A grass-covered tumulus (burial mound) has been converted into a truly spine-tingling museum where visitors can descend to the entryways of royal tombs and admire treasures unearthed at this very site. The showpiece is the 336 BC tomb of Phillip II: prepared for a serious party in the afterlife, Phillip was buried with silver chalices, an ivory and gold shield, a gold-plated quiver and his full suit of armour, all on display here.
Elsewhere in the museum, Tomb I and Tomb IV boast mythic friezes, while Tomb III, the prince's tomb, is thought to be the final resting place of the son of Alexander the Great. About 400m past the Royal Tombs lie extensive palace ruins of 3rd-century-BC king Antigonos Gonatas. Closed on our visit, these ruins have a large Doric peristyle surrounded by pebble-mosaic floors.
