Archaeological Sites in Kos
19 February 2024 – Kos, Greece
When we first got to Kos, we weren’t sure what we would do for the few days that we are here waiting for the wind to switch around, but it turns out there are Ancient Greek ruins all over the city, scattered among the modern buildings. We walked along the sidewalk and saw marble Corinthian capitals lying in the grass by the side of the road. One morning, my mom and I walked through the agora, which consisted of scattered ruins in an overgrown park. Two of the pillars of what I think was the temple have been stood back up, but the rest are just lying on the ground. While it would be nice to see the site more excavated, it was also cool to be able to casually stroll through it on a dog walk.
Agora – Kos, Greece
After that, we went looking for more ancient ruins on a map and realized that there were so many hidden in little corners of the town. We managed to locate the thermae (Roman baths) and the stadium, but they were fenced in and mostly overgrown anyway. Then we went to the nearby archaeological museum, which had a large collection of ancient statues – Dionysus, Hermes, Roman emperors, and many more.
In the afternoon, my mom and I went shopping, walking with our foldable cart and DIY attachable bags to the grocery store about twenty minutes away. To the surprise of everyone, we managed to avoid completely overloading the cart and returned home easily with a manageable load of groceries. That evening, we got delicious takeout gyros for dinner.
When we walked the dog on Sunday morning, my mom and I went to yet another ancient site: the odeon, shaped like a small amphitheatre and typically used for concerts. This one was mostly reconstructed, the seating area especially looking pretty new, and Jonas and I were able to stand on the stage.
Odeon – Kos, Greece
There is a restored Roman villa in town, which is unique because a new structure has been built on top of the ruins of a large, forty-room Roman house to make it look as it would have done in ancient times. We were able to walk through the rooms and see the three atriums, with overgrown gardens and pools in the centre. We saw the remains of the oven in the kitchen, the various triclinia (dining rooms), and could even go upstairs onto a balcony with a great view of the largest atrium.
Restored Roman villa – Kos, Greece
This morning, we rented a car to visit the Asclepion, and to pick up our friend Kim from the airport this evening, as she is going to be visiting us for the next two weeks. The Asclepion is an ancient sanctuary dedicated to Asclepius, the god of healing, and this one on Kos is also dedicated to Hippocrates, who is from here. It was built after his death and was dedicated to the Hippocratic school of medicine, which dictates that illness is caused by natural origins rather than sent down by the gods. The site was therefore both a religious sanctuary to Asclepius and a healing centre for the sick.
The Asclepion is beautiful, with three grand staircases leading up a hillside, a large wall inset with arches, and multiple temples. It was especially breathtaking due to a great view of the ocean and the fact that the ruins were covered in wildflowers; it really felt like a peaceful place of healing.
Asclepion – Kos, Greece
Asclepion – Kos, Greece
Asclepion – Kos, Greece
We have also been doing boat work while we are here, mostly Jonas and my dad (such as fixing the microwaved door, putting up more lights, getting the engine room air intake and extraction fan vents welded and painted), although my dad and I did spend most of a day sewing a cushion for the back seat of the cockpit. It was worth the struggle, though, because it turned out well and the captain’s seat won’t be nearly as uncomfortable.
