THE ASKLEPIEION the Asklepieion in Messene the center of the public life of the city; The temple and altar are closely hedged about by about 140 bases for bronze statues; The Asklepieion consists of an almost square area measuring 71.91 x 66.67 m.; stoas opening on to the central open-air courtyard. Each of the stoas on the north and south sides had 23 Corinthian columns on the facade; supporting an entablature with a frieze with relief bull's heads adorned alternately with floral scrolls and bowls. There were similar stoas on the east and west sides; though these each had 21 columns. All the stoas had a second; inner colonnade with fourteen columns on the north and south sides and thirteen on the east and west. In the east wing of this peristyle courtyard is a complex of three buildings: the small; roofed; theatre-like Ekklesiasterion A; the imposing Propylon B; and the Synedrion or Bouleuterion (?) together with the hall of the Archive (?-?). Along the west wing is a row of rooms or oikoi (K-?) which; The north wing of the Asklepieion is a building erected on a high podium and accessed by way of a central monumental staircase; at the north end of a propylon with a pedimental facade. The two enormous halls of this structure; which extend either side of the north staircase and are divided in identical fashion into five rooms; have been identified with the Sebasteion At the east end of the north side; at the level of the stoa; stands the carefully constructed oikos H with a pedestal-cistern for exhibiting statues probably of Asklepios and his sons. IN THE PHOTO; The north wing of the Asklepieion; the two enormous halls of this structure; which extend either side of the north staircase At the east end of the north side; at the level of the stoa; stands the carefully constructed oikos H with a pedestal-cistern for exhibiting statues probably of Asklepios and his sons.