Patras Ancient Odeum

An excellent example of ancient theater/odeum architecture in “Ano Polis”

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West of the Acropolis, in “Ano Polis” (upper city) you can visit Patra’s Roman Odeum, which was built at an earlier date than the Athens Odeum (Herodion 160 AD).

The geographer Pausanias who visited Patra in 170 AD, writes that “it has the most beautiful decoration I have ever seen, excluding of course that of the Odeum of Athens”. As mentioned by Pausanias, inside the Odeum, which was a continuation of the ancient Agora, there was a statue of Apollo, made of loot from the war against the Gauls (279 BC), when the local people of Patras assisted the Aitolians.

During the following centuries, earthquakes, wars, and conquerors, destroyed the Odeum and covered it with soil and other buildings. From the small hill that was formed, only few parts remained uncovered. It came to light once again in 1889, when excavation works took place on the hill for the proceeding embankment of the port.

A number of decades were to go by before the beginning of reconstruction works, which were completed in 1965, the year during which the Odeum regained its initial form. In the same decade, the surrounded space was turn into an archaeological area where mosaics, sarcophaguses and other ancient findings were displayed.

The Odeum consists of all main parts of a theatre: concave, orchestra, front-stage, stage and back-stage, whilst the 23 rows of seats, can accommodate 2.300 spectators.
Since the establishment of the Patras International Festival, the Ancient Odeum constitutes its main stage, hosting top Greek and foreign artistic ensembles, during the summer months.

Opening hours 8:00 am- 2:30 pm.(except Mondays)
Entrance: free of charge.
Contact: 0030 2610220829

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Driving from Patras city center to the Ancient Odeum

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