Vergina
The archaeological site of Vergina in Macedonia is famous for the royal tombs which were the burial place of King Philip II, father of Alexander the Great.
The discovery of the Royal Tombs in 1977 at the archaeological site of Vergína, some 13km (8 miles) from the town of Veroia, was the most exciting archaeological happening in Greece in the 20th century. It rivalled Schliemann’s unearthing of the tombs at Mycenae in the 19th century.
The Entrance to the Royal Tombs at Vergina
Discoverer of the Royal Tombs
The discovery was made by Professor Manolis Andronikos (1919-1992), who uncovered an entrance to a tomb. Unlike the over-confident Schliemann, he did not claim to know in advance what lay inside the tomb. In fact what he had found was the burial place of King Philip II of Macedon, the father of Alexander the Great.
The skeleton of this Macedonian King was complete, and contained inside a golden funeral casket, on top of which was the emblem of the Macedonian star. These amazing finds are now among the highlights of the Archaeological Museum in Thessaloníki.
The Entrance to the Royal Tombs at Vergina
Vergina Museum
The finding of the tombs led to a flurry of activity in the area, and a great deal of archaeological work. A first class new museum was built, as soon as it was possible to allow visitors to view the tombs, which are on display behind protective glass.
The first of the two main tombs found by Professor Andronikos had been looted long ago, but the second contained priceless treasures. They also rewrote the history books, as it had long been thought that the Macedonian Kings had been buried at Edessa.
A brand new museum was inaugurated in 2023, and along with the tombs and the Parthenon (see below), this has become one of the most significant sites in the country.
The Parthenon of Macedonia
In early 2024 a new part of the site was opened to the public after 16 years of restoration work costing around 20 million euros. This is the palace of King Philip II, that was built during his reign and has been called the Parthenon of Macedonia. It's regarded as one of the most important buildings of Classical Greece, ranking alongside the Parthenon in Athens but three times its size.
Our Pick of the Guides to Greece
Enjoy this page? Please pay it forward. Here's how...
Would you prefer to share this page with others by linking to it?
- Click on the HTML link code below.
- Copy and paste it, adding a note of your own, into your blog, a Web page, forums, a blog comment,
your Facebook account, or anywhere that someone would find this page valuable.
-
The Greek capital continues to celebrate spring with the 3rd This is Athens – City Festival, presenting a diverse program of events and activities, all with free admission. Throughout the weekend, the…
Read More
-
British travelers seeking value for money in Europe this year will find it in Athens, according to the annual Post Office Travel Money City Costs Barometer. The Greek capital is once again among the T…
Read More
-
Kalymnos, Thassos, Lefkada and Skopelos have been identified as some of the most affordable destinations for British travelers booking package holidays this summer, according to a recent analysis by W…
Read More
-
Greek authorities have once again decided to keep one of the country’s most-visited beaches, Navagio on the island of Zakynthos, closed to the public due to safety risk.
Read More
-
UK tour operator Jet2holidays and leisure airline Jet2.com have expanded their summer 2025 program by adding 35,000 seats to various destinations, including two Greek islands.
Read More
-
The 3rd This is Athens – City Festival is currently underway, showcasing a diverse array of entertainment events and creative activities suitable for families and adults. An initiative of the Athens D…
Read More
-
A new beer festival is coming to Athens and for three days will quench the thirst of beer lovers with well-known and rare labels from around the world as well as from Greek microbreweries. Lager? Pils…
Read More
-
Transportation and travel in Greece will be disrupted on Wednesday, May 1, as public transport and ferry employees have announced their participation in strike mobilizations to mark May Day. According…
Read More
-
Athens is ranked as one of the top European cities for family science trips, according to a report by Ubuy, a global e-commerce platform. Ubuy’s new report reveals Europe’s top 20 cities where familie…
Read More
-
Boasting spectacular landscapes and unique local traditions, the islands of Lesvos, Ikaria and Andros are ideal vacation destinations for Greek Easter.
Read More