Mykines and Mycenae: a Greek hill of gates, walls and tombs

Mykines in Greece is the modern village beside ancient Mycenae, where stone gates, walls and tombs make a Bronze Age citadel legible in the Argive plain.

On the low hills of Argolis in Greece, Mykines gives its modern name to the ancient citadel of Mycenae, a Bronze Age centre whose stone walls still rise above the Argive plain. The archaeological site near Mykines turns a once royal stronghold into a landscape of gates, passages and tombs that can be traced on foot.

A fortified hill above the Argive plain

Ancient Mycenae stands on a rocky hill in north-eastern Peloponnese, inland from the Argolic Gulf and within the wider Argive plain. The site lies south-west of Athens and north of Argos, on ground that falls away towards surrounding farmland and smaller ridges.Ancient Mycenae stands on a rocky hill The acropolis, the upper fortified area, occupies the highest part of the hill, with stone defences enclosing a compact summit.

Mycenae is associated with the Mycenaean civilisation, a Late Bronze Age culture in Greece that flourished roughly between the seventeenth and twelfth centuries BC. Archaeological work has shown that the hill and its surroundings were inhabited well before this period, with material from the Neolithic and early Bronze Age indicating earlier settlement phases.The Mycenaean civilisation in Argolis In its present form, the site is approached as an archaeological landscape of stepped paths, stones and exposed foundations rather than as a continuous built town.

Walls, the Lion Gate and royal tombs

The most striking built elements at Mycenae are the massive defensive walls, constructed of large blocks and enclosing the acropolis in an irregular circuit. These fortifications have given rise to the term “Cyclopean masonry”, reflecting the scale of the stonework and its association with legendary builders.Cyclopean masonry Near the main entrance to the acropolis stands the Lion Gate, a formal gateway framed by upright stone jambs and a lintel, surmounted by a relief block showing two animals facing a central pillar.

Within and around the fortified area lie important burial structures that mark Mycenae’s role as a centre of power. Close to the gate is Grave Circle A, a group of shaft graves that yielded rich funerary finds when excavated in the nineteenth century. Further from the acropolis, tholos tombs stand partly buried in the hillsides, with long passageways leading inward to circular chambers roofed with corbelled stone.Grave Circle A and tholos tombs One of these, known as the Treasury of Atreus, is among the best-preserved large tombs of the period and gives a clear sense of Mycenaean funerary architecture.

Mykines village and the surrounding landscape

Beside the ancient hill lies the modern village of Mykines, in the municipal unit Argos-Mykines of Argolis. The village, formerly known as Charvati before a name change in the early twentieth century, stands west of the archaeological site and east of the main road linking Argos and Corinth.The modern village of Mykines It acts as a local point of reference for visits to Mycenae and sits within agricultural land and low hills.

The wider region around Mykines and Mycenae shows how the citadel relates to its setting. To the south, the town of Argos occupies the plain, while Nafplio lies further towards the coast. Road approaches bring travellers through the Argive countryside, where the fortified hill of Mycenae rises from slopes dotted with shrubs and scattered stones.The Mycenae archaeological site in Argolis Within walking distance of the main gate, monuments such as additional grave circles and smaller structures extend the archaeological area beyond the central acropolis.

Visiting Mykines: what travellers from Western Europe should know

• Mykines and the archaeological site of Mycenae lie in Argolis in the north-eastern Peloponnese, south-west of Athens and north of Argos, reached by road from the wider region.
• The hilltop site has uneven, rocky ground with stepped approaches; visiting involves walking on stone paths and slopes between exposed ruins and tomb entrances.
• The surrounding area includes the Argive plain and nearby towns such as Argos and Nafplio, making Mykines part of a wider landscape of historical and coastal places in south-eastern mainland Greece.
• The official language is Greek and the currency is the euro.

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Frequently asked questions about Mykines

Where is Mykines and Mycenae located in Greece?

Mykines and the ancient citadel of Mycenae are in Argolis in the north-eastern Peloponnese, south-west of Athens and north of the town of Argos.

What can visitors expect on a visit to Mycenae near Mykines?

Visitors encounter a fortified hill with massive stone walls, the Lion Gate, exposed palace remains and a series of royal tombs and grave circles set in the surrounding slopes.

What makes the Mycenae site distinctive among Greek archaeological places?

The combination of Cyclopean fortifications, the formal Lion Gate and the monumental tholos tombs, alongside its role in the Mycenaean civilisation, gives Mycenae a particularly recognisable layout.