegetation. The first, ranging from 300 to 500m, is comprised of evergreen sclerophyllous vegetation and includes shrubs and low trees such as holm oak (Quercus ilex), Greek strawberry tree (Arbutus adrachne), Kermes oak (Quercus coccifera), and prickly juniper (Juniperus oxycedrus). There are also certain characteristic deciduous species such as manna ash (Fraxinus ornus), smoke tree (Cotinus coggyria), Montpellier maple (Acer monspessulanum), Judas tree (Cercis siliquastrum), turpentine tree (Pistacia terebinthus) and others. From 600 to 1400m, which is the zone of beech-fir and montane conifers, we come across black pine (Pinus nigra var. pallasiana) in unmixed and compact stands, or in mixed stands with beech (Fagus sylvatica). Beech forms small clusters, unmixed or mixed with fir, Bosnian pine or black pine, and occupies the richer and wetter soils. In small clusters and scrubs we encounter Macedonian fir (Abies borissi-regis), oriental hornbeam (Carpinus orientalis), wych elm (Ulmus glabra), common hazel (Coryllus avellana), dogwood (Cornus mas), yew (Taxus baccata), as well as a significant variety of herbaceous plants. In the gorges and ravines are found oriental plane trees (Platanus orientalis) and willows (Salix eleagnos). From 1400 to 2500 meters the zone of boreal conifers emerges, dominated primarily by Bosnian pine (Pinus heldreichii), a rare species of pine, which makes its appearance at an altitude of around 1,100 meters. Gradually replacing black pine, it forms unmixed stands up to nearly 2,000 meters. The areas where Bosnian pine grows are usually dry with rocky slopes. The vegetation that grows in the region is adapted to specific local conditions and is represented by characteristic shrubs, grasses, chasmophytes, etc., while the flora includes many endemic Balkan species. Above 2,500 meters, the highest treeline in the Balkans, we no longer find forests but a variety of sub-alpine ecosystems of low-growing vegetation with many rare wildflowers, most of which are endemic to Olympus, Greece or the Balkans. Nom du bien : Zagorochoria – North Pindos National Park Coordonnées : Date de soumission : 16/01/2014 Critères : Soumis par : Permanent Delegation of Greece to UNESCO Liste du PM (nom,id) : État, province ou région : Region of Epirus, Regional Unit of Ioannina Brève description Zagori (“the place behind the mountains”, from the Slavic za “behind” and gora “mountain”) constitutes a distinctive geographic and cultural unit of great architectural and environmental interest. Its own inhabitants divide it, based on the natural boundaries traced by the local rivers, into four subunits: Vlachozagoro, Lakka Zagoriou (the villages in the Zagoritikos river valley), the Villages of the Ano Vikos Valley and the Villages of the Voidomatis Valley. These four subunits form a single territorial unit, Zagori. Its first settlements, its oldest core, lie in the west part of present-day Zagori (Papigo and Pedina). The two other parts developed later. Most of the modern villages were established during the Ottoman period, while most of the villages of East Zagori were founded in the 15th century. All the villages have been through periods of prosperity and decline, so their numbers have not been constant. Zagori was never inhabited by occupying forces, but always remained a self-governing community (“To Koinon ton Zagorision”, The Common of the Zagorisians). During the Ottoman period, Zagori established a special relationship with the Ottoman administration: it was self-governed, autonomous and enjoyed tax exemptions, in return for sending a number of youths (called voiniks) to Constantinople to work as grooms of the Sublime Porte. As a result of this complex historical experience there were no tsiflikia (tsiftlik: a big landed property created under a specific law provision of the Ottoman Rule) in Zagori. Another outcome of the historical evolution in the area was that due to the restricted financial opportunities available to the inhabitants, handicraft production (pre-industrial mass production of goods for trade) was not developed in large scale, unlike in other parts of Epirus. The local economy was based on livestock farming, forestry, farming and revenues coming from emigration. Fertile, cultivatable lands are few and found in the east, as are the dense forests, while the central and western regions are more suitable for livestock farming. Due to the Zagorisians travelling abroad, the area became rich and prosperous. From the 18th century onwards, the emigration of male inhabitants became widespread, while farming and herding activities were left in the hands of the women. The communities of Zagori are self-sufficient and autonomous, but also open to immigration and modern ideas. There are various social groups: the Zagorisians (autochthonous), the Metoikoi (people from other places of the Epirus region who were assimilated after years of permanent settlement; most of them came from Lakka Souliou; there were also a few Gypsies who settled on the outskirts of villages), the Sarakatsani (nomad pastoralists), and a large population of Vlachi (transhumant pastoralists and farmers, mainly in the villages of northeast Zagori). The particular socioeconomic conditions (wealth and cultural influences from Zagorisian emigrants, community selfmanagement/autonomy), and the specific historical experience of nomadic and transhumant pastoralism (Sarakatsani and Vlachi respectively), gave rise to an important and unique cultural capital, the intangible cultural heritage of the region. The architecture of the Zagorochoria (“Zagori villages”) is exceptionally interesting. In a dialectic relationship