ROUTE DESCRIPTIONThe fortified Ancient Theater of Plevrona At the foot of Mount Arakynthos is the ancient city of Plevrona. The impressive ramparts of trapezoidal contour and length of 2360 meters in the ancient city, stand out on the rock, recalling the power of the Aetolian confederation and connecting the historic site with “Kourites”, the mythical inhabitants of the area and Aetolians. According to the mythological tradition, it took its name from Plevronas, son of the Aetolian ancestor, Aetolias. From Plevrona came also Pantaleon, general of the Aetolian Confederation during the "Demetrian War" and Alexander, the only known Aetolian poet who lived in Alexandria during the years of Ptolemeos B’ Filadelfeos. The ancient Theater is located in contact with the western inner side of the fortification of Plevrona and at a distance of about 130 m from the main gate. It is a very special, wonderful theater, special due to its construction and the integration of part of the fortification wall and a tower to meet the needs of its operation. It is a small theater with several points made of rectangular carved stones, while in other points it is carved into the natural rock. Probably, in its initial phase, the monument was used as ancient Parliament and later turned into a theater, with the construction of a stage and an epitheatro, to increase its capacity. As mentioned above, a special construction point is its foreground that has been arranged in front and in contact with the wall, the concave faces west, while the functionality of the theater stage is completed by the tower “3” (6.5 × 3.3m). This tower is preserved at a height of 5.70 m. approximately and must have been an auxiliary space of the stage and the backstage. The aisles of the theater were 2.40 m wide with very characteristic corridors. This dream spot is ideal for someone to observe the unique enchanting summer sunsets with panoramic views of the Messolonghi lagoon.
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