Mycenaea is one of the most important ancient Greek sites because it was the main citadel of Mycenaean civilization in the Peloponnese and where Agamemnon lived, ruled and was murdered by his wife Klytemnestra after his return from the wars of Troy.
This palace-citadel was, for the Mycenaean civilization, the administrative center and it is situated 15 km from the sea in a mountain glen that's fairly concealed but with a good vantage point. The location strategically controls the natural roads to Corinth and the Isthmus leading to Attika and Northern Greece. In its prime there were many structures outside the walls where common folk dwelt.
The ruins of Mycenaea were always partly visible but the Greek Archeological society, knowing better, never bothered to examine them. It took German millionaire Heinrich Schliemann, the father of modern day archeology to do that and with his own money too. He also discovered Troy. Once you arrive at Mycenaea one of the first things you will see is the Lions Gate which is the oldest monumental sculpture of the western world and the first know use of a vaulted corbel which moves weight to the sides so the lintel wont break under it. The relief carved on the slab is two upright Lions.
The Lions gate leads into the Acropolis. 'Acropolis' means hill city and is on a hill with 2 deep ravines and a long narrow ridge providing it with natural protection. This wasn't really a city but more of a citadel where the nobility lived and some were even buried within the complex and with many other spectacular graves just outside.
This site was occupied before the Acropolis was built from 6000 bc to 2000 bc by Neolithic and early Helladic peoples. Later a smaller section of the Acropolis was fortified. About 1600 BC commenced the building of the present day ruins and most of the Tholic tombs dug for the Aristocracy.