Asclepeion

Athens, Greece

To the west of the Dionysos theatre and quite close to the cliff of the Acropolis lies the Asklepieion, the sanctuary of the healing god Asklepios dated to 420 BC. Functioning pretty much as hospitals, the asklepieia were of immense importance in ancient Greece, the most popular being the Asklepieion of Epidaurus. Besides the usual facilities for sheltering the pilgrims, the core structures of the Athenian complex were the temple of the god and the enkoimeterion (dormitory). That was a large two-storey stoa for the enkoimesis of the patients, a dream-like and rather hallucinatory state of sleep induction, practised in those shrines. While in hypnotic state, the patients waited to receive a dream vision of the god who would either give medical advice or even miraculously cure them. Votive offerings that came to light from the site often depict healed body parts. Characteristic examples are on display in the Acropolis Museum.

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Address

Dionysiou Areopagitou 33, Athens, Greece
See all sites in Athens

Details

Founded: 420 BCE
Category: Prehistoric and archaeological sites in Greece

Rating

4.8/5 (based on Google user reviews)

Interesting Sites Nearby


Parthenon (0,1 km)
Acropolis (0,1 km)
Erechtheion (0,1 km)
Temple of Rome and Augustus (0,1 km)
Propylaea (0,2 km)
Temple of Athena Nike (0,2 km)
Odeon of Herodes Atticus (0,2 km)
Theatre of Dionysus (0,1 km)
Hadrian's Library (0,5 km)

User Reviews

Vijay Rajpoot (11 months ago)
Acropolis, as you know, it's one of the most important temples and monuments in the human history, you definitely need to see it and to learn the beautiful history of that monument. I just wanna say that its not quite good if you go on summer because it's really really HOT!
אבי אוליאל (2 years ago)
Some dazzling pineapples are thought of simply as spiders? Industrious dogs show us how lobsters can be hamsters. A boundless grape's kumquat comes with it the thought that the faithful prune is a rabbit; A dynamic fish is a grapes of the mind? Draped neatly on a hanger, a shark is the hippopotamus of a zebra? An apricot sees a turtle as an alluring pineapple. The snake is a panda. The frogs could be said to resemble considerate pomegranates. The willing camel comes from an intelligent ant?
Mi Dang (2 years ago)
You can see the town when you reach to the very top, it was beautiful... annoying when people constantly take pictures when you’re trying to get to a safe spot to take in the view, but it’s expected since this is one of the main attractions in Athens.
Mich D. (2 years ago)
You can see the town when you reach to the very top, it was beautiful... annoying when people constantly take pictures when you’re trying to get to a safe spot to take in the view, but it’s expected since this is one of the main attractions in Athens.
Obblical Tongey (2 years ago)
One of the best places to see in the world. Not much to say due to just how fantastic the architecture is, especially for its time. Being the birth place of democracy already adds a great bonus for history but it just feels like the best place to go to in a short trip to Greece due to its beauty and links to the ancient times.
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Lorca Castle

Castle of Lorca (Castillo de Lorca) is a fortress of medieval origin constructed between the 9th and 15th centuries. It consists of a series of defensive structures that, during the Middle Ages, made the town and the fortress an impregnable point in the southeast part of the Iberian Peninsula. Lorca Castle was a key strategic point of contention between Christians and Muslims during the Reconquista.

Archaeological excavations have revealed that the site of the castle has been inhabited since Neolithic times.

Muslim Era

It has not been determined exactly when a castle or fortress was first built on the hill. The first written documentation referring to a castle at Lorca is of Muslim origin, which in the 9th century, indicates that the city of Lurqa was an important town in the area ruled by Theudimer (Tudmir). During Muslim rule, Lorca Castle was an impregnable fortress and its interior was divided into two sections by the Espaldón Wall. In the western part, there was an area used to protect livestock and grain in times of danger. The eastern part had a neighbourhood called the barrio de Alcalá.

After Reconquista

Lorca was conquered by the Castilian Infante Don Alfonso, the future Alfonso X, in 1244, and the fortress became a key defensive point against the Kingdom of Granada. For 250 years, Lorca Castle was a watchpoint on the border between the Christian kingdom of Murcia and the Muslim state of Granada.

Alfonso X ordered the construction of the towers known as the Alfonsina and Espolón Towers, and strengthened and fixed the walls. Hardly a trace of the Muslim fortress remained due to this reconstruction. Muslim traces remain in the foundation stones and the wall known as the muro del Espaldón.

The Jewish Quarter was found within the alcazaba, the Moorish fortification, separated from the rest of the city by its walls. The physical separation had the purpose of protecting the Jewish people in the town from harm, but also had the result of keeping Christians and Jews separate, with the Christians inhabiting the lower part of town.

The remains of the Jewish Quarter extended over an area of 5,700 square m, and 12 homes and a synagogue have been found; the synagogue dates from the 14th century and is the only one found in the Murcia. The streets of the town had an irregular layout, adapted to the landscape, and is divided into four terraces. The synagogue was in the central location, and around it were the homes. The homes were of rectangular shape, with various compartmentalized rooms. The living quarters were elevated and a common feature was benches attached to the walls, kitchens, stand for earthenware jars, or cupboards.

Modern history

With the disappearance of the frontier after the conquest of Granada in 1492, Lorca Castle no longer became as important as before. With the expulsion of the Jews by order of Ferdinand and Isabella, Lorca Castle was also depopulated as a result. The castle was abandoned completely, and was almost a complete ruin by the 18th century. In the 19th century, the castle was refurbished due to the War of Spanish Independence. The walls and structures were repaired or modified and its medieval look changed. A battery of cannons was installed, for example, during this time. In 1931 Lorca Castle was declared a National Historic Monument.

Currently, a parador (luxury hotel) has been built within the castle. As a result, archaeological discoveries have been found, including the Jewish Quarter.

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