In a canyon located in Epidaurus, Greece, Argos architect Polykleitos the Younger built in 340 BC, according to Pausanias, the theatre of Epidaurus.
Among all the ancient theatres, Epidaurus theatre is the most beautiful and best preserved. Destined for the fun of the patients of Asklipieio, the most celebrated healing center of the Classical world, it had a capacity of 13,000 spectators.
The theatre is marveled for its exceptional acoustics, which permit perfect intelligibility of unamplified spoken word from the proskenion or skênê to all spectators, regardless of their seating.
The superb acoustics as well as the very well preserved construction, led to the creation of Epidaurus Festival S.A., an institution that contributed to the cultural revival of the theatre. Great actors have acted at this great theatre, such as Alexis Minotis, Thanos Kotsopoulos, Anna Synodinou, Thanasis Vengos and the famous Greek soprano Maria Kallas.