Stymphalos

The ancient town of Stymphalos has given its name to the famous Lake of Stymphalos (photo above), where Heracles fought the Stymphalian birds. The valley, which is surrounded on all sides by high mountains, has no natural above-ground exit, which means that Lake Stymphalos becomes larger or smaller, depending on the drainage via the “sink pits” (katavothrai) also mentioned by Pausanias. Emperor Hadrian had the water from the main source diverted via an aqueduct to Corinth.

On the south side of the lake is the ancient city of Stymphalos, of which several remains can be found on the low acropolis, including remains of the city wall and of some temples. Modern research with magnetometers has shown that the town in the 4th century BC. had a regular street pattern and carefully laid out houses. Especially on the side of the lake (photos below) you can still find interesting remains of a theater / odeion (?). Next to the acropolis is a museum dedicated to the physical environment of Stymphalos

More impressive than the antique remains, however, are the ruins of the Gothic church of the (Catholic) abbey of the Cistercian monks of Zaraka, founded by the Frankish crusaders. Built into the church, some remains can be found from an antique building, possibly the temple of Artemis mentioned by Pausanias, but no traces of which have been found.