ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE OF DODONE

This 3.5-hectare site (Αρχαιολογικός Χώρος Δωδώνης/Archaiologikos Choros Dodonis) houses the remains of the ancient sanctuary of Dodona, which was dedicated to Zeus and the mother goddess Dione. It can be reached from the Egnatia freeway (exit no. 4 "Dodoni"). It was an oracular sanctuary: pilgrims came to ask a question and the oracle (the answer) given by Zeus was interpreted here by priests and priestesses in the rustling of the leaves of a sacred oak. Situated in a valley between the Tomaros (1,974 m) and Manoliassa (1,076 m) mountains, this sanctuary is the oldest in Greece: religious practices have been attested since the ^3rd millennium B.C. It was also the most prestigious oracular sanctuary along with Delphi. Dodona was placed under the protection of the Greek tribe of Thesprotes, then under that of the Molosses. The sanctuary ceased to function in 391 AD, when the sacred oak was felled with the advent of Christianity as the official religion. Today, it lies next to the villages of Dodoni (pop. 60) and Mantio (pop. 130), which offer restaurants and accommodation.

Large theater and new oak tree. The main building is the theater, built in the early ^3rd century BC and very well preserved. Set against a hill and retaining wall, it could accommodate between 17,000 and 25,000 spectators, notably for the Naïa festival, held every four years in honor of Zeus and Dioné. It is well preserved. To the south-west, the stadium was used for the Naïa sports events. Dating from the same period as the theater, it still has some 20 rows of seats along the track. The path then leads past the remains of the bouleuterion (council chamber) and the prytaneum (magistrates' assembly). You then enter the sanctuary proper. Little remains of the temples of Aphrodite and Themis (goddess of Justice). But the area around the "sacred house" (Hiera Oikia) of the temple of Zeus contains remains from several periods. Archaeologists have planted an oak tree in the center of the most recent temple built by the Romans after the destruction of Dodona (by the Romans!) in 167 BC. The tour ends with the ruins of the two temples of Dione (^4th and ^3rd centuries BC) and Heracles (^3rd century BC), partly covered by the remains of a^5th-century early Christian basilica.