The most famous dragon houses (drakospita) in Greece stand in South Evia. Builders constructed these remarkable structures from square and elongated stones, placing them on top of one another without mortar or other binders and relying solely on their weight to hold them together. They filled the gaps with smaller stones. They also built the roofs from huge stones using the corbelling technique. Their construction demonstrates that the builders possessed a deep understanding of statics and considerable knowledge of Cyclopean masonry.
The Dragon House of Athens
Apart from Evia, however, there is also a dragon house very close to the centre of Athens, on the mountain of Hymettus, in the municipality of Vyronas and specifically in the area of Koutalas. The dating, the origin and use of the building, which is mainly known as the “Dragon House / Drakospito of Hymettus or Vyrona”, has not been sufficiently investigated. For this reason there are various theories.
Our team has compiled the most popular theories circulating on the internet and presents them to you, along with rich photographic material from our recent visit to the site.
The ancient quarries of Koutalas
Just one hundred and fifty metres from the Dragon House, are the ancient quarries of Koutalas, which today are used as the climbing field called Karavi.
The theories about the Dragon House
According to one theory, ancient quarry workers built the structure as a sanctuary dedicated to Hercules, whom they regarded as their protector. It is the only building of its kind that survives, although the remains of several similar structures are still visible in the surrounding area.
Αnother theory holds that the building is the work of Dryopes. They were the ancient tribe that settled in 1,200 BC in the southern part of Evia after its expulsion from the area of Parnassos. Scholars believe that the dragon houses of the Dryopes were sanctuaries in honour of Zeus and his wife Hera.
Other scholars believe that slaves from Karia, who worked in the quarries, built the Dragon House. Archaeologists have also discovered similar structures in Karia, in the region of ancient Bodrum in Asia Minor. They associated them with the worship of chthonic deities.
An extensive study of the Dragon House of Hymettus has been done by Stavros Oiconomidis. It has been published in the Archaeological Analects from Athens (Volume 42, 2018). This study refers to the book by J. Carpenter and D. Boyd on dragon houses. These two scholars place the building in the 1st BC century and connect it with the use of the nearby quarries of Koutalas during the Roman Era.
Plato and the Dragon House
Finally on the internet there is a reference to an article by Professor G.K. Gardikas with the title Ymittos in the Proceedings of the Archaeological Society (sub. No. 151 of 1920). In this article Gardikas mentions the Dragon House as a cave with many inscriptions and two reliefs depicting a sitting woman and a lion’s head.
According to Gardikas, the building was dedicated in Charites, Pan and Apollo. The same scholar states that Plato’s (the ancient Athenian philosopher) parents brought him to the sanctuary as an infant in order to make a sacrifice and ask for his protection from the gods.
The Dragon House today
The building is located on the edge of a steep mountain slope and has stunning views of Athens. It has an almost circular plan with a maximum diameter of 5.30 metres and a maximum height inside of 1.85 metres. It has two openings, one bigger as an entrance and the other smaller as a skylight.
At the centre of the building, a carved stone probably served as an altar for ritual purposes. The walls also feature carved notches that may have served various functions. Finally, on the wall facing the smaller opening, a face appears to emerge from the stone.
An interesting detail is that during our visit, in a recess in the walls of the Dragon House, we found a small vial with a piece of paper and a pencil in it, with which some of the visitors had written down their names.
How to reach the Dragon House
To reach the Dragon House of Hymettus, having your own vehicle is highly recommended as public transportation options are limited in this mountainous area. We rented a car in Athens, which gave us the flexibility to explore not only this hidden gem but also other sites around Hymettus at our own pace. The drive from central Athens to the Monastery of Agios Georgios Koutalas takes approximately 20-30 minutes depending on traffic. A relatively easy way to reach the Dragon House of Hymettus is to follow this hiking route starting from the Monastery of Agios Georgios Koutalas in Vyronas.
First follow the dirt road that starts from the Monastery in the direction of the mountain. Then turn left on the second dirt road you encounter and after following it for a few metres at the next junction follow it to the right. After about 200 metres on the right side of the road you will find the letter “K” painted red on a rock. You follow this path (which along its entire length is marked with red signs) until you reach Karavi.
From there, in a south-southwest direction, a path of about 150 metres starts from the edge of the slope that leads you to the Dragon House. The latter part needs a little attention because it has a slight slope in some places. If you want to get a pair of waterproof hiking boots, you can consider buying them from NORTIV 8. This brand offers a wide range of hiking boots in different designs.
A mystery near the city centre
The mere existence of such an unknown and mysterious place a few hundred metres from the city centre is a good reason to visit it. The atmosphere around and inside the building, and the unique panoramic view will reward you for the effort you make to reach it. Only during your visit respect the place that has survived so many thousands of years.
Finally, a short video from our visit to the Dragon House through the path that starts from Karavi.
