Archaeological Park of Antigonea

About this tour

Antigonea is situated at dominant point on hill of Jerma, 14 km by road from the city of Gjirokastra. Antigonea was founded around 295 BC by King Pyrrhus (319-272), king of the Molossians. The Molossians were one of the three tribes of Epirus, the ancient region comprising modern-day Albania and northern Greece. Pyrrhus was an ambitious king who even crossed the Adriatic to do battle with the rising Roman Republic. While he bested them, he would later be killed by Greeks a few years after his return home. Interestingly, the city was named after his wife Antigone, the stepdaughter of King Ptolemy Egypt, a former general of Alexander the Great.  It was a short-lived city that lived about 150 years. This archaeological site lies on a hill about 600 meters above sea level and was at one point completely encircled by a fortified wall estimated at four km in circumference, with the city’s spread covering 35 hectares. During this day, we climb the Eremir Cave and the cave complex located at the bottom of the rocky massif. The ruins of the monastery are located about 3 km northeast of the ancient city of Antigone. Spile Monastery is located 17 km North-East of the city of Gjirokastra. About 14 km of this road are paved with asphalt, while 3 km of it can be crossed only by off-road. Of the entire monastery, only the church remains, a 400-year-old building, built in the 16th century. It is not only the church, but also a cave complex next to it. Two churches have stood the test of time in the territory of the Monastery of Spile. The first is the church of Saint Mary, which is decorated in all the wall spaces with frescoes with biblical motifs. Meanwhile, the Church of Saint Kolli, located in a cave found on the rock face at a height of about 30 meters. According to local legends, this cave served as a place of sacrifice for hermits. For this reason it is called the Cave of Hermits and the bones of self-sacrificing hermits are scattered there.