ORCHOMENUS

Outside the walls of impenetrable Troy and through the rage of legendary Achilles, emerges in the sphere of myth, ancient and “rich-in-gold” Orchomenus

“…not though it were all the wealth that goeth in to Orchomenus, or to Thebes of Egypt, where treasures in greatest store are laid up in men’s houses… not even so shall Agamemnon any more persuade my soul, until he hath paid the full price of all the despite that stings my heart…” (Homer’s Iliad, Book 9, 380-387) said the brave warrior to the resourceful Ulysses, refusing the gifts of the king of Mycenae after the taking of Briseis…

Orchomenus sealed its glorious fate in time from very early on. Its fame radiates to the ends of the world, while the pioneers and defiant Minyans, with whom its name has been inextricably linked, formed one of the greatest nautical powers of the ancient world. Having tamed the waters of lake Copais in such a unique way, both as regards concept and execution, they dominated the whole of Boeotia. Myths such as those of Phrixus and Helle or the Argonauts were told about their campaigns in the Hellespont, the Black Sea, and Asia Minor.

Having secured their power and legacy, they build monuments, three of which guide visitors on their way, to this day.

The ‘Treasury of Minyas’, the Hellenistic theatre, and the Byzantine church of Panagia Skripou speak to the glorious past, recounting the story on a daily basis to those who live among them and to the visitors who choose to stop before them, even for a moment.