ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE OF NESTOR'S PALACE

This site under a large shelter on the hill of Ano Englianos (Ανάκτορο Νέστορος/Anaktoro Nestoros) contains the remains of 105 rooms of the best-preserved palace of the Mycenaean civilization. Discovered in 1939, this was the political seat of ancient Pylos. It was named by archaeologists in reference to a legendary figure: King Nestor, portrayed by Homer as a wise warrior from Pylos who gave advice to the Greek heroes of the Trojan War. The city grew here from 2600 BC, reaching its peak between 1300-1200 BC, with at least 50,000 inhabitants spread between the hill of Ano Englianos and the Bay of Navarin. The palace was destroyed by fire around 1180 B.C. This led to the preservation of the site and over a thousand clay tablets bearing inscriptions in Linear B, the writing system of the Mycenaean language, the ancestor of Greek. Pylos has thus become the richest source of information on Mycenaean culture. The visit proves pleasant and interesting: here, we're in the shade, the explanatory panels are well laid out, including reconstructions of the rich wall paintings, and the site itself is very "readable".

Royal bath and tomb. The palace covers an area of 15,300 m², divided into three wings with staircases and wall bases 1 m high. The central part opens onto a propylaeum, a monumental H-shaped doorway surmounted by two sphinx statues and flanked, on the left, by the archive room where the tablets were stored. We then enter the throne room, with traces of a large circular fireplace on the floor and wooden columns supporting the ceiling. The adjoining rooms were used as storerooms, kitchens, vestibules, etc. To the left of the propylaeum is the "Queen's megaron", a sort of palace within a palace, with an open courtyard, corridors, adjoining rooms and a rectangular hall with a circular hearth and, above all, a bathtub that retains its colorful decoration. Outside, near the parking lot, the necropolis houses a monumental circular stone tomb known as the "royal tomb" (c. 1550-1500 BC). Normally, the visit continues at the Chora Archaeological Museum (4.5 km to the north-west), where the palace's frescoes and tablets are preserved. However, the museum was closed for renovation in 2024.