The Acropolis of Athens is the greatest monument of ancient architecture in the Greek city of Athens. The ancient temples of the gods of Hellas were located here. The Acropolis towers over the city, standing on a huge limestone rock.

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View of the Acropolis of Athens (Carole Raddato / flickr.com) Parthenon (Tilemahos Efthimiadis / flickr.com) Acropolis of Athens (© A.Savin, Wikimedia Commons) Acropolis, Propylaea (Dimitris Kamaras / flickr.com) View of the Plaka area from the Temple of Zeus Olympic, Acropolis, Athens, Greece (George Rex / flickr.com) Acropolis - Theater of Dionysus (swifant / flickr.com) Temple of Nike Apteros (Tilemahos Efthimiadis / flickr.com) Temple of Apteros (Tilemahos Efthimiadis / flickr.com) Close-up of one from the corners of the Temple of Apteros on top of the Acropolis (Jack Zalium / flickr.com) Propylaea (elias filis / flickr.com) Propylaea (piet theisohn / flickr.com) Entrance to the Acropolis (ohhenry415 / flickr.com) View of the Acropolis from the Agora (Arian Zwegers / flickr.com) Erechtheion (Casey And Sonja / flickr.com) Hecatompedon (Roy L… / flickr.com) Ronny Siegel / flickr.com Erechtheion / Caryatids (George Rex / flickr.com) Odeon of Herodes Atticus, built in 161 AD on the southern slope of the Acropolis in Athens in memory of his wife Annia Regilla, Athens, Greece (Carole Raddato / flickr.com) Parthenon, Acropolis of Athens (Carole Raddato / flickr.com) Parthenon, 1985 (Nathan Hughes Hamilton / flickr. com) In front of the Parthenon (Kristoffer Trolle / flickr.com) Parthenon, Acropolis in Athens (faungg's photos / flickr.com) Parthenon in Athens (Attica, Greece) (© A.Savin, Wikimedia Commons) Diagram of the Acropolis with captions (© Madmedea, Wikimedia Commons)

The main attractions of Greece are the Acropolis of Athens, Olympia and Rhodes.

The Acropolis is the greatest monument of ancient architecture in the Greek city of Athens. This is a whole complex of structures that ancient sculpture masters and architects worked on.

The Acropolis of Athens was sacred place, here were located the ancient temples of the gods of Hellas. It's sad that now you can only see ruins here. But even today, the architectural ensemble of the Athens Acropolis evokes admiration among lovers of antiquity.

The Acropolis is the heart of Athens, and indeed all of Greece. It towers over the city, standing on a huge limestone rock. Its upper platform is small - 300 by 130 meters.

Stands at the top majestic Parthenon, the temple of the goddess after whom the capital of Greece is named. It is the main attraction of the Acropolis. It is visible almost everywhere within the city, and it is currently prohibited to build high-rise buildings in Athens so as not to overshadow this unique cultural monument.

Next to the Parthenon, you can see the elegant Erechtheion - the temple of three deities: Athena, Poseidon and Erechtheus. It was possible to enter the Athenian Acropolis only through the huge gates - the Propylaea.

Acropolis in ancient Greece

Acropolis in Greek means high city. As already mentioned, it stands on an inaccessible rock, which, in turn, is crowned by a hill stretching from west to east. It is surrounded by walls, they are especially high in those places where it is possible to climb the rock.

Propylaea (elias filis / flickr.com)

In ancient times, the Acropolis of Athens served as a sanctuary and at the same time a natural refuge that protected the Greeks from enemies.

In the 480s BC, the “high city” was besieged by the Persians under the leadership of King Xerxes.

They were unable to scale the imposing cliff, but were able to penetrate the Acropolis of Athens from the north. There appeared to be some bushes there, the slope was unguarded, and it was assumed that no one would be able to climb it. However, several Persians were able to get into the Acropolis and the first thing they did was open the gates.

The invaders took away all the valuables and destroyed many buildings, including the unfinished Parthenon. This event is evidenced by arrows found on the northern slope. When the Greeks returned to their monastery after the Battle of Salamis, they built a wall to protect the northern side and, of course, sought to restore their sanctuary.

Excavations have shown that in the 2nd century BC religious festivals, meetings of authorities and trials were held here. And the entire social, cultural and religious life of Athens took place in the Acropolis. The ancient buildings of the Acropolis were poorly preserved, unlike Olympia and other places of worship in Greece.

