Greek mythology is not just a collection of stories – it is a charter full of places where the fantastic touches the real thing. From wooded mountains and caves to shores and rivers, mythological sites are a unique combination of history, landscape and popular imagination. In this article we explore some of the most important mythical places of antiquity, away from abstract references, and emphasize the relationship of myth with the natural environment.
Hades is the underworld of the dead and kingdom of the god Hades. The souls were led there by Mercury and crossed the River Styx with Haron. Hades was not only a place of punishment, but a place of judgment and eternal balance. See also: Hades (God), Persephone, Haron, Afterlife, Cerberus =
Troy was the field of the ten-year conflict between Greeks and Trojans. The loss of the city with the Trojan horse is one of the most iconic accounts of antiquity. Troy expresses the heroism, glory and tragedy of war. See also: Achilles, Hector, Priam, Trojan Horse, Iliad
Thebes is a scene of some of the most dramatic mythological stories. Home of Oedipus and place of the curse of the Labdakides, but also of the campaign of the Seven on Thebes. The city symbolizes fate, hubris, and divine punishment. See also: Oedipus, Antigone, Hercules, Seven on Thebes
Taurid was the place where Iphigenia served as the priestess of Artemis after her salvation from the sacrifice to Aulid. There he met Orestes and escaped back to Greece. The Taurid is associated with sacrifice, purification and reunification. See also: Iphigenia, Orestes, Artemis, Sacrifice in Aulid
Sparta is associated mythologically with King Menelaus and Beautiful Helen, which was a cause for the Trojan War. It represents military virtue, honor and strict social structure. See also: Menelaos, Nice Helen, Trojan War, Dioscuri
Olympus is the residence of the twelve Olympian gods. From there Zeus and the rest of the gods regulated the affairs of gods and men. Olympus symbolizes supreme divine authority, secular order and distance between mortal and immortal. See also: Zeus, Hera, Apollo, Athena, Olympian Gods
The Cave of Nymphs in Ithaca refers to Odyssey as a sacred place dedicated to the nymphs. There Ulysses hid the gifts of the Pheasants before appearing disguised in his palace. The space symbolizes the transition from divine protection to human action. See also: Odyssey, Nymphs, Phaeakes, Athena
Lycia was an area of Asia Minor and a setting of heroic narratives. There Bellerophon faced and defeated Chimera, gaining glory and royal favor. Lycia expresses the borders of the Greek mythological world and its meeting with the unknown. See also: Bellerophon, Chimera, Pegasus
Lerna is known as the place where Hercules performed his second feat, killing Lernaia Hydra. The area was associated with marshes and springs considered chthonic and mysterious, often as gates to the underworld. See also: Hercules, Lernaia Hydra, Athlons Hercules
Knossos was the center of Minoan civilization and the seat of King Minos. According to legend, here was the Labyrinth that Daedalus built to imprison Minotaur. Knossos symbolizes the power, technological skill and mystery of ancient Crete. See also: Minos, Minotaur, Daedalus, Theseus, Ariadne