Archaeological Museum of Marathon

Archaeological Museum of Marathon

Archaeological Museum of Marathon
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4.0
4.0 of 5 bubbles95 reviews
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REDMAN
Egaleo, Greece5,097 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2018 • Friends
Pass by there with the Classic Marathon race. Lots of people and some dressed with the ancient battle armors and swords! Great memories...
Written 23 April 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

midway42
Georgia3,420 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
June 2011 • Friends
We visited the Marathon battlefield and associated museum our first day in Greece. The museum is a bit tricky to find, located off the main road to Marathon which was itself a bit of a problematic journey from the airport. Signage is adequate but not excellent. It's important to note that the museum is really focused on the archeological excavations around Marathon and not the battle itself, although the final atrium is dedicated solely to finds associated with the military conflict . Included in this are the remnants from the marble trophy erected after the defeat of the Persians and numerous finds from the Athenian and Plataian tombs. Just next to the museum are some Helladic tombs from the 2nd Century BC that appear to be freshly excavated.

The battlefield itself is on the opposite side of the road; most people will come here to see the Tomb of the Athenians. Historical information is scant although the grounds appeared well kept. There is a statue of Miltiades (Athenian commander) at the entrance and walking paths around the tomb. Of note, both the museum and Athenian tomb are part of a larger complex of archeological sites around the area which include ancient settlements, athletic destinations, and monasteries.

I certainly don't regret making the trip here on our way to Delphi, but there was very little that increased my knowledge of the battle (admittedly my main reason for making the voyage) and I don't have enough of a passion for archeology to make up for the somewhat limited finds on display in the museum. Recommended for those probably with a zeal for my aforementioned ambivalence; others may want to incorporate something else with a trip here or visit the War Museum for a more academic view of the battle itself.
Written 6 July 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Alex H
Milan, Italy1,821 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2014 • Friends
This incredible Museum is lost in a quiet rural location within close distance to the renown tumulus (grave mound) of Marathon. The exhibits cover a time span from the Prehistoric to the Late Roman era and derive from the excavated sites, mainly cemeteries of the region.

The Museum is open from 8.30 to 15.00 every day except Monday. The ticket costs only 3€ and you can get in every other museum or tumulus site in the Marathon area during the same day.

I have found more information on this site http://www.visitmarathon.gr/index.php/en/archaeological-museum-of-marathon

114, Plataion Street, 19007 VRANAS , MARATHONAS , GREECE
These are the coordinates for your GPS : N38.12220 E 23.94784

In Museum Collection you will find:
• Pottery of the Neolithic Period from the Cave of Pan, Early Cycladic pottery from the cemetery at Tsepi and Middle Helladic pottery from the cemetery at Vrana
• Pottery from the area of Marathon datable from Geometric to Classical periods
• The finds from the tumulus of Marathon.
•Grave reliefs, statues, dedicatory inscriptions and boundary stones from the area of Marathon.
• Statues and architectural parts from the Egyptian sanctuary at Brexila (2nd century A.D.).
Among the most important exhibits of the Museum are:
• The Ionic capital, part of the trophy that was erected after the battle of Marathon (490 B.C.) in memory of the deceased Plataieis.
• Marble stele with inscriptions on both sides. On one side the text refers probably to the reforms of Kleisthenes, the father of the Athenian Democracy, and on the other the ordinance for the completing of the Herakleion of Marathon.
• Funerary Panathenaic Amphora from the area of Vrana. Dated in the 4th century B.C.
• Statue of of a lying deity from the Pytheion at Oinoe. Dated in the 2nd century A.C.
• Egyptianising statues from the gate of the Egyptian sanctuary at Brexila. It is dated in the 2nd century A.C.
• Head of Herodes Atticus from the Tumulus. Dated in the 2nd century B.C.

After you have visited the museum, you can ask the curators to visit the Meso Elladiko Cemetery with wooden path and bridges to admire three tumulus with tombs dated 2000-1500 B.C.
After, following a 150mt path in the grass you will reach the tumulus where 11 brave warriors were buried after the battle of Marathon.

Absolutely not to be missed, it is part of the history of all of us.
Written 8 October 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Superkatt
Sweden6,727 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2013 • Couples
The Archeological museum of Marathon is situated about 5 kilometers north from the Tumulus of the Athenians in Marathon. It is not very large but has an interesting collection on display, including pottery, ceramics, statues from the Sanctuary of the Egyptian gods in the area and others. Inside the same enclosure there are the Funerary Tumulus of the Plataeans who fell in the great Battle, and inside the sheltered area, the Middle Helladic tumuli.
The combined ticket costs 3 Euro and is valid for Museum, the Tumulus, and other archeological sites of Marathom
Written 1 June 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Maarten v
35 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2015 • Friends
Marathon is interesting but not only because of the race. There are archeological remains overt 4000 years old available in this museum. And many younger ones.