The most ancient buildings of the Acropolis

From the buildings of the 6th century, only the foundations have survived to the present day, due to the war between the Greeks and the Persians. The buildings that existed during this period undoubtedly resemble the temples of Apollo at Corinth, Hera at Olympia, and Demeter at Paestum.

Their architecture is ponderous and harsh. In the 6th century BC, the most ancient temple Athens on the Acropolis, which was called. Having passed through the gate - the Propylaea, the man admired its beauty.

Ancient masters strove for symmetry, which was present everywhere: in the layout, in the images. The pediment of the Hekatompedon depicted the struggle of Hercules with Triton. And also here there was a sculpture of a good Attic creature, which had three bodies and three heads and was called Tritopator.

He is depicted crawling out of the corner of the pediment. The paint on him was preserved, his body was pink, and his hair and beard were blue. It is noteworthy that one of the heads is kept in the museum and went down in history under the nickname “Bluebeard”. The ancient master filled the low parts of the pediment with writhing snake tails.

A soft limestone relief depicting the battle of Hercules and the Hydra was also found here. The statues found here are widely known. Some argue that these are sculptures of goddesses, others see them as girls bringing gifts to Athena. Their clothes are beautiful and festive, their complex hairstyles are richly decorated.

The Acropolis of Athens during Roman rule

Many buildings arose when Greece became part of the Roman Empire, under Hadrian. The Temple of Zeus and the Acropolis in Athens are separated by an arch, this is the border between the old ancient city and the buildings of Roman times.

View of the Plaka area from the Temple of Olympian Zeus, Acropolis, Athens, Greece (George Rex / flickr.com)

On the side of the Acropolis, on the arch it is written: “This is the city of Theseus.” This is associated with a heroic legend. The rise of Athens over other Greek cities occurred after the fall of the state on the island of Crete.

This event happened thanks to Theseus, who defeated the minotaur. With the help of Ariadne's thread, he was able to return, at the same time free and glorify the city.

On the other side you can see the inscription: “This is the city of Hadrian.” That is, the city of the emperor, under whom many buildings were built in Athens. The material was Pontic marble.

Construction was carried out in such a way that the entire complex of buildings looked harmonious, and there was no sudden transition from the rest of the city to the sanctuary. Not far from it is the Theater of Dionysus, the market square, and other sanctuaries - the Temple of Zeus and the Temple of Hephaestus.

Architectural ensemble of the Athens Acropolis

The ruins that can be seen in the Acropolis currently belong mainly to such majestic structures as the Propylaea with the temple of Nike the Wingless, the Parthenon and the Erechtheion.

The ensemble of the Athenian Acropolis was truly beautiful in ancient times; if, for example, in Olympia all the temples are similar, then in the Acropolis each building is unique.

Acropolis, Propylaea (Dimitris Kamaras / flickr.com)

The first thing you can see from the buildings of the Acropolis is the majestic gate with columns - the Propylaea.

They were built after the creation of the Parthenon. Originally they were supposed to be absolutely symmetrical.

But since the temple of Nika the Wingless appeared on the right side, it was necessary to make this part of the gate smaller in order to achieve harmony.

The author of these majestic gates was the architect Mnesical. He skillfully combined the severe Doric and sublime Ionic order in the construction. This structure was a gate with a roof that rested on columns, with 5 passages.

On the left side there used to be an art gallery. On the right was small room. There was an ascent to the gate, which had no steps, so that chariots could enter.

Temple of Apteros (Tilemahos Efthimiadis / flickr.com)

The temple of Nike the Wingless (Goddess of Victory), of course, had a statue of the goddess inside. The sculpture of Nike here does not have wings, this is intentional, since the Greeks wanted victory to always remain here. The temple stands as if inviting you to enter inside.

The interior space is small, the walls are made of unpolished marble. The outside of the temple is decorated with a frieze depicting gods and battle scenes.

Reliefs of this temple were discovered in 1835. They were supposed to be located under the columns of the temple. These are relief images of the goddess Nike in various poses and scenes, but most often in profile. In one she slaughters a bull, in another she takes off her sandals before entering the temple.

Erechtheion (Casey And Sonja / flickr.com)

Passing through the gate, one could see the statue of Athena, which obscured the southern portico of Erechtheion.

The choice of the place where it was built is associated with myth. This Legend formed the basis of the entire city. Athena and Poseidon argued which of them would become the patron of the city. Poseidon struck with his trident and at this point the source clogged. Athena grew an olive tree, and the locals chose it.

The Erechtheion was created in a lighter Ionic order and differs significantly from the Parthenon. This historical monument combines two types of marble - white and purple.

