Greek Unesco WHS

In one single envelope, sent by Sapic, i've got these three new greek Unesco sites, Mycenae, Delos and theTemple of Apollo Epicurius at Bassae.

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Mycenae is an archaeological site in Greece, located about 90 km southwest of Athens, in the north-eastern Peloponnese.

In the second millennium BC Mycenae was one of the major centres of Greek civilization, a military stronghold which dominated much of southern Greece. - in: wikipedia
The civilisation of Mycenae dates from 1600 BC to 1100 BC approximately, reaching its peak between 1400 BC and 1200 BC. History testifies the Myceneans as being successful warriors and having a social scale and archaeology provides interesting details about this ancient civilisation.

UNESCO has declared the Mycenae archaeological site as part of the World Heritage, on December 2nd of 1999. - in: http://www.greeka.com/peloponnese/mycenae/mycenae-archaeological-site.htm

As the birthplace of Artemis and Apollo, the Greek island of Delos (Greek: Δηλος; Dhílos, "Brilliant") was a major sacred site for the ancient Greeks, second in importance only to Delphi. At its height, the sacred island was covered in a variety of temples and sanctuaries dedicated to a variety of gods. Today, it is a fascinating archaeological site located just two miles from Mykonos.

The Lion District, occupying the north end of the ruins, is named for the famous Terrace of the Lions (7th century BC). Here at least nine elegant lions made of Naxian marble guarded the sanctuary, looking out to the Sacred Lake. This arrangement recalls the avenues of guardian animals in Egypt, such as at Karnak. The lions on the site are replicas; five weathered originals are displayed in the museum. Another one has been at the Arsenal in Venice since the 17th century. - in: http://www.sacred-destinations.com/greece/delos

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Located on a remote mountainside in the Peloponnese, the Temple of Apollo Epicurius at Bassae is an exceptionally large, well-preserved and mysterious Classical temple. It is unique in many ways, not least in its daring combination of Doric, Ionic and Corinthian elements.

The present Temple of Apollo Epicurius was built sometime between 450 and 400 BC, around the time of the Parthenon in Athens. The construction of the Temple of Apollo Epicurius was no modest, back-woods shrine. It is built on a grand scale with great precision and architectural creativity. Its combination of Doric and Ionic orders in a single structure was quite daring, and its Corinthian capital is the oldest known example in the ancient world.

The temple at Bassae remained well-preserved over the centuries, thanks primarily to its isolation.  All but forgotten, it was too far up in the mountains for looting of materials to be practical anyway. The ancient ruin was not rediscovered until 1765, when the French architect Joachim Bocher stumbled on it by accident.
The Greek Archaeological Society restored the temple from 1902 to 1906, re-erecting some fallen columns and restoring the cella walls. Another renovation was carried out in the 1960s, during which some fragments of the frieze were excavated.

A "temporary" protective tent was erected over the temple in 1987 that still remains in place today. It keeps out the extremes of the mountain weather, but obscures much of the architectural beauty of this celebrated Classical temple. - in: http://www.sacred-destinations.com/greece/bassae-temple-of-apollo-epicurius