* The sanctuary is located in the city of Eleusis, near Athens. In the ancient world, it was not only extremely popular, but also the most revered and respected place. The greatest initiations into the mysteries of life and death, initiation rites in the cults of the goddesses of fertility Demeter and Persephone, which were held annually in Eleusis, took place here. The appearance of the first sanctuary in Eleusis dates back to about the 15th century BC. Anyone who spoke Greek, even slaves, could take part in the annual mysteries, lasting about 9 days. According to some researchers, all the participants in the mystery took a drug with psychotropic substances from ergot of barley. With the advent of Christianity in the 4th century A.D., the Eleusinian mysteries were banned. The temple complex gradually fell into disrepair and was subsequently destroyed by the Visigoths. Now, from the former buildings of the sanctuary, the temple of the goddess Demeter, the Sacred Court, the Small and Large Propylae and the small temple of Pluto, only stone platforms with steps, the bases of columns and some architectural fragments remain. The Eleusinian Archaeological Museum is worthy of a visit. The museum's extensive and diverse collection includes magnificent ceramics, Eleusinian amphorae depicting scenes from Greek mythology, sculptures, fragments of architecture, and much more. Most of the exhibits are related to the Eleusinian mysteries. Eleusis attracts many lovers of the culture of ancient Greece. Today, in the modern suburbs of Athens, you can see the ruins of this ancient city, which have become a historical monument.