The Portico of the Caryatid is the southern portico of the Erechtheion. Here, 6 sculptures of caryatids rest their heads on the roof and hold it up. The principle of symmetry and harmony prevails here too; half of the sculptures rest on the left leg, half on the right. The skillfully carved folds on the sculptures' clothing show slight tension. Inside, Erechtheion is complex, it has many levels. Here are the sanctuaries of the gods: Poseidon, Athena and Erechtheus.

The main temple of the Acropolis of Athens - the majestic Parthenon

The Acropolis ensemble is crowned by the eight-column Parthenon. In terms of its grandeur, it tops the list of ancient buildings. By appearance it is similar to the Temple of Zeus at Olympia. But it stands on a specially leveled and filled area.

Parthenon, 1985 (Nathan Hughes Hamilton / flickr.com)

During its construction, the simple archaic arrangement of buildings, such as in Olympia and Delphi, went back centuries. In ancient times, a solemn procession passed along it. It glorifies the greatness of man.

The metopes of the Parthenon may be of particular interest, although they are poorly preserved. They depict the gods of ancient Greece, the series of which is completed by the goddess of the night Nyux.

Also depicted here are preparations for a military campaign, farewell of soldiers, and the Trojan War. Southern metopes show the battle with mythical creatures- centaurs.

The Parthenon frieze depicts the ceremonial procession in the third year of the Olympics. It is noteworthy that Olympic Games, received this name because they were originally held in Olympia.

Horsemen, priests with rams and bulls, and young men carrying vessels are depicted here. On the other side, the frieze depicts the gods surrounded by noble people of Greece.

How to get to the Acropolis?

The Acropolis of Athens is the main attraction of Greece and, naturally, a place of pilgrimage for tourists.

You can get to the Acropolis by metro. The nearest station is Acropolis. In addition, you can get off at: Thissio, Syntagma Square, Monastiraki Square, Omonia Square.

Useful information for tourists

Entrance to the entire archaeological area costs 12 euros, except on Sundays (on this day you can enter for free).
On Mondays and holidays all museums and areas are closed. On other days, visiting is open from 8:00 to 19:00.
The archaeological zone includes such attractions as the Acropolis, Temple of Zeus, Keramiko, Ancient Agora, Theater of Dionysus.
It is better to first familiarize yourself with the diagram on which these cultural monuments are indicated.

You can also visit New Museum The Acropolis, where many of the sculptures found here are kept. Entrance to it is 5 euros, visiting is possible from 8:00 to 20:00.

In ancient Greece, in addition to the Acropolis, you can visit such attractions as the Temple of Zeus in Olympia and the Palace of the Grand Master in Rhodes.

Diagram of the Acropolis with captions (© Madmedea, Wikimedia Commons)

The Acropolis in Athens is business card Greece, tourists from all over the world come here. In terms of ticket sales and attendance, it is not inferior to the Colosseum in Rome.

Despite past wars and natural disasters, it stood for two thousand years (and will stand for the same amount of time) and still amazes the imagination with its majesty and perfection of forms.

Similar structures were built not only in, but also on the territory of Asia Minor (), in and Ancient Rome. The Acropolis is the elevated part of the city (built on a hill). It served as a refuge for the nobility in case of war. Palaces, government buildings, and temples of patron deities were built on its territory. Despite the cataclysms suffered, the Athenian Acropolis has been preserved better than any of those currently existing. To this day, active work is underway on its restoration.

Story

Back in archaic times, the first temples were founded. In VII-VI BC. active development of the hill began. It served as the royal residence. In 447 BC. The reconstruction of the complex began by the famous sculptor of that time, Phidias. The complex received the architectural appearance that we know now. Gradually, the greatest cultural monument fell into disrepair, Athens turned into a provincial city of the Roman Empire.

A panoramic walk along the street near the Acropolis is many times more interesting than the ruins themselves (:

During the Byzantine period, the temple of the goddess Athena, the patroness of the city (Parthenon), became a Christian church. With the onset of the Turks in the 15th century, the entire temple complex was converted into a mosque and then into an ammunition depot and arsenal. In the 19th century, Greece became an independent country, and from that moment the ancient appearance of the Acropolis began to be actively restored. The construction carried out on the territory in the Middle Ages and Modern Times was eliminated.

All sculptures that are located on the territory of the Acropolis in Athens have been replaced with copies, the originals are kept in the Acropolis Museum.

What does the Acropolis look like?

Unfortunately, at the moment it is ruins. Yes, major work is underway to restore its individual objects, but the work is very far from being completed.

