Dion

Dion, an archaeological site in the foothills of Olymp, located approximately 17 km south of Katerini, was a cult Macedonian centre in the ancient times. The place was dedicated to Zeus and different religious celebrations, games and celebrations of war victories were held there. For instance, Alexander the Great make a sacrifice to the gods before he departed for a campaign. Today you can see there the remains of many sanctuaries (of Demeter, Isis, Asclepius and more), a Greek and a Roman theatre, and also the remnants of a part of the town from a later era - town fortification, foundations of living buildings, administrative buildings, shops and craftsmen workshops. The ruins of a Christian basilica and some other buildings are from the 4th century.

All the finds from this locality covering the era between the 5th century BC to the 5th century AD are deposited in the museum in today’s Dion (located within a 15-minute walking distance). You can see there mainly statues, funeral stelae with inscriptions, tomb reliefs, different architectural elements, coins and various objects discovered in the sanctuaries, baths and uncovered tombs.

The Museum of Archaeology in Dion was opened in 1983. It is a modern two-storey building where you can admire the finds not only from the ancient Dion but also from the nearby Olymp and Pieria.

You can see there, among others, the statues of Dionysus, Isis, Aphrodite, as well as a sculptural group of Asclepio’s daughters, as well as votive and funeral objects like wooden figures, coins and articles of daily use. There is also a special department of Roman and early Byzantine exhibits.

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