In the second millennium BC, Mycenae was a fortified city located between two hills on the Argolid plain of the Peloponnese, Greece. It was one of the major centers of Greek civilization, a military stronghold that controlled much of southern Greece and parts of southwestern Anatolia. The stone architecture of Mycenae is one of a kind, influenced by many civilizations such as the Minoans of Crete. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Archaeological excavations have uncovered important architectural remains of the Mycenaean civilization including palaces, fortresses, settlements and funerary monuments. The palace structures of mainland Greece share a number of common characteristics. The large palace structure - Megaron, built around a central hall is typical of Mycenaean palaces. The Megaron was used as a center of economy and trade, as a throne room for the king, and was also designed for religious ceremonies. Although the Megaron was the most important room in the palace, there were also a variety of other rooms, such as the living rooms of the royals. There were also warehouses and workshops for the storage and production of goods for agricultural products and imports. The impressive feature of the Mycenae Palace is the fortified walls built around it for defense purposes. The characteristic of the Mycenaean walls is that they are made up of enormous limestone boulders, fitted together in a rather crude way. The wall was built without mortar. The boulders generally appear unworked, but some may have been roughly worked with a hammer and the spaces between the boulders filled with smaller pieces of limestone. Since these boulders are very large in size, the ancients believed that the Cyclopes built these gates, as they believed it was impossible for humans to move such large rocks. This is why these walls were called Cyclopean Walls. Within the walls was the Lions Gate, the main entrance leading to the Acropolis. An acropolis is a citadel or complex built on a high hill. Ancient cities often grew around a high point, so they could be easily defended. The acropolis of Mycenae, as in most ancient Greek cities, was built in the center on a rocky mound or hill, where people could retreat if under attack. Although Mycenaean architecture was heavily influenced by the Minoans of Crete, ultimately the architectural style used by the Mycenaeans had multiple differences. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay The Minoan palaces were open designs and were built around a large open courtyard. In contrast, Mycenaean palaces favored an internal hall known as a megaron and were built with high stone walls and other clearly defensive attributes, signifying the persistent presence of danger. A beehive tomb, also known as a tholos tomb, was characteristic of Mycenaean funerary architecture. It was a corbeled stone chamber forty-four feet high in diameter, with a small chamber to the right of the entrance. Most of the stone walls were covered by an earthen hill, which added stability to the construction by adding weight. The entrance portal was decorated and the interior was embellished with bronze plates. The architectural expertise of this civilization extended beyond buildings, as it included multiple advances in road and aqueduct systems. The famous architectural works of Mycenae are unique in the world and have a huge impact on the history of Greece.