Samothrace Temple Complex

The Samothrace Temple Complex, known as the Sanctuary of the Great Gods, is one of the principal Pan-Hellenic religious sanctuaries on the island of Samothrace, with a mystery cult dating to at least the 7th century BC. The sanctuary features the Hall of Choral Dancers (c. 340 BC) with a frieze depicting over 900 dancing women, a 340-foot-long stoa, and a theatre seating 1,500. It reached peak prominence during the Hellenistic period when Macedonian royals and Ptolemaic rulers funded major monuments. The famous Nike of Samothrace (Winged Victory), now in the Louvre, was discovered here in 1863.