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The Acropolis of Athens and its temples. Acropolis of Athens - description and main attractions

The Acropolis of Athens and its temples. Acropolis of Athens - description and main attractions

16.10.2019

/ 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 cliff 156 m high, with a flat top offering stunning views of Athens, and has steep slopes on 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 is an Athenian sculptor (about 490 - about 430 BC), an outstanding representative of the era of classical art of 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 the Notre Dame d'Athenes Cathedral. 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 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 the entire collection of statues, vases, monuments and priceless artifacts and took them out of 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, some of the iron structures were 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 on the long sides and 8 on the ends.

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 the 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 Acropolis of Athens stands an ancient multi-level theater, in which, every summer and autumn evening, the sounds of singing and musical instruments are heard, as 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 the field, knowledge of the basics of conservation and restoration, constant attention in carrying out technical work with architectural objects, and the ability to properly demonstrate one’s 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 the European Union, permits from the Greek Ministry of Culture, the Central Council of Archeology and the order of the Minister, the hill can be reached 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.

Location

The uniqueness of the Acropolis cannot be felt in isolation from the surrounding area. The hill on which the Acropolis stands is like a miracle in itself. The flat top is surrounded everywhere except on the western slope by cliffs up to 80 meters high. They are made of bluish granite with red splashes. To the west, the granite ledge gives way to a gently contoured slope covered with groves of olive trees, pine trees and cypresses. It descends into the valley and is adjacent to the wooded slopes of the opposite hill.

The Hellenes believed that the gods themselves chose the places for their temples (and they were considered the houses of the gods). Not only was the temple sacred, but no less so was the hill on which it stood. The architects sought to comprehend the “divine” choice of the location of the temple in order to give harmonious completeness to the area by its construction. The walls of the Acropolis merge with the slopes of the rock into a single whole. Due to this, the steepness of the slopes increases, and the walls seem very high. In fact, they hardly protrude above the top of the hill. In the architecture of the walls there is a repetition of the shapes of the rock: uneven ledges, shifted planes, edges of vertical folds. The smooth upper cut of the wall without towers emphasizes the unexpected flatness of the top. On it stands the temple of Athena, which from a distance looks like a lamp, with white sheaves of columns and a light ceiling on top.

Acropolis on the map of Athens

The Acropolis of Athens today

…As soon as you climb the Acropolis, the illusion of meeting ancient Hellas is immediately broken. At the top - crowds of tourists, clicking cameras, restoration work. It is better to wander through the deserted groves on the slope of the Acropolis and climb the opposite Philopalpus hill. Once densely built up, it retains only the ruins of a monument at its summit, a leafy chapel and the remains of a cave - the supposed site of Socrates' imprisonment and death. There is not a soul on the quiet rocky paths. An empty chapel the size of a man, next to it there is a bench and an autumn plane tree burning with gold. From the bench the Acropolis is clearly visible. Here it is, the ancient source of our culture. Its walls saw people whose names make the heart beat faster: Socrates, Aristotle, Alexander the Great... Somewhere on these slopes Socrates wrote the very first and, probably, the most important phrase in the book of science: “Truth is born in dispute.” This debate, carried out according to the rules of logic, was called analysis.

Aristotle was accused of insulting the gods and expelled from Athens immediately after the death of his powerful student Alexander the Great. Aristotle's God is devoid of any resemblance to the gods of Olympus: he is only the abstract beginning of world movement. The Acropolis captures a completely different understanding of the world.

Parthenon - the main building of the Acropolis

The main building of the Acropolis is the Temple of the Virgin. Dedicated at first to the unwanted, but later beloved daughter of Zeus Athena. Scenes of her birth from the head of Zeus were depicted on the high reliefs of the temple. She is widely known as the patroness of cities. Athena planted an olive tree, which now covers the slopes of the Acropolis, gave state advice, was in charge of fortress walls, political alliances and wars, healing, sciences and crafts, was proud of the art of weaving yarn, but one day, unable to defeat the mortal woman Arachne in a weaving competition, she tore her fabric , beat her rival with a shuttle and, having so disgraced her, turned her into a spider.