The height of the hill on which the monument is built is 300 meters. Climbing onto it, you will have a beautiful view of Athens. The Acropolis consists of 21 elements that are interconnected into one architectural ensemble.

Parthenon Temple in Athens

The Parthenon, the key temple of the Acropolis, is the best preserved. Created from white marble, over time it turned yellow. It is considered the oldest building in the world, because it is two thousand years old! Its history is the history and culture of all Greece.

Until recently, the Theater of Dionysus staged ancient Greek comedies and tragedies, but now it is partially closed for reconstruction (due to be completed in 2015).

The architecture of the Erechtheion Temple has an unusual asymmetrical layout, and a lot of relics were found in it, which are kept in museums around the world.

Photos

Helpful information

Arrive at opening time or a few hours before closing to avoid standing in a long line for a ticket and to walk around the complex without extreme heat. Stock up on water; you will have to climb a 300-meter hill. There's quite a lot waiting for you on the way up steep stairs, be careful.

The entrance ticket costs 12 euros and can be purchased on site. Discounts for students and pensioners. The queue is long, but it moves very quickly. The ticket is valid for four days. If you don’t have the strength to watch everything at once, you can always come back. IN winter time on Sundays admission is free.

Opening hours: from 8:00 to 20:00, closed on Monday.

The fastest way to get there is by metro. Get to the Acropolis station, from there follow the signs at every step.

Acropolis on the map

Acropolis of Athens, Athens 105 58, Greece

The Acropolis of Athens is the main attraction of Athens, a real symbol of Greece, and its main temple, the Parthenon, is the “calling card” of this country.

The Acropolis of Athens arose as a defensive structure about 6-10 thousand years ago. Even then, this rocky spur, located today on the outskirts of Athens, attracted attention with its inaccessibility - a rock 70-80 meters high with an almost flat upper platform and steep slopes on three sides even then served as a refuge for local population in case of attack. But the real fortifications began to be built here around 1250 BC, when the hill was surrounded by powerful walls 5 meters thick, the construction of which was later attributed to the Cyclops.

But the real heyday came here in the 5th century BC, when the Greeks expelled the troops of the Persian king Xerxes. The Persians left behind only destruction, and the ruler of the Athenian state, Pericles, decided not to restore the ruins, but to rebuild the Acropolis. It was during his reign and under the leadership of the outstanding sculptor Phidias that this religious center of the city turned into that pearl, which, albeit with numerous, often irreparable destructions, has survived to this day, and which the whole world now knows.

From 450 BC the most famous buildings of ancient Greek architecture were built here, the main of which were the Parthenon (temple of the goddess Athena Parthenos), the Propylaea, the ceremonial entrance to the Acropolis, the temple of Nike Apteros (unlike the generally accepted image, the Athenians made their Nike wingless so that the goddess of victory would not fly away from them ), the Erechtheion temple, dedicated to the king from ancient Greek mythology Erechtheus, as well as Nike and Poseidon, and the statue of Athena Promachos, striking in its size (21 meters) and grandeur, with a helmet cast in gold and a spear tip, which served as a kind of landmark for ships that had seen the light great goddess from afar.

The passing centuries have not spared the Acropolis of Athens. In the 6th century, the statue of Athena was taken to Constantinople and died there during a fire around the 12th century, all the temples were badly damaged, including the Parthenon, which changed its name several times throughout its history, was both a Catholic church and a mosque, and barely not destroyed by the terrible explosion of gunpowder that occurred on September 26, 1687 during the siege of the city by the troops of the Venetian Republic. Only after Greece gained independence in 1830 was the looting and taking away of the ruins of the Acropolis to the largest museums in the world stopped, and since 1898 a large-scale reconstruction of the monument began. http://omyworld.ru/2091

The ultra-modern Acropolis Museum has opened in Athens.

The museum exhibits unique finds from ancient times, in particular marble sculptures that are parts of the frieze of the main Athenian ancient temple, the Parthenon. Some are presented as duplicates, as the largest collection of originals is still in the British Museum in London. At the beginning of the century before last, they were transported to Britain by Lord Elgin, the then British ambassador to Greece.

The Greek side has been trying to regain these exhibits for several decades in a row. Greek President Carolus Papoulias, in his speech at the opening, once again called on Londoners to return the sculptures. But the British Museum considers itself their rightful owner and emphasizes that it is here that the exhibits are available free of charge to visitors from all over the world.

Sculptures from the Athens Acropolis in the museum.

This is what the goddesses from the eastern frieze of the Parthenon looked like.

