Hephaestia, Lemnos

About the museum

According to Aeschylus, the temple at Hephaestia was where fire first emerged, which the Titan Prometheus handed to mankind. The town of the same name was built north of the Bay of Purnia and was, in historical times, the second most important city on Lemnos after Myrina. Its prosperity was due to its position, a sea crossroads between Thrace, Macedonia and the Hellespont, with two harbours, one natural and one artificial.

Its greatest flourishing is placed between the 7th and the 1st century BC, while settlement continued until the Byzantine period. Excavations have brought to light the Sanctuary of the Great Goddess, the agora, pottery workshops, necropolises and baths of the 4th century BC. The theatre of Hephaestia is built on a natural slope of the peninsula and is probably dated to the early Hellenistic period, with changes in the Roman era. It has been restored and since 2010 has hosted theatre festivals, concerts and performances.

Highlights

• Sanctuary of the Great Goddess
• Restored ancient theatre, a venue for performances since 2010
• Agora, pottery workshops and necropolises
• Baths of the 4th century BC

Operated by

Υπουργείο Πολιτισμού – Εφορεία Αρχαιοτήτων Λέσβου

Admission & discounts

Free admission: 6 March, 18 April, 18 May, the last weekend of September, 28 October, and the first and third Sunday of each month from 1 November to 31 March.

Accessibility

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Getting there & parking

From the village of Kontopouli the site is about 13 minutes by car.

Amenities & dining

On site there are toilets and a car park.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.