The beauty and prestige of Athens served as their protection more than once. When Alexander the Great had to storm the city, he did not dare to raise his sword against it, even if the Athenians refused to fulfill his minimum demands. In already defeated Hellas, Athens remained in a privileged position, and the Romans even continued to decorate the city. For example, they completed the construction of a huge temple of Zeus, the remains of which remain to this day. Athens remained the spiritual center until the 6th century AD, when the Greek (Byzantine) Emperor Justinian banned the teaching of philosophy and rhetoric, and the Parthenon was turned into a temple of the Virgin Mary.

Athens Acropolis in the photo

The Parthenon of Athens is one of the main attractions of Greece

The goal of educational tourism in Greece is to see and capture in memory and in photographs as many attractions as possible. There are really a lot of them in this country, but the leading position is occupied by Acropolis in Athens.
A special atmosphere reigns here - the spirit of ancient Hellas, when gods and people entered into invisible battles, the wisdom and knowledge of philosophers, ancient ruins, practically untouched by human hands, intertwined with modern architectural searches. The Athenian pearl of history is located on the rocky limestone hill of Acropolis, whose height above sea level is 156 meters. Its peculiarity is a flat area at the top and steep slopes (all except the western one). The ancient Greeks escaped here from enemy raids; the city was very clearly visible from above and all approaches to the site were controlled. The total area is about 3 hectares.

HISTORY OF THE ACROPOLIS OF ATHENS

The territory of the hill was divided into sacred areas, on which theaters, temples, and altars were located. From here there was an amazing view of the surrounding area; here in ancient times the military and social life of the capital was concentrated, there were outbuildings and warehouses for storing weapons.
In the middle of the 7th century. BC. The first large building is being built on the hill - the temple of Polyada on the site of the city treasury. In 490, a decision was made to build a new sanctuary - a six-column temple, where people came to worship Pallas Athena. But the authorities did not have time to complete their plan; the Persian raid on the capital destroyed the city and all the buildings.
And only in 450 BC. During the reign of Pericles, they began to create an architectural ensemble: first, the Parthenon grew on the hill, then the Temple of Athena, the official entrance - the Propylaea, near them the small temple of Nike Apteros and the Erechtheion shrine. The development of the construction plan belonged to the local sculptor Phidias. Upon completion of the work, he was condemned for allegedly misappropriating valuable materials during the construction process and was even accused of atheism for depicting himself and his friend Pericles on the reliefs dedicated to Athena. With the help of friends, he managed to escape from prison, after which the sculptor created a statue of Zeus - one of the seven wonders of the world recognized by the world.
The Acropolis was rebuilt several times; during enemy raids, some of the buildings were almost completely destroyed. Currently, all cultural values are under vigilant state protection. Most of the buildings and statues are made of marble, the main enemy of which is the unfavorable Greek ecology. Large exhaust emissions caused increased levels of sulfur in the air, and marble gradually turned into limestone. Iron piles and slabs connecting individual parts of the structures contributed to the further destruction of the stone. These were later removed and replaced with brass elements. Some of the sculptures that you will see while traveling around the site are copies; you can see the originals in the Museum.

How to get to the Acropolis

The hill is located in the western part of the capital of Greece, you can get here by public transport, it is fast and inexpensive. Tourists use the second metro line (exit at the station of the same name), trolleybuses No. 1.5, 15 or buses (routes 135, E22, A2, 106, 208).
If you have time and prefer walking, you can walk from the city center along Dionysiou Areopagitou Street. You need to go straight towards the mountain, without turning into alleys. On the same street is the New Acropolis Museum, 300 meters from the entrance to the “upper city” near the Akropolis metro station. If you visit it before climbing the hill, this will not at all smooth out the impression of the temple architecture and remnants of an ancient civilization seen later. The ultra-modern building, which opened its doors to visitors in 2009, has 5 floors and a glass floor on the ground floor, under which winding streets can be seen - the result of archaeological excavations. The total number of exhibits is more than 4,000, including the statue of the goddess Athena. On the third floor there is a souvenir shop and a cafe. A special feature of the building is the constant coolness inside, which is very welcome by tourists after visiting the sights of the hill on a hot day.

