Eleusis: In the homeland of the Eleusinian Mysteries

It was from the goddess Demeter, who arrived here in search of her daughter, Persephone, that the locals received a great gift: the knowledge of how to cultivate the land, which put an end to nomadic life and gave birth to civilization. In return, Demeter imposed her cult, which took on a mystical character.

Those who were initiated into the Eleusinian Mysteries, which lasted nine days, were forbidden to reveal all they had seen and heard; thus, we have little information with regards to what happened during the initiation, since very few dared reveal its secrets. All we know is that it was an attempt to come to terms with death.

Today, the archaeological site of Eleusis remains the heart of the city, where visitors can explore the remains of the buildings that once adorned the Eleusinian Sanctuary in antiquity. Crossing the Processional Road – the continuation of the Sacred Road that started in Athens and ended in Eleusis – one passes through the Greater and Lesser Propylaea and arrives at the ancient Telesterion, a square, columned hall with six entrances, whose foundations is all that remains today.

This was where the high priest, the Hierophant, led the initiation ceremony of an ever-increasing number of people who would come to Eleusis from all over the ancient world. Looking at the Telesterion, with its eight tiers of seating that could accommodate about 5,000 spectators, visitors can easily imagine the initiates breathlessly attending the secret mysteries.