Heraion of Argos - visiting yet another old friend

As part of "old friends' day", this was another site I was keen to revisit because my original photos were overcast and gray.  So, it was with great excitement that we drove the 20 min from Nafplio to visit this old friend.  

We were surprised to see a tour bus, and pleasantly surprised to learn that entrance was free (had been 6€), but it also appeared the site was unattended, which is unusual for the larger sites, and especially one that used to charge a hefty admission (others are generally 3-4€, unless it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which can run 12 or 20€).  Unfortunately, the reason there was no fee and no attendant soon became clear.  The site, other than the area immediately around the temple, had been left to the weeds.  

So, while I was able to take much better pictures of the temple because the sun cooperated, everything else is swathed in weeds.  Low level stuff--4-6"--grows over the areas where there are stones close to the surface.  Other areas are subsumed in knee deep grasses and scrub, and sometimes waist deep.  I had to give up, which made me sad because this had been a place that was amazing and told so many stories.  From the upper level with its original stone floor and some partial remaining foundation walls of the older temple, to the connected double stoa colonnades and the second lower stoa and colonnade, to the impressive baths which channeled water to two successive lower levels.  These were now barely discernible.  

 

Elevated site photo with Temple to Hera in the center and stoa and colonnade in foreground; Temple to Hera, particularly showing subfloor block column.

  Upper level stoa and colonnade (left), three steps to stoa (buried under weeds).  Note, this stoa is connected to the other side of the steps leading to the alter, but which is also obscured in brush.

  Stairs to altar.

  Altar, which is both supporting an improvised "herb" garden and also inaccessible due to knee high grass and scrub.

   

Lower stoa from elevation and ground level.

  

The baths, especially noting the now obscured central line of column pediments (right picture).  We knew they were there, so we found them, but to the uninitiated...

There were a couple lovely details that were new to us:

   Architectural element with double key design (left); Triglyph segment (right).

 

Ode to the Fallen Column

I know we will come back, at least once more.  I have hopes that the site will be clean(er) then.  There really is so much more to discover and appreciate here.

As an aside, this site starts at 400' elevation, and has a steep hike to 600' to the ancient temple, which is necessary in order to understand the site because...there is no site map.  For point of reference, the road turnoff which leads to the site is at 110', and if you know where to look, this is visible from the main road driving into Nafplio.