Visiting rules

Excursions have no restrictions; at any time of the year you can enter the territory through the Propylaea (main gate) from 8.00 to 18.00. The ticket costs about 12 euros and allows unhindered entry for 4 days. It is better to walk around the site as part of an excursion group with a Russian-speaking guide; traveling on your own will not bring as much pleasure - you will simply contemplate the ancient ruins without knowing their amazing and rich history. At the entrance to the marble gate there is a sign stating the rules of tourist behavior. The main one is the ban on touching stones and exhibits with your hands and not taking them outside the gate.
Free visit days:
- April 18 - Greeks celebrate International Monument Day;
- June 5 - World Environment Day;
- March 6 is the day when the memory of the Greek actress Melina Mercury is honored;
- last Saturday and Sunday of September.
The Acropolis is closed on major public and religious holidays: Easter Sunday, January 1, Christmas.

Attractions of the Acropolis

Propylaea
The Propylaea is the official entrance to the "open air museum", which is a marble gate through which visitors enter the grounds. The modern structure was built on top of a previously existing one; it was designed in 437 BC. the famous architect Mnesikles and managed to completely complete the construction in 5 years.
The outer and inner facades are Doric porticoes consisting of six columns, and the outer part of the gate is a complex architectural composition and greater depth than the inner one. In total, the Propylaea has five passages for visitors, the central one is the widest (4.3 m), it was intended for the passage of riders on horses and the passage of animals, which were supposed to be sacrificed to the gods of Olympus. Instead of steps, a gentle ramp leads to it, framed by internal columns in two rows.
Temple of Nike Apteros
If you move southwest from the outside of the gate, you can see the small temple of Nike Apteros, which spreads its domain on a high bastion. This is the only structure located in front of the Propylaea. The frieze depicts scenes of battles for the country, episodes from ancient Greek myths. The miniature nature of the structure is amazing; the tall columns in the Ionic style, despite their bulkiness, seem weightless, and the internal lighting in the evenings makes this place mysterious.
Parthenon
This is the main and very first temple of the Acropolis, located in the northwestern corner of the “upper city,” built in 447-438 BC. Over the course of 9 years, the shrine was rebuilt according to the design of Kallicrates; during excavations, archaeologists found ancient tablets with reports from the authorities on the expenditure of city funds on construction to the population. The temple was almost completely destroyed several times; reconstruction work is still underway. In the depths of the sanctuary there was a statue of the goddess Athena, its height reached 10 meters, the body was made of wood, and its open areas were made of ivory, which gave the statue maximum resemblance to a person. The clothes and wreath were made of pure gold, the total weight of which reached 1150 kg. It is not surprising that the original of the statue has not survived to this day (according to the official version, it has been lost); the Museum has preserved several smaller copies of the goddess.
Unlike other buildings, Greek architects tried not only to build a beautiful building, but also took into account the peculiarities of the human visual organs. In their opinion, the following construction tricks were able to give the temple greater grandeur - not a flat, but a slightly convex floor inside, the diameter of the corner columns is larger than the others, and the size of the columns located in the middle is slightly smaller than the others.
Erechtheion
It is not for nothing that the Greeks call this temple a pearl of architecture. Created in the Ionic style (lighter and more refined), construction was completed after the death of King Pericles. The shrine was created mainly for priests who worshiped Athena (unlike the Parthenon, which could be visited by everyone); sacrifice rituals and religious sacraments were performed here. At this place, as legend says, a competition took place between the beautiful Athena and Poseidon for power over the capital. And when the god of the seas lost, he struck the ground with his trident in anger. In one of the reconstructed halls you can see a deep trace of it, which the architects decided to preserve.
King Erechtheus was a favorite of the local population. In one of the battles, he killed the son of Poseidon. As punishment, Zeus struck Erechtheus with lightning at his request - during a tour of the Acropolis, the guide will show tourists the place where the elements damaged the marble slabs, leaving several deep cracks in them. The temple was erected next to the resting remains of the king.
The main building is divided into two uneven parts located at different levels from the ground line. The eastern part with a separate entrance was dedicated to Athena, in front of the statue in the sanctuary an unquenchable fire burned in a golden lamp, the western part had three separate entrances, three altars were located here in worship of the gods Poseidon, Hephaestus (the god of fire and blacksmithing) and the first priest of Athena Butu, brother of King Erechtheus.
The entrance to the western part of the temple was designed in the form of a rectangular portico supported by six columns depicting full-length female figures. The portico of the Caryatids got its name in honor of the priestesses of the goddess, who during the holidays performed a special ritual dance with large baskets filled to the brim with ripe fruits. Caryatids are women originally from the small town of Karia, known for their beauty and refined figure. Even during the capture of the Greek capital by the Turks, who did not recognize human images on statues due to Muslim beliefs, the columns were not destroyed. They limited themselves to carefully cutting off the stone faces of beautiful women.
