Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus
Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus is one of the narrated stops on the self-guided Nafplio audio walking tour in Gingerguide. Plan about ~60 min here. Press play at the spot for its two to three minute story, or ask the AI guide anything about it.
- Type theater
- Suggested visit ~60 min
- Nafplio Nafplio guide
About Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus
A 4th-century-BC theatre at the sanctuary of Asklepios, famous for acoustics that carry a coin's fall to the back of some fourteen thousand stone seats, and still staging ancient drama.
The Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus was built around 340 to 330 BC at the sanctuary of Asklepios and is traditionally attributed to the architect Polykleitos the Younger. Its circular orchestra, about twenty metres across, retains the base of a central altar. The seating originally held thirty-four rows; an upper tier of twenty-one rows was added in the mid-second century BC, during the Hellenistic period, bringing the total to fifty-five rows and a capacity of around fourteen thousand.
The theatre is renowned for its acoustics, often demonstrated by a coin dropped or a voice raised on the orchestra and heard in the highest rows. A 2007 study at Georgia Tech attributed the effect to the limestone seats, which filter out low-frequency background noise while letting a speaker's voice carry. Buried and forgotten for centuries, it was excavated from 1881 by Panagiotis Kavvadias, and since 1954 has hosted ancient drama during the Athens Epidaurus Festival.
Did you know? Built around 340 to 330 BC and credited to Polykleitos the Younger, the theatre had thirty-four rows of seats; a Hellenistic upper tier of twenty-one rows later raised its capacity toward fourteen thousand.
How long should you spend at Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus?
Plan about ~60 min at Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus. That is enough to take it in and hear its narrated story; stay longer if it grabs you. The tour is self-guided, so there is no rush.
Is Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus worth visiting?
Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus is one of the 15 sights the Gingerguide team researched and narrated in Nafplio, so it earns a place on a self-guided walk. Its story explains why it matters, and you can ask the AI guide anything the story leaves open.
Nearby stops in Nafplio
Sources and further reading
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Hear the story of Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus
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