You look at the buildings of ancient architects and feel sad that, despite the fact that they are currently trying to preserve all the buildings, time has already been lost significantly. One can only guess about its former splendor or read it in ancient manuscripts. Look around these buildings, a huge number of faceless primitive buildings of modern times. What will we leave behind as a descendant?

The Acropolis of Athens, which is a 156-meter-high rocky hill with a gentle peak (approx. 300 m long and 170 m wide), is the site of the oldest settlement in Attica. During the Mycenaean period (15-13 centuries BC) it was a fortified royal residence. In the 7th-6th centuries. BC e. was carried out on the Acropolis big construction. Under the tyrant Pisistratus (560-527), on the site of the royal palace, the temple of the goddess Athena Hekatompedon was built (that is, a temple one hundred steps long; fragments of pediment sculptures have been preserved, and the foundation has been identified). In 480, during the Greco-Persian Wars, the temples of the Acropolis were destroyed by the Persians. The inhabitants of Athens swore an oath to restore the shrines only after the expulsion of enemies from Hellas. In 447, at the initiative of Pericles, new construction began on the Acropolis; the supervision of all the work was entrusted to the famous sculptor Phidias, who, apparently, was the author of the artistic program that formed the basis of the entire complex, its architectural and sculptural appearance.

The sacred road, along which the procession of Athenians moved from the agora to the temple of the patron goddess during the main festival of the Great Panathenaia, leads to the Propylaea, which has 5 passages and in ancient times was flanked by two equestrian statues of the Dioscuri. In the left, protruding wing, there was a Pinakothek (a collection of pinak paintings donated to the goddess Athena), in the right there was a storage room for manuscripts and a room for the gatekeeper and guards. To the right of the Propylaea, on a pyrgos (an outcrop of a fortified rock), stands a small, light and graceful Ionic temple dedicated to Athena Nike, known as the Temple of Nike Apteros (Wingless Victory; 443-420, architect Kallicrates).

After the participants of the procession passed the Propylaea and entered the sacred territory, a panorama of the central part of the complex opened before them. In the foreground, just to the left of the road, stood a colossal bronze statue of Athena Promachos (Warrior), cast by Phidias. Behind it in the distance was the Erechtheion (architect unknown), the temple of Athena and Poseidon at the site of the dispute between these gods for the possession of Attica. The temple has an asymmetrical plan unique in Greek architecture; its three porticos are located at different levels: on the western side there is a portico leading to the temple of Athena Polyada (City), on the northern side there is the entrance to the sanctuary of Poseidon-Erechtheus, at the southern wall of the temple there is the famous portico of the caryatids; the entire building was surrounded by a frieze with overhead white figures (not preserved). In the Erechtheion, the oldest sanctuary of Athens, there was the sacred xoan of Athena (a wooden statue), which according to legend fell from the sky, the altars of Hephaestus and the hero But, the tomb of the legendary Athenian king Kekrops, and the sanctuary of the Attic dew goddess Pandrosa adjoined to the west. In the courtyard of the Erechtheion there grew a sacred olive tree, donated to the city by Athena, and a salt spring flowed, which Poseidon carved with his trident.

Lightness of form, special sophistication decorative finishing and the complexity of the composition, the Erechtheion, small in size, contrasts with the strict and majestic, emphatically monumental Parthenon (Temple of Athena the Virgin; 69.5 m in length and 30.9 m in width, column height - 10.5 m; built in 447 - consecrated in 438; architect Ictinus with the participation of Callicrates), representing a Doric peripter. The building is perceived from the Propylaea in three quarters - viewers saw not one of its facades, but the entire volume of the structure, got an idea of its appearance as a whole, and before seeing the main, eastern facade, they had to walk around the temple from the outside.

In the temple itself, in the naos, there was a chrysoelephantine statue of Athena Parthenos (Virgin) by Phidias; the sacred money of the goddess and the treasury of the Athenian Maritime League were kept in the opisthodome. In the pediments there were sculptural groups depicting the most significant events in the cult of Athena - her birth and the dispute with the sea god Poseidon for the possession of Attica. The metope reliefs along the perimeter of the building depicted scenes of mythological battles. Architectural details, sculpture and reliefs were brightly painted. The plan and order of the Parthenon also differ from the traditional ones in a number of features: in front of the naos there was a hall - the maiden's chamber (the Parthenon, which gave the name to the entire temple), along the wall of the naos there was an Ionic frieze depicting the Panathenaic procession.

