West Macedonia
Art, History & Archaeology Sites & Museums
This page, part of our Greece Travel Guide, provides details of the art, archaeology and history sites, museums and related attractions to visit in the West Macedonia administrative region. Readers wishing to visit these places will find visitor information, links to official websites as well as other helpful resources. The guide is produced by Thomas Dowson, an archaeologist and the founder of Archaeology Travel, who has been visiting Greece regularly since 1990, and is currently researching a comprehensive guidebook to Athens. Read more about the website, its authors and our work.
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Archaeology & History Sites in West Macedonia
Dispilio Lakeside Neolithic Settlement
On the edge of a lake near the town of Dispilio is the reconstructed Neolithic village, which is based on the results of recent archaeological excavations on the lakeside. Traces of the village were found in 1932, the first such archaeological find in Greece. A number of excavations have been carried out since, and many important artefacts have been recovered, from everyday objects and utensils to a bone flute. These artefacts have been used to flesh out the reconstructed village.
Museums & Art Galleries in West Macedonia
Archaeological Museum of Florina
Renovated in 1999, the museum exhibits the wealth of archaeological finds from the area in and around Florina. These displays range from the Palaeolithic to the Byzantine periods. The oldest object is a set of mammoth jaws thought to date to between 200,000 and 500,000 years ago. But by far the most impressive collection is that from various Roman villages nearby, including statues and a beautiful mosaic floor. Numerous beautifully carved and painted artefacts from Byzantine churches are also on display.
Archaeological Museum of Kozani
Artefacts from the Palaeolithic to the Roman period from all over the prefecture of Kozani are on display in this early 20th century Neoclassical style museum. The objects range from everyday items to beautiful prehistoric and ancient jewellery, as well as an impressive collection of Roman marble statues. One display that stands is that of the metal objects recovered from Iron Age sites in the area, including a 3rd century BC necropolis.