About the original marathon... they have the Ionic capital on which the Nike stood that the Athenians placed in Marathon to celebrate their victory. (Νίκη means victory. )

They also have some wonderful Egyptian status from the roman period and many other things.

I've read reviews here that claim this place is small and takes only 20 minutes to finish. This is true only if you're not interested! So read the plaques with info and spend an enjoyable hour here.

Now go visit the Tumulus of the Athenians and the temple of the Egyptian gods.
Written 27 August 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

abuben
New York City, NY218 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
July 2015 • Solo
I took a regional bus from Victoria Square in Athens to Marathon, which cost €3.7, and lasted from 10-11:30 a.m., including numerous stops. The battlefield and the museum are not far from each other if one can make a bee line, but unlucky tourists have to walk 2 km to one place, return to the point of origin, and then walk another 2 km in another direction. This can be tiresome and may make one feel annoyed. A short-cut can be easily made between the two places. I went to the museum first without any particular reason. Walking under the July sun was not pleasant, and the direction to the museum is neither confusing nor convincing. Sometimes I really wanted to ask for direction, but few could be found. Luckily I did not get lost. The small museum is close to the foothill, and costs €3. It can be covered in ten minutes. I was told that there were some Egyptian artifacts outside it, but I was uninterested, since this was my Marathon day and had to trudge to another place. Later I realized that Athenians’ comrades-in-arms were buried there. How I wish the Greek beauty had told me that. Walking back was actually nice, not only because I was not filled with uncertainties, but also because vegetables, trees, bushes, and flowers made the area idyllic. After I returned to the point of origin, I walked to Athenians’ grave mound on a narrow sidewalk for pedestrians. The tomb was free with the previous ticket and had few visitors. The introduction to the Battle of Marathon is informative and even insightful. It shows its significance, causes, topography, process, and results. What impressed me was that it did not exaggerate Athenians’ victory and Persians’ defeat. I then walked around the mound, which was somewhat covered by yellow hay. By 3 p.m., I was on the bus back to Athens.
Written 27 July 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Luiz Rocha
Rio de Janeiro, RJ161 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2013 • Friends
Marathon is a small village close to the sea, about 50km from Athens. The area was the stage of the first encounter on the Greek mainland between the Persians and the Greeks. It was the culmination of the first attempt by Persia to conquer Greece in 490 BC. The greek victory captured the collective imagination of the Greeks.

A ceremonial funeral mound of the legendary 192 Athenian dead and the loyal Plataeans was erected on the battlefield and it is still there for everyone to pay homage to those heroes of a pivotal moment for the history of Europe. There is also a Marathon Museum. One is far from the other and as many museums and archeological sites in Greece they close before 3:00 PM.

Unfortunately the city of Marathon has not realized yet the brand they have in their hand and that people from all over the world are willing to visit the city for historical reasons. So, why not have more flexible schedules ? Also, as usual information is scarce in many Greek historical attractions. If my greek wife and I had difficulty in obtaining information around Marathon I can imagine the effort for tourists without knowledge of the greek language. Probably, if you have interest in visiting the area the best approach is to be with an organized tour.

Perhaps, the battle became more famous as the inspiration for the Marathon race. The legend of a Greek messenger running to Athens with news of the victory became the inspiration for this athletic event, introduced at the 1896 Athens Olympics. Presently, it is possible to participate on the marathon event organized by the Hellenic Athletics Federation, the Athens Classic Marathon, following the original track and ending at the Panathenaic stadium in Athens. It is held every year in November.

The Battle of Marathon was a watershed in the Greco-Persian wars. The following two hundred years saw the rise of the Classical Greek civilization, which has been enduringly influential in western society.
Written 6 November 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

jackie m
Birmingham, UK112 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
June 2019 • Couples
A small museum but wonderful artifacts well worth a visit. It is so interesting you will find out lots of information about the Marathon area and its history. We went there in a taxi, I'm not sure we would have found it on foot and also it was far too hot to walk any distance. We visit the Marathon Tumuli and paid 6 euros each but that price included the museum so excellent value for the two sites. Staff very friendly and helpful.
Written 25 June 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Soer2014
Bergen, Norway43 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2019 • Couples
A nice museum with many interesting objects. Not easy to find though. We tried to walk from Nea Makri, took us 1,5 hours and the help of Google Maps. A guide showed us a protected bury chamber on the museum area, a nice gesture.
Written 8 May 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

lrgacd
Lancaster, PA66 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
July 2018 • Family
A small archaeological museum dedicated to the history of the Marathon plain with finds from local burials, rare statues of Egyptian gods, and the remains of the Marathon column marking the famous battle between the Athenians and the Persians. There are some very nice kouri here. Included is entry to the nearby tomb of the Athenians. Arrive early as it closes at 3pm.
Written 3 September 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Archaeological Museum of Marathon

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