Eleusinion Sanctuary

Athens, Greece

Eleusinion was the place where all sacred objects associated with the Eleusinian Mysteries were kept between ceremonies. It was located at the base of the Acropolis. The temple was built around 490-480 BCE and it's size was around 11 x 18m.

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Founded: 490-480 BCE
Category: Prehistoric and archaeological sites in Greece

More Information

en.wikipedia.org

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4.3/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Conrad Schmidt (14 months ago)
Closed for unknown reasons. Looks pretty overgrown beyond the fence. Shows as a part of the Agora ticket, but not the case in at least the last few years.
minabulic (2 years ago)
This area is unfortunately closed for visit and by the words of a guard it will not be open soon. You can see it through the bars but not all the explanation signs. Unfortunate, since it is important place.
ERMIONI MITSIOU (2 years ago)
The temple was built around 490-480 BC and it's size was around 11 x 18 m. The Sanctuary of Elefsinion was for centuries one of the most important religious centers of antiquity. Within ts area developed the cult of goddess Dimitra and her daughter Persephone, which is associated with the cultivation of land, vegetation, fertility, as well as with the regeneration and eternity of life. The Eleusinion was one of the most important sanctuaries in the religious life of the ancient Athenians. Eleusinion played a key role in the initial stages of the Greater Mysteries held each fall in the month of Boedromion (corresponding to September in the modern calendar). This festival commemorated Demeter’s search for and reunification with her daughterPersephone, who had been abducted by Hades/Plouton and taken to the Underworld. Those initiated into the Mysteries were promised a better condition in the afterlife. Originally open only to Greek men and women, the Eleusinian Mysteries later included foreigners who spoke Greek, and eventually became one of the most famous religious festivals in antiquity. It is likely that Eleusinion was also one of multiple locations in Athens used for celebrations of the Thesmophoria, an ancient festival of Demeter and her daughter, celebrated throughout the Greek world but open only to the women of each community. In contrast to the Eleusinian Mysteries, which centered on a shared religious experience and hope for a better afterlife, the festival of the Thesmophoria focused more directly on rituals designed to guarantee the fertility of both women and crops.
PA B (2 years ago)
Elusive, but trace to the mysteries. Can view through the fence, I never did find any markers.
Marcelo Di Rienzo (3 years ago)
Unmissable place for a breathtaking view of both the city of Athens and the Acropolis at the top of the hill. The sunset is wonderful.
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