Sanctuary of the Great Gods of Samothrace: A place of ancient mystery cult

In ancient times, however, the cult rituals dedicated to the enigmatic Great Gods were performed with magnificence and made Samothrace famous in the far reaches of the then known world. People of all origins and social classes were admitted to the ceremonies, while among the initiates were prominent figures of the time such as Herodotus, Plato and Aristotle.

The ancient town of Palaeοpolis retains the mystical aura of a unique sacred place intact, inextricably linked to the otherworldly beauty of an island covered in unspoilt nature and surrounded by crystal clear waters.

Here, one can follow the steps of the initiates who participated in the ritual: passing from the Palace, where the first stage of initiation would take place, to the Sanctuary of the Great Gods, where the second stage would be performed, to the Stoa where the visitors of the Mysteries were accommodated to the Sacred Circle, from where the spectators would watch the events; or visit the Arsinoeion or Arsinoe Rotunda, an offering to the Great Gods funded by the Queen of Thrace, the largest surviving roofed circular structure of ancient Greek architecture