";s:4:"text";s:12996:"The choice of location was a crucial element and, in addition to aesthetic enjoyment, it allowed the viewer not only to admire the natural environment, but it also was meant to serve worship or therapeutic purposes. It is built on the west side of Cynortion Mountain, near modern Lygourio, and belongs to the Epidaurus Municipality. The ancient theatre of Epidaurus was designed by Polykleitos the Younger in the 4th century BC. The architect chose a bow shaped site facing west, so the rising sun would light up the landscape behind the stage. The Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus is the crown of cultural activity in Greece during the summer months and remains to this day one of the most important and globally recognizable monuments of antiquity. Mystery of Acoustics of Epidaurus Theatre. By the rules of mathematics and the method of music, they sought to make the voices from the stage rise more clearly and sweetly to the spectators’ ears… by the arrangement of theatres in accordance with the science of harmony, the ancients increased the power of the voice. Since 1988, the Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus, along with all findings in the archaeological site of the sanctuary of Asclepius, have been added to the list of World Heritage Sites by UNESCO due to their significant influence and value to the world’s cultures and arts. The natural echo of one’s voice can be heard from one end of the theatre to the other, a phenomenon that has long attracted the admiration of scientists, and even more so due to the fact that the Theatre of Epidaurus was built almost 2,500 years ago – a time when knowledge and technology were much more limited. It is considered to be the most perfect ancient Greek theatre with regard to acoustics and aesthetics. The only theater that comes close in size is the one in Syracuse, Sicily. An area known as a Sanctuary developed in an elevated mountain valley, connected to Epidaurus by an ancient road. Some of the most famous and prestigious Greek movie stars have played in Epidaurus over the years, such as Melina Mercouri, Katina Paxinou, Alekos Alexandrakis, Manos Katrakis, Anna Synodinou, Kostas Kazakos, and of course the “national Greek star” Aliki Vougiouklaki. Today I found out about the amazing acoustics of the ancient Epidaurus Theatre. With the additional rows, it can seat around 14,000 people. Because of this, the listeners experienced a phenomenon called “virtual pitch” in which they filled in the missing tone themselves. Book a day trip from Athens to the Great Theatre of Epidaurus, followed by a tour of Mycenae Archaeological Site. The result is a higher clarity of sound, which makes it easier for the people in the back row to hear what’s happening up front. The Great Theatre of Epidaurus: Beautiful ancient theater - See 2,464 traveler reviews, 1,944 candid photos, and great deals for Epidavros, Greece, at Tripadvisor. The theater of Epidaurus is the best preserved and has the best acoustics of all the ancient theaters. Though the design has been mimicked, the seats were usually made out of wood in the copycats, which is probably why the acoustics weren’t as great. Even in the first century B.C., architects like Rome’s Vitruvius were scratching their heads about it. The first systematic excavation in the theatre began in 1881 by the Archaeological Society of Greece, and it took several years to complete, since the whole area of the hill was densely wooded and inaccessible. However, another 21 rows were added at the top, probably during Roman times. Early theories concluded that the wind carried sound to the viewers, or that masks worn by the actors amplified the sound. Basically, the steps acted as “acoustic traps,” filtering out background noise like wind and the movement of people, which is typically under 500 hertz. Even by today's standards, this monument stands out as a unique artistic achievement through its admirable integration into the landscape and above all the … They found that the acoustics are more or less the same in both seasons. I am Vanessa from Athens, and I really enjoy helping visitors find out more about Greece. The theater, dating to the 4th century B.C. The theatre remained in use for nearly 1000 years. That same year, it was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site. “While many experts speculated on the possible causes for Epidaurus’ acoustics, few guessed that the seats themselves were the secret of its acoustics success, where audiences in the back row were able to hear music and voices with amazing clarity, unlike any other theatre.”. Epidaurus, Greece was a small, unassuming city in ancient … Further, it’s thought now that the corrugation in the stone seats of Epidaurus is the reason for the acoustic trapping, which means it would be difficult to replicate. The awe that someone feels once they enter the theatre is remarkable. The city today is well-known for its Greek theatre, which is the best preserved ancient theatre in the world. The way the medical centre at the Sanctuary worked was ailing patients would spend a night in a big sleeping hall called, Despite seeing so much prosperity in the 4. Epidaurus, Greece was a small, unassuming city in ancient times, best known for being the supposed birth place of Apollo’s son, Asklepios the healer. The 2,300-year-old theater at Epidaurus. There, temples, baths, and athletic facilities were constructed as a means of worshiping Asklepios. Typical of theatres built in the Hellenistic period, the Epidaurus Theatre has a tripartite structure, meaning it has an orchestra, auditorium, and stage building. While the Roman Colosseum is More Famous Today, Its Predecessor, the Circus Maximus, Could Hold About 3 to 6 Times More People, Origin of the Olympic Flame Tradition and the Nazi Origin of the Olympic Torch Relay, How Hieroglyphics were Originally Translated, Greek Amphitheater’s Amazing Sound Solved, Acoustic diffraction effects at the Hellenistic amphitheater of Epidaurus: Seat rows responsible for the marvelous acoustics, Why the Greeks Could Hear Plays from the Back Row, The Absolute Legend That was Timothy Dexter- First in the East and West and Greatest Philosopher in the Western World, The Curious Case of Radioactive Apartments. The city of Epidaurus itself is equally important, as it has become a popular tourist destinantion over the last few years due to its coastal location and numerous tourist attractions. Researcher Nico Declercq and others from the Georgia Institute of Technology conducted a series of experiments with ultrasonic waves in the theatre. The Great Theatre of Epidaurus: Excellent acoustics - See 2,473 traveler reviews, 1,960 candid photos, and great deals for Epidavros, Greece, at Tripadvisor. