The Amphiareion of Oropos, one of the greater Athens area’s lesser known archaeological sites, recently re-emerged in the headlines with the catastrophic wildfire that burned more than 1,500 hectares of land in extreme northeast Attica prefecture but thankfully spared the monument.
The site, which features the ruins of a 5th century BC sanctuary dedicated to mythical hero Amphiaraos, is set in a quintessential southern Grecian landscape amid (still untouched) pine forest-covered hills close to the southern Evoikos Gulf.
In a bid to re-introduce the archaeological site to the general public, two noted Greek NGOs, Monumenta and Diazoma, announced an initiative to begin tours of the ruins, beginning on Sunday.
The initiative comes in cooperation with the relevant archaeological bureau for the region (eastern Attica prefecture), and local cultural societies.
The recent wildfire, which erupted along a multi-kilometer front, bypassed the specific site, which is nearly the Oropos township.
According to the head of Monumenta, Irini Gratsia, the biggest threat faced by the Amphiareion site is low visitor numbers, something that is exacerbated by a lack of mass transit connections to the area and opening hours only up until the early afternoon.
“…Local society must embrace this ancient sanctuary, and in general, all monuments; that’s how protection will be strengthened,” she said.
