World Heritage Identification Number: 941
World Heritage since: 1999
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 Sites of Mycenae and Tiryns: A Journey into the Heart of Ancient Greece
The Archaeological Sites of Mycenae and Tiryns, inscribed by UNESCO in 1999, offer a captivating glimpse into the rich history and cultural legacy of ancient Greece. Located in the Argolis region of the Peloponnese, these two cities were once the dominant powers of the Mycenaean civilization, which flourished between the 15th and 12th centuries BC. Their influence extended far beyond the borders of modern-day Greece, shaping the course of classical Greek culture and leaving an indelible mark on European art, literature, and mythology.
More to come…UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site
The archaeological sites of Mycenae and Tiryns are the imposing ruins of the two greatest cities of the Mycenaean civilization, which dominated the eastern Mediterranean world from the 15th to the 12th century B.C. and played a vital role in the development of classical Greek culture. These two cities are indissolubly linked to the Homeric epics, the Iliad and the Odyssey , which have influenced European art and literature for more than three millennia.
UNESCO Justification of the World Heritage Site
Criterion (i): The architecture and design of Mycenae and Tiryns, such as the Lion Gate and the Treasury of Atreus at Mycenae and the walls of Tiryns, are outstanding examples of human creative genius.
Criterion (ii): The Mycenaean civilization, as exemplified by Mycenae and Tiryns, had a profound effect on the development of classical Greek architecture and urban design, and consequently also on contemporary cultural forms.
Criteria (iii) and (iv): Mycenae and Tiryns represent the apogee of the Mycenaean civilization, which laid the foundations for the evolution of later European cultures.
Criterion (vi): Mycenae and Tiryns are indissolubly linked with the Homeric epics, the Iliad and the Odyssey, the influence of which upon European literature and the arts has been profound for more than three millennia.
Encyclopedia Record: Mycenae
Mycenae is an archaeological site near Mykines in Argolis, north-eastern Peloponnese, Greece. It is located about 120 kilometres south-west of Athens; 11 kilometres north of Argos; and 48 kilometres south of Corinth. The site is 19 kilometres inland from the Saronic Gulf and built upon a hill rising 274 metres above sea level.Additional Site Details
Area: Not available
(ii) — Significant interchange of human values
(iii) — Unique or exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition
(iv) — Outstanding example of a type of building or landscape
(vi) — Directly associated with events or living traditions
Coordinates: 37.73333333 , 22.75
Image
© Andreas Trepte, CC BY-SA 2.5 Resized from original. (This derivative is under the same CC BY-SA license.)
