GGNAM di Giardini Naxos

Welcome to the Archaeological Park and Museum of Giardini Naxos (Jar-dee-nee Nak-sos), a site of immense historical and symbolic importance. We are standing on the very ground where, in 734 B.C.E., the first Greek colonists made…

Imagine the scene in the late 8th century B.C.E.: a small fleet of Greek triremes, led by the visionary Theocles, navigates the unfamiliar waters of the Ionian Sea. They are looking for a place of opportunity, a fresh start far…

One of the most impressive features of the archaeological park is the system of defensive walls that once encircled the city of Naxos. Known as 'cyclopean' because of the massive, irregular blocks of volcanic basalt used in their…

Naxos is a site of major importance for the history of urbanism. Following the destruction of the early city by the tyrant Hippocrates of Gela in the early 5th century B.C.E., Naxos was rebuilt according to a new, rationalized…

At the southern edge of the archaeological park, near the mouth of the Santa Venera stream, lies the sacred heart of Naxos: the Sanctuary of Apollo Archegetes (Ar-ke-je-tes). Apollo Archegetes was the 'Leader of the Foundation,'…

The Archaeological Museum of Naxos houses an extraordinary collection of pottery and artifacts that tell the story of the city’s economic life. Naxos was not just a city of farmers; it was a major center for ceramic production. …

The final chapter of ancient Naxos is a tragic one. In 403 B.C.E., the city became a victim of the brutal geopolitical struggles of the Classical period. …

As you conclude your visit to the Archaeological Museum and Park of Naxos, take a moment to look back at the bay where it all began. You have walked through the first streets of Greek Sicily, touched the volcanic stones of the…