The Ancient Sites of Mytilini
Mytilini Castle
The castle of Mytilini sits atop one of the seven hills surrounding the main town. It is a massive structure and said to be one of the largest surviving fortifications in Europe today. We still have much work to do in order to bring you the full details of the castle so please bear with us for now.
The Ancient Theatre
The ancient Theatre of Mytilini lies on a hillock in a small pine forest. In 1958, excavations by D. Evangelides and A. Vavritra revealed the orchestra pit which has been lovingly preserved. Although it is not known who designed and built the structure, the Theatre is known to have been one of the largest in Greece, 300 - 100 years BC, with an estimated capacity of 15,000 spectators. The theatre was certainly restored during Roman occupation.
It is said that the Theatre made such an impression on Pompeii, who visited Mytilene in 62 BC, that he commanded a similar theatre be erected in Rome. It is therefore a possibility that Mytilini was used as a prototype for the construction of the famous Theatre of Pompeii.
The Polygonal Wall
Dating back to the fifth century BC, ruins of this now famous wall of the ancient town of Mytilini have been discovered in a number of sites, one of which is near the ancient Theatre. Sections have also been discovered in the town centre and some have even been discovered below sea level. This is truly a feat of engineering!
