Ancient Livithra

The ancient city of Livithra was built on Olympus, between Skotina and Old Leptokarya, at the convergence of Upper and Lower Olympus. It was discovered in 1954, in an area where successive torrents flow that make up the Ziliana riverbed, one of the most destructive torrents on Olympus. According to myth, Livithra was the birthplace of Orpheus, the greatest musician, and singer of mythology, son of Kalliopi, but also his burial place, after his murder by the Muses.

The archeological site extends to 15 acres and includes walls built during the 5th BC. century by the king of Macedonia Archelaus, buildings dating back to the Mycenaean era or even earlier, the city, the Acropolis, the winery, and cemeteries, while floors, coins, figurines, clay, and ceramics have been discovered. The monument that had been set up in Livithra to honor Orpheus was turned over the years into a sanctuary, where he was worshiped with sacrifices like the Gods of Olympus. The city was abandoned in the 1st BC. a century after its destruction.

The theme park of the archeological site introduces visitors historically and archaeologically to the wider area of ​​Olympus and the daily life in antiquity. The hiking trail in the area was used both as a source of information for Orpheus, the Muses, and the history of the place, but also as a refreshing walk in the dense vegetation of Olympus, as the landscape is exquisite and green, with benches, structures, fountains reminiscent of a picturesque mountain trail.