Temple of Augustus
To the east of the Parthenon was a small circular temple built in 27 BC. The roof was supported by 9 columns in the Ionic style. Archaeologists managed to find only the foundation of the building; they were able to correlate it with the real building only after discovering a dedicatory inscription at the foot. It said that the temple was dedicated to Roma and Augustus and was erected by grateful Athenians, this is a symbol of veneration by the local residents of Octavian Augustus. It is the only one erected for the purpose of glorifying the cult of the Emperors. The construction ideas belonged to the architect who was involved in the restoration of the Erechtheion during the Roman Empire, so the two buildings have many similar features.
Bule Gate
They are part of the architectural ensemble; their construction dates back to 267. The gate is considered an emergency entrance to the site; this small opening in the wall after the raids of the ancient Germanic tribes of the Heruls made it possible for residents to leave the territory unnoticed. They are named after Ernest Bullet, an architect from France, who in 1825 was engaged in archaeological excavations in the area and discovered a secret gate.
Sanctuary of Zeus
Located east of the Erechtheion, its main feature is the lack of a roof. There is no information about what the sanctuary looked like before, and all data obtained varies, so future reconstruction of the structure may not correspond to reality. In accordance with one of the scientists' hypotheses, this site was ideal for worshiping the main god of Olympus, since the highest point of the hill above sea level is located on it. On the territory of the sanctuary, a bronze altar was installed, as well as a small chapel, in the center of which there was a sacrificial pit. In those days, sacrifices were considered to be a joint meal between gods and people. Feasting was prohibited until some of the food went into the big fire. At first, food, fruits, cookies, incense and other offerings were burned near the sanctuary, and the ashes were carefully poured into this niche. No evidence has been found of people performing nal rituals in honor of the gods.
Bravronion
The structure is located near the surviving ruins of ancient Mycenaean walls to the east. Artemis Bravronia was the patroness of girls until marriage and the protector of pregnant women.
According to documents, the creator of the sanctuary is considered to be Pisistratus, in whose homeland this goddess was worshiped. The shape of the small temple is a colonnade in the Dorian style, adjacent to it are two wings in the shape of the letter “P”, where statues of the goddess Artemis were kept, one belongs to the hands of the sculptor Praxiteles, the author of the second is unknown. The date of construction of the sanctuary is not precisely known, approximately 430 BC. The sanctuary did not play a major role in the complex, so instead of the traditional ancient altar there were 4 porticoes, to which women laid their offerings.
Once every four years, residents of the capital celebrated the holiday of “Bravronia”: from Athens to Bravronia (38 km) a procession of girls (7-10 years old) walked on foot to stay there for at least one year and play the role of she-bears for Artemis (she was considered the Bear goddess). Rituals were regularly held here; after the last one, the girls took off their long capes, which they wore all year, which symbolized the onset of the period of female maturity.
Chalkoteka
Behind the sanctuary there was a structure with an additional separate room (“inner room”), where shields, throwing weapons, and religious objects for the rites of worship of Athena were kept. The exact date of construction is unknown; according to preliminary data, it was the mid-5th century. BC, large-scale reconstruction was carried out during the Roman period. Today, what remains of the Chalcotheca are several large building blocks and a large basin made of stone.
Theater of Dionysus - the first "entertainment center" of the Greeks
Bread and circuses were what the locals demanded, and it was in abundance in ancient Greece. The first and most ancient Athenian theater is located on the southern side of the hill. It was built in honor of the god of wine, who, according to legend, the Athenians killed, mistakenly believing that he gave them poisoned wine. On the day of his death, the festival of Dionysus was celebrated, accompanied by noisy feasts and mass celebrations. This is how the first theater was created, on the stage (then it was an “orchestra”) of which the audience first saw the theatrical performances of Euripides and Sophocles, and the tandem of poetry and tragedy was born here. The open-air stone structure could accommodate up to 17 thousand spectators at a time.
The orchestra was separated from the rows by a rather deep ditch with water; scientists suggest that this trick improved audibility, thanks to which the actors’ dialogues were clearly audible even in the upper seats.
Behind the stage there was a small building (skhena) intended for changing clothes for participants in productions. The walls of the theater were decorated with bas-reliefs depicting gods and episodes from mythology, fragments of some of which tourists can still see.
At first, the seats were made entirely of wood, but in 325 BC. they were replaced by more durable marble ones. Their height was only 40 cm, so that you could see everything that was happening on stage, and they were equipped with soft pillows.
The chairs in the first row were named, this can be judged by the inscriptions that could not be destroyed by the forces of nature. In the 1st century, the amphitheater was rebuilt, which marked the beginning of gladiatorial fights and circus performances. A high iron side was built between the first row of spectators for the safety of visitors.

