Plataea

PLATAEA

Some parts of the perimeter of the fortifications, along with parts of some towers, still remain in Plataea today, some of the 4^th c. BC and some from Prehistoric times. Hera’s temple was located in the NW part of the area inside this perimeter. In this Dorian temple, the statue of goddess Hera once stood, a work of the famous sculptor Praxiteles. The foundations of the altar the Greeks built after the victorious battle with the Persians is also located here. This altar was built after an oracle in Delphi.

The Battle of Plataea in 479BC bears great historical significance, not only for Boeotia and Greece, but for Europe too. Historians believe this victorious battle saved the Greek civilisation and stopped the Persian expansion in the West. The plain the battle took place, at the foot of Mount Cithaeron, is a vast archaeological site where a visitor can recognise and understand the importance of this battle.