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Chinese. A team of six professors from the University of Patras conducted extensive research on the ancient theatre and concluded that “the measurements confirm the theatre’s excellent acoustics and speech intelligibility, for all the typical listener positions tested.”. Playing at the Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus today is considered an incredible honour and career highlight, an achievement that is high on the bucket list of not just Greek actors but of the the most talented actors actors all around the world. The theatre hosts mostly ancient Greek-style plays as well as contemporary adaptions of old plays and some musical events. The final wave of restoration wasn’t completed until 1988, involving roping off some of the more fragile sections of the theatre and refurbishing some of the seats. The vast majority of ancient theatres are built on the slope of a hill, so that the slope of the ground favours the amphitheatre configuration of the space. “The Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus is the most perfect theatre in the world in terms of aesthetics and acoustics,” stated the University of Patras in its most recent study. The architecture of the Epidaurus Theatre is not much different to that of most ancient Greek theatres, which are seen today as characteristic creations of Ancient Greek art. It wasn’t until 426 A.D. that Theodosius the Great banned all activities at the Sanctuary, which saw the theatre fall into disrepair. Foreign directors of international acclaim, like American Robert Wilson and Belgian comedy-tragedy movie maker Ivo Van Hove have said that creating plays for the Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus was a “life goal”. Apart from the Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus, the archaeological site of the area includes many more monuments of great importance, such as the Stadion – where sports events and competitions took place, the Gymnasium – the building where teenagers gathered to exercise, the Odeon – a place for mental and physical relaxation through music, called the first “rehab centre”, by many archaeologists today, along with the Epidaurus museum. Their medical centre became one of the most well-known in the classical world, attracting sick people from all over the known world who hoped to be cured by the healer god. Great actors have acted at such as Alexis Minotis, Thanos Kotsopoulos, Anna Synodinou, Thanasis Vengos and the famous Greek soprano Maria Kallas . In 1938 the first performance of … The original 34 rows were extended in Roman times by another 21 rows. The Tavern of Psarras: The oldest restaurant in Greece, operating since 1898, British elementary school students ask for Parthenon Sculptures to return to Greece, 100 years ago on this day in 1920, Greece’s much-loved Melina Mercouri was born, 2020 San Francisco Greek Film Festival: virtual and drive-in event, On this day in 1982: Melina Mercouri tells the world Parthenon Marbles must return to Greece, On this day in 1996, Aliki Vougiouklaki passes away. The theatre of Epidaurus represents the finest and best-preserved example of a classical Greek theatre. Scientists took long to unravel this mystery. The Theatre has been revived thanks to an annual festival held there since 1955. The participation of the local community in the excavation program for the ancient theatre was equally crucial, as the inhabitants of Lygourio village in Epidaurus, gave up their estates, where the ancient monuments were located, so that the theatre could be resurrected. Residents in the area also donated acres of fields so that a new road could be built to connect the sanctuary in Epidaurus with the first capital of Greece, Nafplio. The Great Theatre of Epidaurus: Not to be missed - See 2,473 traveler reviews, 1,960 candid photos, and great deals for Epidavros, Greece, at Tripadvisor. Today I found out about the amazing acoustics of the ancient Epidaurus Theatre. Sound is carried easily due to the specific slope of the rows. 1-866-933-7368(U.S) 1-626-389-8668(Int) service@tours4fun.com Due to its excellent acoustics and condition, the ancient theater is still used today, most notably under the framework of the annual Epidaurus Festival. Later, with the First and Second World Wars, all plans for the restoration of the theatre were cancelled, and it was not until the early 1950s that the Epidaurus Theatre came to life again. It soon attracted attention from across the globe, and there was a call to repair any damages and put the theatre to use. The auditorium, however, was preserved under a layer of earth. Carved into the side of Mount Kynortio and dominating the southeastern end of the sanctuary, which was dedicated to Asclepius – the God and Creator of Medicine in Greek Mythology – the Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus has been characterized as the birth place of the art of theatre, and the genres of comedy, tragedy and drama. As is usual for Greek theatres (and as opposed to Roman ones), the view on a lush landscape behind the skênê is an integral part of the theatre itself and is not to be obscured. It seats up to 14,000 people. Was the Epidaurus Theatre built according to the Phytagorean System? In 1881, the Archaeological Society started to excavate the area and found the theatre relatively well-preserved. This is understandable, as the acoustics are simply incredible. It was constructed in the late 4th century BC and it was finalized in two stages. They found that frequencies up to 500 hertz were lowered, while frequencies that were higher remained the same. There is another significant factor, however: the seats themselves. Elaborate experiments were conducted to find out how the design of the theatre helped in such perfect acoustics. Even individuals sitting farthest from the stage—about 60 meters—are able to hear actors without any amplification. The evolution of Graeco-Roman theatre, during its thousand years in existence, is interpreted as a two-sided problem concerning geometric acoustics and visual geometry, and, beyond that, as the first step in a more general acoustic model, which encompasses all theatre designs whose primary criteria is capacity. 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