Ancient Theatre of Ohrid, Ohrid (must see)

A novel recipe for the preservation of ancient theatres in good condition is to bury them! In the early 20th century, Russian art historian Nikodim P. Kondakov theorized that a Hellenistic theater once existed in ancient Lychnidos (Ohrid today). In 1935 archeological excavations indeed revealed bits of what could be a theatre in Ohrid.

By 1984 the the theatre entrances, the building itself, the orchestra, honorary seats, the arena and nine rows of the audience were exposed. By 2000 the theatre was fully exposed and useable. It was a theatre, Greek, not Roman, in near perfect condition. Built perhaps in the 3rd century BC, it had been buried deliberately. But why?

During the Roman era the theatre was used for gladiatorial fights and much to the disgust of the locals, the public killing of Christians. Because of this dislike, the theatre was abandoned and buried. This caused the theatre to be near perfectly preserved. The theatre had returned but without the gladiators and the lions.

From the 1980s onward the theatre has become a venue for plays, concerts, operas and ballet. There have been appearances of groups and artists such as the famed Bolshoi Ballet and Jose Carreras. The theatre is one of the main stages for the annual Ohrid Summer Festival. It is situated on the slope of the highest hill under the Samoil Fortress.