Nestor’s Palace: The imposing palace of a legendary king

However, it is not a simple building, but an entire complex reflecting the palatial system of administration and economy of its time.

The imposing palace, which was the king’s main residence, was surrounded by storerooms, baths, lobbies and workshops where, among others, the production of perfume oils flourished. The complex consisted of four main buildings, divided into 105 ground floor rooms. It was made of wood and mudbrick, a fact that contributed to its destruction by fire in 1200 BC, only a hundred years after its erection.

Nowadays, it survives only at the level of the stone foundations, although many of its features – such as the decorated clay bathtub and the circular hearth in the throne room – remain intact. The rich and particularly colourful painted decoration of the walls and floors enhanced the sense of sophisticated prosperity surrounding the mythical king Nestor, a wise and beloved leader who led the Pylians into the Trojan War with 90 ships and, according to Homer, was respected by all Achaeans.