In front of the Parthenon, by right side from the Propylaea, there were also sanctuaries of Artemis Bravronia and Athena Ergana (Craftswoman), a repository of weapons and sacred armor - Chalkoteka (450). The open area of the Acropolis was occupied by numerous altars and gifts to the gods - statues, steles. Adjacent to the northwestern slope of the Acropolis was the temple and theater of Dionysus (6th century BC - rebuilt in 326), the Odeon of Pericles (a covered round building for musical competitions) (2nd half of the 5th century BC) .), Theater of Herodes Atticus (2nd century AD), Sanctuary of Asclepius, Stoa (Porticus) of Eumenes.

Parthenon

In ancient times, the Parthenon rising above the hill could be seen from any part of Attica and even from the islands of Salamis and Aegina; The sailors approaching the shore could already see from afar the shine of the spear and helmet of Athena the Warrior. In ancient times, the sanctuary was known not only as a cult center, but also as a monument of art, confirming the glory of Athens as the “school of Hellas” and the most beautiful city. The thoughtful composition of the entire ensemble, perfectly found general proportions, a flexible combination of various orders, the finest modeling of architectural details and their unusually accurate drawing, the close relationship between architecture and sculptural decoration - make the buildings of the Acropolis highest achievement ancient Greek architecture and one of the most outstanding monuments of world art.

In the 5th century, the Parthenon became the Church of Our Lady, and the statue of Athena Parthenos was transported to Constantinople. After the conquest of Greece by the Turks (in the 15th century), the temple was turned into a mosque, to which minarets were added, then into an arsenal; The Erechtheion became the harem of the Turkish pasha, the temple of Nike Apteros was dismantled, and the bastion wall was built from its blocks. In 1687, after a cannonball hit a Venetian ship, the explosion destroyed almost all central part Temple of Athena the Virgin, during an unsuccessful attempt by the Venetians to remove the Parthenon sculptures, several statues were broken. At the beginning of the 19th century, the Englishman Lord Elgin tore out a number of metopes, tens of meters of frieze and almost all the surviving sculptures of the Parthenon pediments, and a caryatid from the portico of the Erechtheion.

After the proclamation of Greek independence, during restoration work (mainly at the end of the 19th century), the ancient appearance of the Acropolis was restored as much as possible: all late buildings on its territory were eliminated, and the Temple of Nike Apteros was rebuilt. Reliefs and sculptures of the Acropolis temples are in the British Museum (London), the Louvre (Paris) and the Acropolis Museum. Remaining under open air the sculptures have now been replaced by copies.

/ Acropolis of Athens

Athens Acropolis

(Greek: Ακρόπολη Αθηνών; English: Acropolis of Athens)

UNESCO site

Opening hours: from 8.30 to 19.00 every day except Monday.

How to get there: nearest metro station Akropolis. The Acropolis of Athens is impossible not to notice; it is located in the very heart of the city and is visible from almost anywhere in Athens. Most of Athens is quite flat, and the city is dominated by only two rocks, one of which is the Acropolis. You can also get to the Acropolis from the city center on foot. To do this, you need to choose, as a landmark, a large pedestrian street - Dionysiou Areopagitou. You need to go straight along it and not turn anywhere, gradually climbing up the mountain, as a result you will come across the most important Greek landmark.

The Acropolis of Athens is not only the oldest cultural monument of Greece, but of the entire world civilization as a whole. The word “Acropolis” consists of two stems: “acro” - “upper” and “polis” - “city”. The "Upper City" is located on a natural limestone rock 156 m high, with a flat top, offering stunning views of Athens, and has steep slopes from all sides except the west. It was a fortified part of ancient Athens, where the main shrines of the city were located. The Acropolis, embodying the architectural and artistic spirit of ancient Athens, covers an area of approximately 3 hectares.

The entire Acropolis was divided into sacred areas, on which temples, sanctuaries and altars were located, dedicated to various gods. It was also the center of the political and military life of the city: first of all, it was the residence of the ruler.
In the middle of the 7th century BC, the first large structure appeared on the Acropolis - the Temple of Polyada, replacing a small sanctuary of the Geometric period in which the city treasury was kept. The dimensions of the building and the pediment frame that appeared for the first time (only on the eastern side) were new. After the victory at Marathon in 490 BC, it was decided to create a new temple dedicated to Pallas Athena on the Acropolis, next to the ancient temple of Polyada. This temple was narrower than the Parthenon and had only 6 columns. However, the buildings were never completed, since the Persians, who captured Athens, completely destroyed the city and all the sanctuaries of the Acropolis.