Hill Caves

Cave of Zeus
Every year in the spring, the “chosen” Athenians came here to expect lightning - a natural phenomenon considered a sign of the arrival of the main deity of Olympus on the Hill of Arma. He showed them the correct and safe course to Delphi, this was a signal that the deity was protecting and blessing.
Altar of Apollo
Not far from the cave of Zeus you can see a recess in which the altar of the Sun god was located. After local residents elected 9 archons (highest officials of the capital), they went to take an oath of allegiance and honor at the altar of Apollo of Patros, the second solemn oath was pronounced here.
Cave of Pan
If you walk a little east from the altar, you can see a small cave that is almost overgrown. This is a tribute to Pan, the god of shepherds and forests. It appeared in the minds of the Greeks and official literature after the Battle of Marathon in 490 BC. He is credited with instilling fear in the Persians and winning the locals.
Source of Clepsydra
In the western part there is a small stone niche with a source, previously called "Embedo". Its waters periodically disappear, then spring water appears on the surface of the earth again. In the 5th century BC. the Greek commander Kimon turned it into a fountain, which was later filled with stones. During the heyday of Christianity, Clepsydra received the status of a “saint”; a small church of the Holy Apostles began to be built near him.

Acropolis as a unique ecosystem

The hill is not only the cradle of Greek civilization, but also a protected area significant for environmental organizations. Biologist Grigoris Tsounis claims that the Acropolis is a corner of heaven on earth. The scientist studied the diversity of flora and fauna on the slopes of the hill for a long time and came to the conclusion that rare species of birds and butterflies are present in this ecosystem. Seeing one of the representatives of the fauna in our time is a great success.
Among the poppy and chamomile meadows there is also a unique plant called “micromeria acropolitana”. Micromeria grows only on the slopes of the Acropolis, in places where rocky areas predominate and there is a minimum of soil. It was first noticed in 1906, after which it disappeared without a trace. G. Tsunis discovered it again only in 2006; Professor Kit Tan from the University of Copenhagen came to confirm the presence of Micromeria. A team of scientists does not stop developing further actions to protect the ecosystem of the area, so that for a long time this amazing corner will greet tourists not only with historical ruins, but also with natural resources that have not yet been destroyed by the elements and destructive actions of man.

