 The inconspicuous hill hides royal tombs | ||
| Vergina | ||
| region | Central Macedonia | |
|---|---|---|
| Residents | 1.242 (2011) | |
no tourist info on Wikidata:  | ||
| location | ||
| ||
Vergina is a small rural community in greek Imathia District in the region Macedonia. Here are the remains of the ancient capital of the Macedonian Empire.
background
Vergina would actually be a small, insignificant village if a Greek archaeologist hadn't made an important find in 1977: he discovered the ancient city Aigai, once the capital of the Macedonian Empire, and in this city a large tumulus which almost certainly contained the tombs of Macedonian kings. Anyway, enough to put Vergina on the list of the UNESCO cultural heritage to record.
getting there
By plane
By train
In the street
Vergina is about 14 km from Veria removed at the Egnatia Odos A2. The place is from Thessaloniki about 80 km away, after Edessa it is approx. 55 km.
mobility
Tourist Attractions
Vergina has little to see from modern times. The remains of the ancient city are more important Aigaiwhich lie on the edge of the alluvial plain of the Aliakmonas. Parts of the city wall have been exposed, as have the foundations of residential buildings, temples and the royal palace. The most important find, however, was the tumulus with four graves, three of them were intact. This tumulus was designed as a museum and is open Mon 1.30 p.m.-7.30 p.m., Tue-Sun 8.00 a.m.-7.30 p.m. It is located on a fenced area, next to it is a cafeteria, a small shop and a toilet facility. Admission € 12 per person, reduced € 6 (as of 2017).
You can't see much of the tumulus of the royal tombs from the outside. It has a diameter of over 100 m and was once 12 m high, but its sights are hidden inside. One grave is assigned to King Philip II (the father of Alexander the Great), another is said to be the grave of Alexander IV, son of Alexander the Great. You can see the remains of the original graves, and in addition, reconstructions give an impression of the former complex. The mosaics and wall paintings inside the burial chambers are worth seeing. The grave goods are displayed in showcases. The bones of Philip II were in a golden one Larnax, on it is a sun, which today is the flag of the Greek province Macedonia as well as (albeit in a modified form) that of the neighboring republic North Macedonia. In this larnax there was also a wreath with golden oak leaves. One of Philip's wives was also buried in this grave; a golden diadem and a richly decorated purple cloth were added as grave goods.
At the exit of the museum, the excavation history of the site is shown.
activities
shop
kitchen
In the immediate vicinity of the royal tombs there are various restaurants with a wide range of options from fast food to upscale gastronomy
