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

4.7/5 (based on Google user reviews)

Interesting Sites Nearby


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User Reviews

Noelia Gato Flores (15 months ago)
It's a must have of your wish list. Great place with an incredible history. I recommend to visit it early in the morning, starting to be very busy from 11am and very packed you can't easy take a normal photo. Highly recommended.
Andrew Scott (15 months ago)
What an amazing place! One of the most iconic places in Greece. Pretty busy, but once you are in past the initial entrance it's a large area and the crowd can thin out. The view of Athens around it a breathtaking.
Nadia De Marco (16 months ago)
This place is amazing, one of my favorites in the world. Is not a difficult walk, taking the right time anyone can do it. The best time to go is during the sunset, you can see the sun setting on the city. Its just wonderful. ❤❤ I've been there twice and since it's really big is never too crowded. They close a little bit early than the time scheduled.
Katerina Katerina (16 months ago)
An amazing historical place for the explorers out there. A good history lesson and an amazing experience. I really recommend you to visit.
Ron Nicholas (16 months ago)
Perhaps the most important place to visit in Athens Greece. Get there as early as you can to beat some of the crowds or wait for a couple hours. It would be nice to be part of a guided tour. Or you can just casually listen in on other English guides. Count on spending two or three hours there. It also offers great views of the city.
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