If you want to buy souvenirs, it is better to do it in the capital’s craftsmen’s shops or shops. The triple markup on trinkets in the form of magnets, stones and mugs will hit your pocket hard, and the range of Acropolis sellers is limited - local authorities do not give permission to turn the attraction into an ordinary trading platform. But the Greeks are a wise people, they understand that it is difficult for foreign tourists to understand all the greatness of the holy land; there have been and will be attempts to take with them a piece of a temple or theater dilapidated by winds, precipitation and time. Every night, caretakers go up to the site and scatter pieces of marble, shells and colored glass that you can take home as souvenirs.

is the heart and main tourist attraction of Athens and Greece. Clearly visible from all sides (construction is prohibited
high-rise buildings so as not to block the view of Acropolis) it serves as an excellent landmark for moving around the city.

Annually Acropolis of Athens visited by millions of tourists and travelers from all over the world.

Acropolis translated from ancient Greek as a fortified place in the city.
The Acropolis is the oldest inhabited place in Athens. Already during the Archaic period, there were majestic temples and sculptures here, which later generations of Greeks considered the heritage of the Cyclopes. IN Mycenaean period(15 -13 century BC) Acropolis was the royal residence.

It was here that the residence of the legendary Theseus(the conqueror of the Minotaur), unless, of course, his personality was mythical.

During the Greco-Persian Wars Acropolis was completely destroyed by the Persians. The inhabitants of Athens swore an oath to restore the shrines only after the victory over the Persians and the expulsion of enemies from Hellas. In 447 BC. under the direction of the famous sculptor Acropolis new construction has begun. , the Temple of Nike, the Erechtheion - these are the masterpieces that we enjoy to this day.

Bule Gate

This gate is named after the French architect Ernest Bühle, who excavated the Acropolis in 1825. This is one of the two Acropolis gates that were built into the fortress walls after the Heruli raid in 267.

Sanctuary of Aphrodite Pandemos

To the right of the Bule Gate are ruins of the temple of Aphrodite. At present, all that remains of the temple is the architrave decorated with garlands and doves.

Sanctuary of Artemis Bravronia

This temple was located in eastern part of the Acropolis, not far from the ruins of the Mycenaean walls. The temple was a Dorian colonnade with two wings in the shape of a “U”. The creation of the temple is attributed to Pisistratus, who came from the region of Brauronia,
Where cult of Artemis was widespread. In the side wings of the temple colonnade, two statues of the goddess were kept: the first was an ancient wooden statue depicting the goddess sitting on a throne, and the second, which was a creation sculptor Praxiteles.

Chalkoteka

East of the Temple of Artemis was Chalkoteka, a building that was used to store metal objects related to the cult goddess Athena. The building was built in the mid-5th century BC, and reconstruction of the building was carried out during the Roman period.

On the southern slope of the Acropolis is the oldest known theater, - Theater of Dionysus(god of winemaking). According to legend, the inhabitants of Athens killed Dionysus when he arrived in Attica and gave wine to people for the first time, thinking that Dionysus was trying to poison them. Then they came to their senses and began to celebrate Dionysia very vigorously - festivals in
the honor of the god they killed. In the end, this all led to the creation of the theater. It was in this theater that masterpieces were first shown Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides and Aristophanes.

In the 6th century BC. ruler of Athens tyrant Peisistratus introduced the cult of Dionysus into Athens and organized the Great Dionysia, which was held during March–April. Around the same time in Athens a poet appeared Thespis, a native of the demos of Ikaria. He introduced the first actor to Dionysia and began to write the texts that he should
was read by the actor and choir members. Before Thespis, these texts were pure improvisation of the choristers. Thespis also began to devote texts not only to life events Dionysus, but also to other heroes of Greek mythology and real historical characters. Acting masks were also invented and introduced, since one and the same
the actor had to play many roles.

In the 4th century BC, during the reign of Lycurgus, the wooden spectator rows were replaced with stone ones and have not changed since then. The stage of the theater was reconstructed many times.

The theater has 78 rows of spectators, which are divided by a passage into two zones. The passage is also part of the Peripata - the path that surrounds the sacred rock Acropolis.

The front rows of marble spectators, 67 seats, were intended in ancient times for rulers, archons and priests. In the center of the front rows is the throne of the chief priest of the temple of Dionysus Eleftheria.

