Nestor’s Palace reached the peak of its power between 1300 and 1200 BC and is located in a prime spot of Messinian land with a breathtaking view of Navarino Bay. It is one of the best preserved Mycenaean palaces in Greece and lies 39 km away from Foinikounta to the north.
It first came to light during excavations carried out in the area during the 1930s and 1940s. The throne room with its large circular hearth, a well-preserved marble bath and the various potteries used to store products, such as olive oil and essential goods, are truly impressive.
Nestor: The Wise King of Pylos and his Palace
Nestor was the son of Nileas, founder of the ancient city of Pylos (Navarino), and Cloris. He took the nickname Gerenius, from Gerenia, a city in Messinia, where he luckily was, when Hercules killed Nileas and eleven of his children, because Nileas refused to help him in the purge for the murder of Ifitos, and survived.
According to Mythology, Nestor took part with the Lapithes in the war against the Centaurs, in the Argonauts campaign and in the Trojan War. Homer presents him as a wise and prudent King, whose advice was listened to with respect by all the Achaeans.
