Built on the ridge of Mesa Vouno Mountain, Ancient Thera hosted a significant ancient civilization and was considered the religious and commercial center of Santorini.
On the top of Mesa Vouno Mountain, which is located in the southeast part of Santorini and separates the seaside villages of Perissa and Kamari, lie the ruins of the ancient city of Thera at a height of 365 meters above sea level.
Historical facts
The excavations in Mesa Vouno, which started in 1896 by the German baron Friedrich Hiller von Gaertringen and continued by N. Zapheiropoulos between 1961 and 1982, revealed this ancient settlement that dated back to the 8th Century BC.
During this period the Dorian colonists from Sparta arrived on the island with their king Theras, founded this city, and named the island Thera in his honor. They had recognized the strategic value of the location, as it constituted an excellent observation spot on the Aegean Sea and a natural fortress due to the steep slopes that it was situated on.
The city of Thera was so successful at that time, as shown by the evidence of its trading activity with Athens, Corinth, Ionia, and Rhodes, until the second half of the 3rd Century BCE when the role of the city changed with the arrival of the Ptolemaic fleet in its harbor.
Later, from the middle of the 1st Century BCE and during Roman times, the island and the city became part of the Roman province in Asia and was considered a very prosperous and important city.
Generally, throughout the centuries, the ancient city met both glorious and turbulent times and it was inhabited and conquered by various civilizations until the end of the 3rd Century AD when its decline began and its residents gradually started dwelling on the coasts of the island. During the 8th Century AD though, it provided a safe sanctuary to the inhabitants of the coastal villages, as living there was very dangerous due to the Arabic invasions. It was then that a huge wall was built at the western edge of its ridge and a number of makeshift accommodations made of ancient building material were built between its half-ruined buildings. In 726 AD the city was totally abandoned after a small eruption of the Volcano that covered it with a light layer of pumice.
The Excavations findings
After years of excavations on the site, scientists brought to light interesting information on how the city was built and the way this ancient society was developed.
The findings show that the city consisted of a road 800 meters long and between 2 to 4 meters wide that led to many smaller paths and the city’s headquarters, built on a high point of the slope. The city was expanded on a plateau above the rocky shore with a central market and the residential area around it. Opposite, there was a theater built on the slope, that hosted many performances, attracting visitors from all over the island and perhaps the neighboring islands.
On the eastern side of the city, with the view of the sea, there was a small sanctuary with temples and public facilities, which indicates a sophisticated society where religion played a very important role.
From the building discoveries it was found that the public buildings were made of limestone, whereas the private ones of small, unsymmetrical stones.
Art wasn’t vastly cultivated in the ancient city of Thera. However, the archaeological excavations have revealed remarkable artifacts of ceramics in the oriental style, an influence by the neighboring island of Naxos. In addition, Thera was one of the first places to adopt the Phoenician alphabet as the basis of Greek writing, as shown by the several inscriptions found at the sanctuaries, that were written in the Greek alphabet.
A great collection of statues, clay figurines, pots, vases, and other objects and artifacts can be found in the Archaeological Museum of Thera, while one Kouros (ancient Greek statue of a young man), known as Apollo of Thera, which dates back to the 6th century BC, is at the National Archaeological Museum in Athens.
How can someone visit the ancient city of Thera?
As mentioned before, Ancient Thera is situated on the top of Mesa Vouno Mountain, which separates Perissa and Kamari villages, at a location of 365 meters in height. Therefore, since the location is not easily reachable by big vehicles, visitors cannot get to the place by public buses. The only ways of visiting the area are either by car or on foot. You can either choose the road going up from Kamari village, which can be accessed both by car and on foot, hike up a trail from Perissa village only on foot, or follow a trekking path from Prophet Elias Monastery, which is nestled on the mountain ridge of Mesa Vouno. Either way you choose, you will discover that it is a very interesting and beautiful location with a great view of the Aegean Sea, which is surely worth visiting.
Useful advice: If you choose to visit Ancient Thera on foot, take into account that the slope is quite steep and it might be windy due to the height of the location. Also, plan your visit early in the morning and get the necessary supplies with you, as during the summer months the temperature might reach high levels.
When visiting Ancient Thera, one can feel its bygone glory while wandering around the remnants of a great ancient civilization!
Location & area
Location of Ancient Thera
Discover more Museums and Archaeological Sites
