The Acropolis of Athens - a treasure of world culture

2024 Author: Harold Hamphrey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:06

The Acropolis of Athens is not only the main attraction of the Greek capital, but also the largest archaeological site of the UNESCO world heritage. It was under restoration for a long time, but now the historical monument has been renovated and is happy to welcome guests from all over the world. The Acropolis Museum was officially opened in 2009.

The cultural jewel of Athens is the Acropolis of Athens, which is described in the article.

This historical monument consists of a group of unique buildings erected in the 5th century BC. on the initiative of the ruler Pericles. A wonderful architectural ensemble was erected under the guidance of the most talented architects of that era - Mnesicles, Phidias and others. The Acropolis was built for the purpose of worship.

The Acropolis of Athens is spread over an area of 3 hectares at an altitude of 156 meters above sea level. It includes the majestic temples of Athena the Victorious, Athena the Virgin, Nike, Poseidon, the Erechtheion temple, the magnificent Parthenon and manyother buildings. Enter the Acropolis only through the gate - Propylaea.

The ancient Greeks admired the monumental Propylaion and called this majestic gate "the shining face of the acropolis". The propylion was badly damaged by the explosion of a gunpowder warehouse, which was organized in this place by Turkish soldiers.

To the right of the entrance to the Acropolis of Athens is the Temple of Nike Apteros. This small building looks elegant and solemn. A sculpture of the goddess Nike was erected in the temple. According to legend, at first the goddess Nika had wings, but then the locals cut them off so that Victory would always be with them. During the occupation of the Turkish conquerors, the temple was destroyed, and a fortification bastion was built from its materials. Later, from the blocks that miraculously survived, a new temple of the goddess Nike was restored.

In the northern part of the acropolis, a marble building stands out - a unique architectural monument, a work of classical art - the Erechtheion. In ancient times, there was a place of worship for the gods. The Athenians built two temples under one roof, which were dedicated to the gods Athena and Poseidon. This building became known as the Erechtheion. On the east side was the temple of Athena, where stood an ancient wooden sculpture of the goddess, who, according to legend, fell from the sky. A little lower was the Temple of Poseidon.

In the Erechtheion, tourists admire the Portico of the Daughters. These are six lovely sculptures of beautiful girls that support the roof of the temple. Later they were called Caryatids, that was the name of the women from the small town of Kariya, whofamous for their unearthly beauty, exceptional proportions. One sculpture from the Caryatids in the 19th century, by permission of the Turkish Sultan, was transported to England by Lord Elgin. The famous Elgin marble sculptures can still be seen in the British Museum.

The most elevated place of the rocky hill crowns the Parthenon. This unique structure is 69.5 m long and 30.9 m wide. The building is surrounded by 46 ten-meter columns. The interior of the temple is not rich, because in ancient times people worshiped God near the temple without going inside. In the temple, only a sculpture of a deity was installed. In the magnificent Parthenon there was a sculpture of Athena - a twelve-meter statue, which was carved by Phidias from delicate ivory and gold. Later, this sculpture was taken by the conquerors to Constantinople.

The strict and monumental Parthenon is a unique building in terms of geometry. All columns of the Parthenon are set at a slight inclination inwards. Modern seismologists have found that this trick gives the structure an unusual stability during earthquakes. The columns of the Parthenon differ from each other in size - at the corners the columns are more voluminous in relation to the rest. Corner columns are beautifully lit from all sides, which visually reduces their volume.

Come to sunny Greece. Your vacation will be filled with a variety of exciting excursions that will allow you to get in touch with the main attractions of the country. Among them, the Athenian Acropolis stands out as a bright pearl. photo on itbackground will allow you to stop time for a moment: bright modernity and gray-haired antiquity will merge together.