Map of the Acropolis of Athens

In 450 BC, under Pericles, who proclaimed the unification of the entire Greek world under the leadership of Athens, work began on creating an ensemble on the Athenian Acropolis, according to a single plan: Parthenon - temple of Athena Parthenos (447 - 438 BC), Propylaea - ceremonial gates, entrance to the Acropolis (437-432 BC), temple of Nike Apteros (Wingless Victory, between 449 - 420 BC), temple of the Erechtheion (421 - 406 BC). The planning and construction of the Acropolis was carried out under the direction of Phidias.

Phidias - Athenian sculptor (about 490 - about 430 BC), an outstanding representative of the era of classical art Ancient Greece. He supervised all the work on the Acropolis, the construction of the Parthenon; according to his sketches, and often with his own hands, 92 metopes and a 159-meter frieze with the Panathenaic procession, sculptures of the Parthenon pediments, and a statue of Athena Parthenos (Virgin) were created. He was put on trial for allegedly misappropriating precious materials and atheism during the construction of the Acropolis, and was forced to leave Athens and move to the Peloponnese, where he created a number of other famous creations.

In the following centuries, the Acropolis suffered greatly from various wars and the turbulent history unfolding in this area. In 1205, the Franks (crusaders) captured Athens, and the Dukes of Delaroche established their residence in the Propylaea and Pinakothek. The Parthenon at this time becomes cathedral Notre Dame d "Athenes. In 1456, Athens was conquered by the Ottoman army of Omar Turakhan, commander of Muhammad the Conqueror. The Parthenon turns into a mosque, the Erechtheion into the harem of the Turkish commandant. In 1687, after a cannonball hit from a Venetian ship, the explosion destroyed almost the entire central part of the Parthenon , and when the Venetians failed to remove the sculptures from the temple, several statues were broken. But despite the fact that the works of art of the Acropolis survived many natural disasters, they could not withstand the acts of vandalism of Lord Elgin, the British ambassador to Constantinople. He plundered almost all a collection of statues, vases, monuments and priceless artifacts and exported from Greece.

Today, the cultural values of the Acropolis are carefully preserved and protected, and, perhaps, the main enemy of this world treasure is air pollution, which negatively affects the marble. As a result of emissions of exhaust gases into the atmosphere, there was an increase in the sulfur content in the air, which led to the transformation of marble into limestone. The iron structures that were used to connect and strengthen the marble pieces, and which were adjacent to it, destroyed the stone. To prevent destruction, part iron structures was removed and replaced with brass ones. But it is not possible to counteract chemical destruction, so some of the Acropolis sculptures were replaced with copies, and the originals are kept in the Acropolis Museum.

A wide zigzag road runs from the bottom of the hill to the only entrance. These are famous Propylaea– the main entrance to the Acropolis, which is a deep through portico with a colonnade; at the same time, the side passages were intended for pedestrian citizens, and along the middle passage horsemen and chariots passed, and sacrificial animals were escorted. They were built by the architect Mnesicles in 437 - 432 BC. Like other structures of the Acropolis, the Propylaea gate was destroyed by the Persians and restored during the era of Pericles, although the construction was never completed due to the threat of the Peloponnesian War.

Adjacent to the Propylaea on the left is the building of the Pinakothek, an art gallery where portraits of the heroes of Attica were displayed. In the Pinakothek there were carpets hung on which people who were tired after climbing the hill could rest.

Adjacent to the southwestern wing of the Propylaea is an unusually elegant marble temple - Temple of Nike Apteros , built by the architect Callicrates. Its construction was carried out in 427 - 421 BC. Standing on a three-stage pedestal, the temple was surrounded on all sides by a sculptural ribbon frieze, which depicted episodes of the struggle of the Greeks with the Persians, as well as the Olympian gods (Athena, Zeus, Poseidon).

The main attraction of the entire ensemble was and remains Parthenon- the largest and most famous building in this ensemble, which is called both the “hymn” of Ancient Greece and the “beauty of simplicity.”

The Parthenon (from the Greek parthenos - maiden) is the temple of the goddess Athena Parthenos (Virgin) - the greatest monument of ancient Greek art. It was erected by order of Pericles in 447 - 438 BC, on the site of an unfinished temple destroyed by the Persians. The Parthenon is a marble Doric peripterus with 17 columns long sides, and from 8 – on the end ones.

Not far from the northwestern wall of the Acropolis there was a royal palace, and after its destruction, almost in the same place, the Hekatompedon temple was erected, dedicated to the patroness of the city, Athena. The Greeks revered this goddess so highly that they set free all the slaves who participated in the construction of this temple. But during the Greco-Persian Wars (480 - 479 BC), Hekatompedon was plundered and burned by order of the Persian king Xerxes.

