Photo: Σωτήριος Παν. Γιαννακουλόπουλος · CC BY-SA 4.0 · editedAsklepion
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Asurnipal · CC BY-SA 4.0 · edited
Why go
- The top terrace's marble temple, a copy of the Epidauros temple of Asklepios
- The two underground rooms thought to have served patients with venereal disease and leprosy
- The colonnades on the lowest terrace, dating from the 1st century AD
- The medical baths, fed partly by a spring on the Dikeos mountain
Opening hours
Today08:00 – 18:00Show all
Know before you go
- Open every day of the week, from 08:00 to 18:00.
Tips for your visit
- The site has three levels linked by marble staircases, so expect to climb between them.
- Start on the lowest terrace and work up the slope to the top terrace.
- From the hillside, look out over the sea toward the opposite coast.
Interesting facts5
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An inscription found on the site names Gaius Stertinius Xenophon, a physician and personal doctor of Emperor Claudius.
Asklepieion von Kos - Wikipedia -
Here scientific medicine grew more strongly than at the other famous Asklepios sanctuary.
Ασκληπιείο Κω - Wikipedia -
A Christian altar found on the site shows the temple served as a church in the Byzantine period.
Asklepieion von Kos - Wikipedia -
Locals regarded the temple as the centre of the town.
Ασκληπιείο Κω - Wikipedia -
The site rises on three successive levels, a feature that entered Greek architecture from the east.
Ασκληπιείο Κω - Wikipedia
Shorts
History
In antiquity the site was a cult place of Asklepios, the healing god, and a place of medical teaching. Islanders granted asylum to anyone pursued who sought protection there, and they were proud of the sanctuary. The fourth mime of Herondas, about women's offerings at the Asklepieion, had prompted the search. Excavations went on in 1930 under Luciano Laurenzi, and in 1937-38 under Luigi Morricone, who also carried out restoration and reconstruction work. Many finds from the digs were taken to Rome and Constantinople.
- AntiquityHippocrates teaches medicine at a school he founded on the site.
- 260 BCThe sanctuary's right of asylum is recognised across Greece, linked to the Great Asklepieia festival.
- Early 1900sRudolf Herzog and the local historian Iakovos Zaraftis discover and dig the site.
- 1930Luciano Laurenzi continues the excavations.
- 1937-38Luigi Morricone excavates the site and carries out restoration and reconstruction work.
Sources: Asklepieion von Kos - Wikipedia · Ασκληπιείο Κω - Wikipedia · checked 27 Oct 2026
Questions and answers
What are the opening hours of the Asklepion on Kos?
The Asklepion is open daily, from 08:00 to 18:00, so you can plan a visit in the morning or afternoon.
Where is the Asklepion on Kos?
It stands on a cypress-covered hill about 3.4 km southwest of Kos Town, roughly 100 m above sea level.
What is the Asklepion known for?
It is the most important archaeological site on Kos, built on three terraces linked by marble staircases.
Does the Asklepion have sea views?
Yes. From the hillside you look out over the sea toward the opposite coast, with rich vegetation around the ruins.
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