Sanctuary of Apollo Amyklaios

  The site of Amyklaion flourished in almost all the periods of the prehistoric era. From the Archaic until the Roman period it was the second in importance political and religious centre of Sparta. The most important Spartan festival, the Hyakinthia, which took place at Amyklaion, symbolises the political reconciliation of Doric Sparta (Apollo) with the Achaian population of Amyklai (Hyakinthos).
  The sanctuary was excavated in 1890 by the Greek archaeologist Chr. Tsountas. Later, excavations were carried out by A. Furtwaengler and the architect E. Fiechter (1904), by A. Skias and E. Fiechter (1907), and by E. Buschor with W. von Massov (1925). Many architectural parts from the "Throne" of Bathykles were recognised and published by Prof. A. Delivorrias, in 1968.
  The most important monuments on the hill of Hagia Kyriake at Amyklai are:
•The Acropolis of Amyklai and the Temenos of the Sanctuary of Apollo and Hyakinthos. Preserved at the site are the retaining wall, circuit walls and traces of foundations dating to various periods, and a circular altar.
• The Throne of Apollo Amyklaios. Stoa-like building or altar, which surrounded on three sides the colossal column-shaped statue of the god. It was decorated with relief representations and plastic compositions. The tomb-altar of the local god or hero Hyakinthos was used as the pedestal of the statue. Architectural parts of a composite style, both Doric and Ionic, are exhibited in the Sparta Museum. It is an exquisite work of Bathykles, an artist from Magnesia of Asia Minor, dated to the Archaic period.