The northern side of the Athens Acropolis is decorated with a beautiful marble temple Erechtheion, which is a most beautiful creation of classical art. It was built on the site of the palace of the rulers of Mycenae in 421 - 406 BC, and became a place of worship for the Athenians. The Ionian temple, located near the Parthenon, is dedicated to Athena, Poseidon and the legendary king of Athens, Erechtheus, who gave the temple its name.

The greatest interest in the Erechtheion is the Portico of the Daughters, consisting of six sculptures of the most beautiful girls, which, acting as columns, support the roof of the temple. In Byzantine times they were called Caryatids - women from a small town called Caria who were famous for their exceptional beauty. The Turks, who at one time captured Athens and, according to their Muslim beliefs, did not allow images of humans, did not destroy these statues, however. They limited themselves to cutting off the girls’ faces.

At the top of the flagpole, located at the highest point of the hill, stands a Greek National flag. During the 2nd World War, when the Germans captured Greece and Athens, Konstantinos Koukidis, the Evzone guarding the flag, was ordered to take it down. Konstantinos obeyed, took off the flag, and, wrapping himself in it, threw himself down the cliff and fell to his death. And on the night of May 31, 1941, a couple of eighteen-year-old Athenians, Manolis Glezos and Apostolis Santas, made their way to the top of the Athenian Acropolis and tore down the flag with the German swastika hanging there. Nowadays, every day, at 6:30 in the morning, a special detachment of Greek soldiers raises the flag over the Acropolis of Athens, and at sunset another detachment of infantrymen climbs the hill and lowers the flag for the night.

At the foot of the Athens Acropolis stands an ancient multi-level theater, in which, every summer and autumn evening, sounds of singing and musical instruments, since at this time there are performances of classical dramas, symphony orchestras, dance programs and operas. Odeon of Herod Atticus , better known as the Herodeion, was made in the shape of a semicircle, the radius of which is 80 meters, and its capacity is so high that up to 5 thousand people can fit there.

Colonnade of Eumenes was one of the largest structures located on the southern slope of the Athenian Acropolis. Its length was 162 meters. This structure was erected by the powerful king of Pergamum - Eumenes II (198 - 160 BC). The colonnade was built from stacked stones brought from the island of Poros, as well as from Pergamon and Hymettan marble. It extends from the beautiful Theater of Dionysus, and today reaches the Odeon of Herod Atticus.

On the southern slope of the Acropolis is located the oldest known theater today - Theater of Dionysus . Legend has it that the Athenians killed Dionysus when he first arrived in Attica and treated the locals to wine. Initially, the theater was wooden, but a century later, the steps for spectators to sit were replaced with stone ones, and a permanent stage was built.

For almost 60 years, excavations were carried out at the Odeon of Pericles, revealing to the world a beautiful large building with a huge number of columns of the Athenian Acropolis. Work in this place was carried out by Kastriotis (1914 - 1927) and Orlandos (1928 - 1931), and the result of these excavations was the appearance of the northern part of the building and five columns that were located on the southeast corner.

Restoring the unique values of the Athens Acropolis and interfering with the structure of their material requires the highest responsibility. This requires experience in field work, very deep knowledge of this area, knowledge of the basics of conservation and restoration, constant attention in carrying out technical work with architectural objects, the ability to properly demonstrate their finds on museum grounds. Many more years will pass until all the work is completed, but it is then that the Acropolis of Athens, with all its ancient monuments, will appear before our descendants in all its Hellenic beauty.

The Acropolis has become accessible to people with physical disabilities! In accordance with the requirements of the International Olympic Acropolis Committee and European Union, with permission from the Greek Ministry of Culture, the Central Council of Archeology and the order of the Minister, you can climb the hill using an elevator built above the Kanellopoulos Museum, on the northern slope. To the north of the main entrance there is a special entrance through which a person in a wheelchair and his companion can access the elevator. A special moving platform lifts you from the sidewalk to the elevator level.

The Acropolis towers over all of Athens, rising above the hill, the Parthenon, in ancient times, could be seen from any part of Attica, and even from the islands of Salamis and Aegina. The Acropolis was known as a famous cult center, and as a monument of great art, confirming the glory of Athens as the most beautiful city on earth. The thoughtful composition of the entire ensemble, perfectly found general proportions, the finest modeling of architectural details and their unusually accurate drawing, the close relationship between architecture and sculptural decoration make the buildings of the Acropolis the highest achievement of ancient Greek architecture, and one of the most outstanding monuments of world art.