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Archaeological site · Náuplia, Peloponeso
Tirinto (Tiryntha)
Mycenaean citadel on a low hill 8 km from Náuplia, with cyclopean walls up to 17 meters thick and vaulted galleries, linked to the myth of Heracles. World Heritage Site with Micenas.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
Discover
About Tirinto (Tiryntha)
Tirinto sits almost on the roadside between Náuplia and Argos, on a low hill amid orange groves. The place astonishes by the size of its walls: limestone blocks several meters long stacked without mortar, averaging 6 meters thick and up to 17 meters where the galleries run. In Antiquity the citadel stood by the sea, which has since retreated more than a kilometer.
What you see dates to the 13th century BCE, the high point of Mycenaean civilization. The access ramp climbs the east side, between walls, up to the palace at the highest point, of which the foundations of the megaron, the throne room, and the courtyards remain. Tirinto's fame comes from its galleries: corridors inside the wall itself, covered by corbelled stone vaults that lean together to close at a point, polished by centuries of sheep sheltering there. In mythology, Tirinto was the city of Heracles, who set out from here for his twelve labors.
Schliemann made sondages in 1876 and returned in 1884 for a long excavation. The mural paintings found in the palace, with boar-hunting scenes and processions, are in the Museu Arqueológico Nacional de Atenas, and smaller pieces are in the Náuplia museum. The site is little visited and almost always empty, which helps convey the size of the stones.
Before you go
Practical information
Cidade Turismo reviews its information regularly, but something may have changed. Check with the place before planning your trip.
How much time to set aside
45 minutes to 1 hour.
Best time
In the morning or late afternoon; the hill has no shade. It's a good first stop of the day on the way to Micenas and Argos, since it's on the same road.
How to get there
It's about 8 km north of Náuplia, to the right of the road to Argos, with parking at the entrance. Buses from Náuplia to Argos stop in front; ask to get off at Tirintha. There's also a small disused train halt beside it.
Tip
Enter the galleries on the south side and look at the roof: the false vault uses the same technique as the Tesouro de Atreu. Combine Tirinto, Argos and Micenas in a single day by car from Náuplia, in that order.
Get your questions answered
Frequently asked questions about Tirinto (Tiryntha)
Is it worth stopping at Tirinto if I'm already going to Micenas?
Yes. The visit is short; the site lies on the road between Náuplia and Micenas and the walls are thicker than those at Micenas. The galleries inside the wall have no equivalent there.
What is Tirinto's connection with Hercules?
In mythology, Tirinto was the city where Hercules lived and from which he set out to fulfil the twelve labours imposed by King Euristeu. Some versions say he was born here.
Why is Tirinto far from the sea if it was once a port?
Because the sea receded. In the Bronze Age the citadel stood by the coast of the gulf of Argos; river sediments have advanced the land by more than a kilometre since then.