Eleusis, the Sacred Place of Demeter
Eleusis, a Sacred City of Ancient Greece
Eleusis in Attica was one of the 5 holy cities of Ancient Greece, along with
Athens,
Olympia,
Delphi and
Delos.
Eleusis was founded around 2000 BC, 20 km outside Athens. Due to its advantageous location, Eleusis quickly developed into a very powerful and fortified city.
The Eleusinian Mysteries
Eleusis is chiefly known as the place of worship of the Greek goddess
Demeter, the goddess of vegetation. The "Eleusinian Mysteries" in honor of Demeter were performed for over two thousand years and attracted pilgrims from all over the known world.