Ancient Stageira

The Ancient Stageira is the birthplace of Aristotle, the greatest philosopher of ancient times and tutor of Alexander the Great. The city was founded in ca. 655 B.C. by colonists from the island of Andros.The site of ancient Stageira lies on a small, beautiful peninsula near the modern village of Olympiada, in north-east Chalkidiki.

Recent excavations conducted by the 16th Ephorate of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities have brought to light part of the Archaic walls as well as the Classical fortification of the city, preserved in very good condition. On the low ridge between the two hills of the peninsula stands the Agora, political and commercial center of the city. It is dominated by a long, rectangular portico (classical stoa), an edifice in which the people of Stageira assembled for public debate. A complex of public storerooms and shops is situated to the east of the portico, in front of a paved road.

On the top of the north hill part of a temple dating from the 6th c. B.C. came to light under the byzantine enclosure which was built there about the 10th c. A.D. On the steep north-east side of the hill are the ruins of an archaic sanctuary and a series of storerooms and workshops, mainly of the Early Hellenistic period, built against the inner side of the Late Classical fortification.

The acropolis of Stageira occupies the large plateau on the summit of the south hill. The slopes of the hill are protected by the south section of the fortification through which runs the main water-supply conduit of the city.

Parts of houses have been discovered over the entire area of the ancient city. The steep terrain indicated the creation of stepped terraces on which building blocks or individual houses were erected.

Administrative Information

Ephorate of Antiquities of the Prefecture of Halkidiki and Agion Oros
Olympiada, Τ.Κ. 57014, Olympiada, Prefecture of Chalkidiki (Prefecture of Halkidiki)
Telephone: +302371022060, +302310285163
Fax: +302310251892
Email: efachagor@culture.gr

Tickets: Free access

Access to the Archaeological Site: By car or bus to the community of Olympiada.

Source: http://odysseus.culture.gr
Ephorate of Antiquities of the Prefecture of Halkidiki and Agion Oros