with the intact natural environment and the particular climate conditions, it constitutes a unique combination of cultural and natural heritage. The villages are densely built and defensive in character. They are monocentric, with a single centre, the mesochori (village square), where all public functions are gathered - the church, the school, the kafeneion (coffee shop, the place were men used to socialize), the vryssi or krini, the name given to the village’s source of fresh water (coming from a nearby spring or well); this sort of fountain is usually decorated with traditional motifs sculpted on stone or marble; most of the fountains are of exceptional architectural value and were a place for social interactions mainly between women. The houses are arranged around the square, in different neighbourhoods (mahalades). Despite their basic common features, the villages in the four subunits of Zagori present some differences in their vernacular architectural style, due not only to the natural environment and building materials, but also to the discrete social character and tradition of each area. In the east, forests and wood predominate. Along with the predominance of the nomadic and transhumant pastoral way of life in the east, the architectural forms here are less austere, freer and more pleasant. To the west the dominant features are the hard, rocky surfaces of Mount Pindos and a stricter social organisation, with a corresponding effect on the architectural form. The Sarakatsani used to move mainly in the Alpine zone (although since the 1930s they have settled permanently in the Zagori lowlands). The Vlachi move through and inhabit the forest zones, while the rest of the Zagorisians live in the cultivatable areas, woodlands and pastures. On the village outskirts live the Gypsies, who are musicians and specialist craftsmen (smiths, basket-weavers). The Metoikoi engage in auxiliary professions. From the outset of Zagorisian emigration (1750 onwards), the Vlachi and Zagorisians became merchants, supplying Zagori with wealth and education. They brought the ideas of the Enlightenment and contributed to the national awakening of the region. The traditions and economic functions connected to emigration and nomadic and transhumant pastoralism contributed to the preservation of the natural environment: the rules pertaining to the use of the sacred forests of the area (vakufika), are an excellent example of sustainable development. The natural environment, particularly in the area of the North Pindos Protected Park, displays a steep and varied terrain with great differences in altitude, ravines, gorges, rivers and numerous streams, each forming its own valley with completely different ecological and climatic characteristics. The bridges of Zagori, unique examples of the builder’s art, connect the river beds and link the network of paths and cobbled roads into a whole of singular beauty. The river water is a source of energy: mills are built on the banks, often close to bridges. The natural elements make up an impressive mosaic of biotopes, which in turn hosts a variety of ecosystems presenting high biodiversity at every level, both horizontal and vertical. This great variety is, of course, also expressed in the local flora. The Zagorisians are well aware of the medicinal properties of plants and this knowledge was cultivated reaching high performance by the famous Vikogiatroi (literally meaning “Doctors coming from Vikos”). They are folk healers whose knowledge is transmitted orally, from generation to generation, and heal people with the herbs they gather from the valleys of the River Vikos. A particularly important and ecologically significant feature of North Pindos is the fact that it includes primary (native) ecosystems of remarkable genetic, ecosystem and species biodiversity, which are of value not only for Greece but globally: · Large forests of conifers and beech at medium and high altitudes, and extensive oak forests on flysch and molasse. · A large ophiolitic mass, largely modified into serpentine. The study area is the only site in Greece where this sublayer also extends into the Alpine zone and therefore hosts a unique variety of serpentine endemic plants. · Impressive limestone formations, mostly vertical rockfaces and ravines. These formations are extremely important for the local bird life and terrain. · Large numbers of self-sown plant species, particularly interesting with regard to their spread, population, biotopes and vulnerability. · Rare and endangered faunal species, including Bear (Ursusarctos), Otter (Lutralutra), Wolf (Canislupus), possibly Lynx (Lynx lynx), Chamois (Rupicaprarupicapra), Roe Deer (Capreoluscapreolus), Blue-throated Keeled Lizard or Pindos lizard (Algyroidesnigropunctatus), and the VipersViperaursiniigraeca andViperaberusbosniensis, as well as an impressive variety and density of bird life. The Pindos region hosts over 1,800 plant species, many of them endemic. The names Pindicus and Pindicola of some species known to date are descriptions indicating that the locus classicus of the species is on Pindos. The rarest plants are found on mountain peaks. Many of these are endemic to the Pindos range, or even to a single mountain in the range. The National Park is home to many rare, endemic and protected plant species. The Aoos River System is the only place in the world where the Pindos Stone Loach (Oxynoemacheilus pindus) lives, a species which is not protected by law, although neither is it directly endangered. It is also the only Greek habitat of the Albanian Roach (Pachychilon pictus), an endemic species of the south Balkans, designated “rare” in Greece.