The ancient city, as we know it today, with the urban planning system of the last quarter of the 4th c. e.g. and the Hellenistic modifications and reconstructions, spreads over an area of approximately 4,000 acres.
The oldest residential remains of the first building phase of the Macedonian capital came to light in the area of the complexes of the sanctuary of the healer god Darronos (in the southwestern part of the current visitable area). The coincidence of the location of the outer wall of a building of the oldest construction phase with the outer wall of a building block of the Hellenistic times indicates with a high probability the existence of an urban planning system with rectangular building blocks at the end of the 5th – beginning of the 4th century. e.g.
The ancient city of Pella spreads over an area of 4,000 acres. The new museum is a micrograph of the archaeological site, as in it the visitor can reconstruct the archaeological evidence provided by the monuments and understand the various aspects of the daily and public life of the Macedonian capital.
What can I see today in Pella ?
The visitable archaeological site of Pella, north of the Thessaloniki-Giannitsa public road, includes part of the residential sector of the city, and in particular, the houses of Dionysus, Helen, the mortars, Poseidon, as well as part of the market. It is only one part of the ancient city, which in total covers an area of about 4,000 acres. There are other excavated sites, but not currently open to visitors, such as the palace, the sanctuary of the Mother of the Gods and Aphrodite, and the sanctuary of Darron.
The museum of Pella is located in the north-eastern part of the archaeological site, in the immediate vicinity of the modern settlement of Pella to the east. In the museum, where the visitor ends up after his tour of the archaeological site, he can reconstruct the archaeological evidence provided by the monuments and understand the various aspects of the daily and public life of the Macedonian capital.
Vergina is about half an hour away from Naoussa, a total distance of about 33 km (19 km to Veroia and 14 more from there to Vergina. On the way, you will also pass the Aliakmonas Dam).
Vergina is very close to Aiges, the location of the ancient capital of Macedonia, and with the excavations of the archaeologist Manolis Andronikos (1976-1980) very important findings came to light.
Vergina’s most important attraction is the Royal Tombs in the ancient necropolis of Aigai. A museum with the findings has been set up there, right next to the graves, covered with soil, as the graves were for so many years. Passing the entrance of the museum, in a dark environment, the visitor feels that he is passing into another era.
What you can see at the Archaeological Site of Vergina ?
The Museum of the Royal Tombs in Vergina was built in 1993, with the aim of preserving, rescuing and displaying the precious treasures discovered in 1977 by the excavation team of the distinguished archaeologist Andronikos. It is an impressive underground structure that externally has the form of an earthen mound, where since 1997 the most important movable finds and the masterpiece wall paintings found inside the royal tombs have been exhibited.
The tomb of Philip II, king of Macedonia, was discovered by the great Greek archaeologist Manolis Andronikos in November 1977. This great discovery was discussed and aroused the interest of archaeologists (and not only) worldwide. Manolis Andronikos and King Philip “met” twenty-three centuries apart to remind the world of the Greekness of Macedonia but also, in a metaphysical way, of the mysteries of time and truth.
As the pottery found in his enshrinement shows, about thirty years after Philip’s burial another smaller one was built next to the king’s tomb to receive the bones of another member of the royal family, a young teenager aged 13-15.
Although the deceased had been burned, no traces of the funeral pyre were found anywhere, which indicates that he must have died and been cremated somewhere else, and his bones were then taken to Aiges, where they were buried in the royal tomb. These elements lead to the identification of the young dead man with Alexander IV, the son of Alexander the Great and Roxane, a child-king who, being a prisoner in Amphipolis, was murdered together with his mother by Cassander to make room for the ambition of the usurper of the throne .
Golden urn of the royal tomb of Philip II. Made of 24-carat gold, it forms the urn, in which the bones of the dead king were deposited, engraved with the sun of Vergina. Museum of Royal Tombs of Aigai in Vergina (326 BC).
The wreath was found in the urn together with Philip’s burnt bones, and because it appears that the dead man was wearing it when his body was given over to the flames of the funeral pyre, it is badly damaged, especially in its central part. This extremely impressive and complex gold object, which imitates in a particularly convincing way a wreath made of oak branches, the sacred tree of Zeus, is a particularly complex construction, a real achievement of the art of a great goldsmith, whose name has not been preserved.
Built with particular care from large porin corner stones, this box-shaped tomb with dimensions of 3×4.5 m is one of the largest monuments of its kind that have been found, however, despite its size, the monument does not have a facade and a normal entrance and continued to function as underground case, where the burial took place from above.
At the foot of the acropolis hill, on an elevated hill that dominates the area and is marked by a centuries-old oak tree, the impressive ruins of the palace are preserved, which seal with their imposing presence even today the image of the ruins of the city. The palace of the Aigai, which was the main pillar of the great building program of Philip II in the city-cradle of the dynasty, should have been completed before 336 BC, when the king, under the pretext of the marriage of his daughter with Alexander of Epirus celebrated his omnipotence here. With an area of approx. 9,250 sq. m. on the ground floor, the building, a large part of which was two-story, is larger than the Hellenistic palaces of Demetrius and Pergamum, while it is much better preserved and its form is much more clear and legible than the “kingdoms” of Pella which saw many extensions and modifications.
The Sun of Vergina (also known as the Star of Vergina) is an ancient Greek symbol depicted on various archaeological finds, such as vases and coins, but became widely known due to its depiction on a golden urn found in 1977 in a royal tomb attributed to Macedonian Royal Dynasty of Philip II and Alexander the Great.
ENVI Transfer Services
ENVI Transfer provides you with your transfer to Ancient Pella, to Vergina and your return to Thessaloniki. Our spacious, air-conditioned and state-of-the-art vehicles offer you a comfortable and relaxing transfer. Our carefully selected staff is always ready to serve you and provide you with a pleasant and safe trip. All you have to do is relax in the comfortable seats of our vehicles!
Useful information
About the trip
- Ancient Pella is located 45 minutes away from Thessaloniki
- Vergina is 50 minutes away from both Ancient Pella and Thessaloniki
- A guide will give you more information about Macedonian history
- If you wish you can also visit Edessa
- If you want you can dine in the restaurants of Vergina and try the traditional sweet revani
