Description of the attraction
Marathon is a small Greek town in Attica, located at the foot of the Pentelikon mountain range, 32 km from Athens. According to one version, the name of the city comes from the name of the herb "marathon", which means "dill", which grew thickly in these parts. The second version claims that this area is named after the hero of Marathon (Marathon, a character in ancient Greek mythology).
The Marathon Valley, in which the city is located, went down in world history with the famous Marathon Battle, which took place here in 490 BC. Despite the significant numerical advantage of the Persians, the Greeks were victorious. According to legend, after the victory, a messenger was sent to Athens with good news. The Athenian warrior covered the distance from Marathon to Athens without stopping, shouting "We have won!" the warrior fell down dead. In his honor, the program of the first Olympic Games in 1896 included a long distance race, which was called the "marathon race".
Near the battlefield, a tumulus (domed tomb, necropolis in the form of a mound) was erected for 192 dead Athenians, well preserved to this day. Today this historic tomb is decorated with a marble memorial stele. The mound is surrounded by a small park.
Not far from the mound in 1970, another burial was discovered, which is called the Plateans Hill. They were the only allies of the Athenians in the Battle of Marathon and are buried under this hill. Nearby is the archaeological museum, which displays interesting finds from the battlefield, the Pan's cave and artifacts belonging to Herodes Atticus.
Near the Marathon Valley is the man-made Lake Marathon, which was formed as a result of the construction of the dam. In the middle of the 20th century, this lake was the main source of water supply for Athens. It is forbidden to swim and fish in the lake.
5 kilometers away, on the sea coast, there is one of the best sandy beaches - Shiniyas, surrounded by pine trees. It is very popular with windsurfing enthusiasts.
