Archaeological Site of Tiryns
The City Built by the Cyclopes!
The fortification of the hill of Tiryns (located at the 8th km of the Argos – Nafplion road), which protects the palace complex, is such an impressive construction that the ancient Greeks could not believe it was built by human hands. Thus, the architects of Tiryns were believed to be the Cyclopes, whom the mythical founder of the city, Proetus, brought with him from distant Lycia.
Tiryns is associated with all the great heroes possessing supernatural powers: Bellerophon, Perseus, and Heracles. Indeed, the construction of the wall is inconceivable and remains a challenge to logic, even for today’s visitors. One stands in awe before the perfect fitting of these massive boulders, unable to comprehend how or by whom such a mechanical feat could have been accomplished. From the findings, we know that the gentle hill of Tiryns was inhabited continuously from the Neolithic Era to the Late Antiquity.
It was already flourishing during the Early Bronze Age. Between 2700 and 2200 BC, there was a populous and prosperous city here. The circular building with a 27-meter diameter, dominating the top of the hill, undeniably indicates the power of the city. The fortification of Tiryns was gradually completed to protect the palace complex, the religious spaces, and the burial monuments. Warehouses, workshops, and residences complete the picture of a city that thrived for nearly 2000 years, until the 5th century BC.
