World Heritage Identification Number: 1517
World Heritage since: 2016
Category: Cultural Heritage
Transboundary Heritage: No
Endangered Heritage: No
Country: 🇬🇷 Greece
Continent: Europe
UNESCO World Region: Europe and North America
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The Archaeological Site of Philippi: A Testament to Ancient Civilizations and Early Christianity
The Archaeological Site of Philippi, nestled at the foot of an acropolis in northeastern Greece, offers a captivating glimpse into the rich tapestry of history that spans from Classical Greece to the formative years of Christianity. Inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2016, this remarkable location boasts an impressive array of architectural remnants, bearing testament to the city's illustrious past and its significance in shaping the course of Western civilization.
More to come…UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site
The remains of this walled city lie at the foot of an acropolis in north-eastern Greece, on the ancient route linking Europe and Asia, the Via Egnatia. Founded in 356 BC by the Macedonian King Philip II, the city developed as a “small Rome” with the establishment of the Roman Empire in the decades following the Battle of Philippi, in 42 BCE. The vibrant Hellenistic city of Philip II, of which the walls and their gates, the theatre and the funerary heroon (temple) are to be seen, was supplemented with Roman public buildings such as the Forum and a monumental terrace with temples to its north. Later the city became a centre of the Christian faith following the visit of the Apostle Paul in 49-50 CE. The remains of its basilicas constitute an exceptional testimony to the early establishment of Christianity.
Encyclopedia Record: Philippi
Philippi was a major mainland Greek city northwest of the nearby island, Thasos. Its original name was Crenides after its establishment by Thasian colonists in 360/359 BC. The city was renamed by Philip II of Macedon in 356 BC and abandoned in the 14th century after the Ottoman conquest. The present village of Filippoi is located near the ruins of the ancient city and is part of the region of East Macedonia and Thrace in Kavala, Greece. The archaeological site was classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2016 because of its exceptional Roman architecture, its urban layout as a smaller reflection of Rome itself, and its importance in early Christianity.Additional Site Details
Area: 87.545 hectares
(iv) — Outstanding example of a type of building or landscape
Coordinates: 41.0147222222 , 24.2852777778
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© Batr41, CC BY-SA 4.0 Resized from original. (This derivative is under the same CC BY-SA license.)
