Palace of Nestor

Pylos, Greece

The Palace of Nestor was an important centre in Mycenaean times, and described in Homer's Odyssey and Iliad as Nestor's kingdom of 'sandy Pylos'.

The site is the best preserved Mycenaean Greek palace discovered. The palace is the primary structure within a larger Late Helladic era settlement, once probably surrounded by a fortified wall. The palace was a two-storey building with store rooms, workshops, baths, light wells, reception rooms and a sewage system.

The settlement had been long occupied with most artifacts discovered dating from 1300 BC. The palace complex was destroyed by fire around 1200 BC.

In June 2016, the site re-opened to the public after the roof was replaced by a modern structure with raised walkways for visitors.

In 2015, the University of Cincinnati uncovered an extraordinarily rich find not far from the palace. This undisturbed burial of a Mycenaean warrior, called the 'griffin warrior' by the team, yielded gold rings, bronze weapons, and many other artifacts. The iconography of the artifacts displays a mixture of Minoan and Mycenaean culture.

References:

Comments

Your name



Address

Pylos, Greece
See all sites in Pylos

Details

Founded: 1300 BCE
Category: Prehistoric and archaeological sites in Greece

More Information

en.wikipedia.org

Rating

4.6/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Nick Chrysikopoulos (2 years ago)
A must visit when in Costa Navarino, Pylos or Gialova. The Palace of Nestor is well preserved and has recently undergone extensive renovation. Near the entrance, there is a small visitors’ centre. Dont miss the history of Linear B decipherment. The view is fantastic as well!!
Jo (2 years ago)
Good archaeological site, with information in Greek and English. Good description and images of reconstructed items. View from above. Looks like more excavations are occurring. Cafe on site. Parking right next to site as well. Very cheap.
Marianna Sounoglou (2 years ago)
You don't need more than 45 minutes to enjoy this amazing mycenean palace. The archeologists have created an elevated deck that allows the visitors to appreciate from above. Bonus, it is all shaded, so you can visit during summer without worrying about the scorching sun. Don't forget to visit the mycenean tomb, on the right of the parking lot.
Christos Minias (2 years ago)
An incredible Parthenon. A hidden treasure of antiquity that everyone should visit. Built by the same architect that built the Parthenon of Athens. The building is undergoing some major work that it is even more interesting to see it as it’s happening.
Ben Heller (2 years ago)
Interesting archeological site and it is fascinating to see a real place mentioned in Homer's writing. They've done a good job making it viewable and accessible. It's relatively small and a nice place for a quick afternoon stop.
Powered by Google

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Historic Site of the week

Church of St Donatus

The Church of St Donatus name refers to Donatus of Zadar, who began construction on this church in the 9th century and ended it on the northeastern part of the Roman forum. It is the largest Pre-Romanesque building in Croatia.

The beginning of the building of the church was placed to the second half of the 8th century, and it is supposed to have been completed in the 9th century. The Zadar bishop and diplomat Donat (8th and 9th centuries) is credited with the building of the church. He led the representations of the Dalmatian cities to Constantinople and Charles the Great, which is why this church bears slight resemblance to Charlemagne's court chapels, especially the one in Aachen, and also to the Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna. It belongs to the Pre-Romanesque architectural period.

The circular church, formerly domed, is 27 m high and is characterised by simplicity and technical primitivism.