Epidaurus Amphitheater - Epidaurus, Greece
N 37° 35.767 E 023° 04.750
34S E 683552 N 4163037
Epidaurus is best known for its Theatre with its amazing acoustic properties. It is located in the Prefecture of Argolis, Region of the Peloponnesos, in Greece.
Waymark Code: WM7KXJ
Location: Greece
Date Posted: 11/06/2009
Views: 26
We had an amazing time climbing up the steep stairs to the top of the amphitheater. We took turns with one at the top and the other in the center of the "stage" at the bottom. The acoustics truly were amazing.
According to Wikipedia: "Epidaurus was a small city (polis) in ancient Greece, at the Saronic Gulf. The modern town Epidavros, part of the prefecture of Argolis, was built near the ancient site."
"The prosperity brought by the Asklepieion enabled Epidauros to construct civic monuments too: the huge theater that delighted Pausanias for its symmetry and beauty, which is used once again for dramatic performances, the ceremonial Hestiatoreion (banqueting hall), baths and a palaestra. The theater was designed by Polykleitos the Younger in the 4th century BC. The original 34 rows were extended in Roman times by another 21 rows. As is usual for Greek theaters (and as opposed to Roman ones), the view on a lush landscape behind the skene is an integral part of the theater itself and is not to be obscured."
"The theater is marveled for its exceptional acoustics, which permit almost perfect intelligibility of unamplified spoken word from the proscenium or skene to all 15,000 spectators, regardless of their seating. Famously, tour guides have their groups scattered in the stands and show them how they can easily hear the sound of a match struck at center-stage. A 2007 study by Nico F. Declercq and Cindy Dekeyser of the Georgia Institute of Technology indicates that the astonishing acoustic properties are the result of an accident: The rows of limestone seats filter out low-frequency sounds, such as the murmur of the crowd, and amplify/reflect high-frequency sounds from the stage."