Tomb of Leonidas

Sparta, Greece

The Tomb of Leonidas has an impressive edifice (12.5m × 8.30 m), probably dating back to the late 5th century BCE. It was made of massive limestone and its interior was divided in two connected chambers. The eastern chamber was 3.15 meters long, had the form of a pronaos (vestibule) and was ornate with columns. Until today, the use of the edifice has not been verified.It is believed to be a cenotaph, while many researchers share the opinion that it is the temple of Karneios Apollo.

 Although there is no indication on the correlation between the temple and the legendary king of Sparta, according to local tradition and the travel writer Pausanias, the remains of Leonidas were transferred and buried there. It is because of this, that the locals believe it to be the tomb of Leonidas. Pausanias also mentions that annual games were hosted here to honor the memory of the Spartan king.

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Address

Agidos 82, Sparta, Greece
See all sites in Sparta

Details

Founded: 5th century BCE
Category: Prehistoric and archaeological sites in Greece

Rating

3.9/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

J. E. Bennett (9 months ago)
No signage, no information, just a fenced pile of stones in the middle of a busy square with children at play. There are several lovely restaurants to eat at nearby if you want to "experience" the tomb, but to view the tomb up close you'd have to interrupt the lives of locals. Even then, there's not much to see.
Tim Tarrington (9 months ago)
5 stars for what it is, zero stars for a tourist attraction Nice cafe on the square , I wouldn’t go out my way come here, it was a bit of an anti climax to my road trip around the Peloponnese! But on the other hand happy to say I’ve been here If you’re gonna come, do it but lower your expectations! Greece get your act together this could be a great attraction your definitely missing a trick!
timeworx (10 months ago)
The site has the form of a temple, probably dating back to the late 5th century BC. It was made of massive limestone blocks and was divided in two connecting chambers. Many researchers share the opinion that it is the temple of Karneios Apollo. However, according to local tradition and the travel writer Pausanias, the remains of Leonidas were transferred and buried there. Either way, the site deserves to be preserved better and a plaque should be added explaining the historical background.
Jazvina Lahre (10 months ago)
The locked but least you can see thru the gate.
Brian Morton (12 months ago)
The 5 stars is strictly for the historical aspect and really nothing else. The area is fenced off and if you didn't know what you were looking at, it would look like a pile of blocks... no plaque or marker explaining anything.
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