Romans The theater was changed twice. Once during the reign of Emperor Nero, in the 1st century AD, and again during the reign of Phaedrus, in the 3rd century AD.

The friezes that can be seen today on the proscenium of the theater depict scenes from the myths of Dionysus. The first frieze depicts the birth of the god: seated Zeus, and in front of him Hermes with the baby Dionysus in their arms, along the edges of Kurita they dance a war dance with weapons in their hands. Then depicted Icarus, sacrificing a goat to Dionysus, and
on the right is Dionysus alone with his friend Satyr.

Temple of Augustus

Not far from the eastern entrance to the Parthenon was Temple of Roma andAugusta. The temple was built in 27 BC. when Octavian received the title of Augustus. It was a small round temple with a diameter of 8.50 meters and 9 Ionic columns. At the foot of the columns there was an inscription that said that the temple was dedicated to Roma and
Augustus from the grateful Athenians.

Sanctuary of Zeus Polyaeus

To the northeast of the Parthenon are ruins of the Temple of Zeus. It consisted of a quadrangular fence, inside of which there was a separate fenced area with a small temple and a hall of gifts. In the temple in honor Zeus The ritual of Diipoly was carried out.

At the entrance to Acropolis There is also the Theater of Herod Attica. Tiberius Claudius Herod Atticus was one of the wealthiest Athenian citizens and also the Roman governor of the province of Asia. Among other things, he was a famous philosopher and a teacher Marcus Aurelius.

In 161 AD. in memory of his wife he built Odeon(theater) in
Athens. This is a perfectly preserved example of Roman architecture in Athens.
The theater had a stage 35.4 meters long, built on two floors and was
covered with white and black marble slabs from the Karista quarries.
The theater's capacity was up to 5,000 people. The roof of the theater was made of cedar wood.

The theater premises were rebuilt and today the theater hosts Athens Festival, where the best theaters in the world present their art to the audience.

Copper statue of Athena

On the territory of the Acropolis there were many gifts and offerings from various cities and ordinary residents. Was especially valuable statueAthens. The statue was installed between Erechtheion and Propylaea and was 9 meters high. According to Pausanias, the spearhead of the statue and the shine of its helmet were visible to ships that sailed from Cape Sounion to Piraeus.

Odeon of Pericles

East of the Theater of Dionysus was the famous Odeon of Pericles, built in 447 BC. and intended for music competitions. The Odeon was destroyed during the storming of the Acropolis by Sulla's legions in 86 BC. and restored by the king of Capadocia, Ariobarzanes II. Finally Pericles Theater was destroyed by the Heruls in 267 BC.

Between the Theater of Dionysus and the Odeon of Herod of Attica there is a colonnade
Euminius II(king of Pergamon), which was built in the 2nd century BC. as a gift to the Athenians. In ancient times, the colonnade had a roof and was used by residents as a promenade for walking.

In the 5th century, with the advent of Christianity, it became the Church of Our Lady. After the conquest of Greece by the Turks, the temple was turned into a mosque, and then into an arsenal. was dismantled.

In 1687, after a cannonball hit a Venetian ship, an explosion destroyed almost the entire central part, and in addition, during an unsuccessful attempt by the Venetians to remove the Parthenon sculptures, several statues were broken.

In the 19th century, the friezes and remaining Parthenon statues were taken to England, where they can be seen in British Museum.

Acropolis Museum

Museum Acropolis was opened in 1878. Initially, the museum building was located in a small room immediately behind the Parthenon.

The museum's collection consists of exhibits that were found during archaeological excavations Acropolis.

Its treasures include surviving parts of the Parthenon friezes as well as sculptures by Greek masters from the 5th century BC.

Museum exhibits displayed in chronological order. These are pediment sculptures of temples Acropolis with images of the battle of gods with giants, scenes of Hercules fighting with various mythical creatures, as well as a sculpture of Moschophoros, or a young man carrying a calf on his shoulders (570 BC)

Among the museum's exhibits is a well-preserved metope from the southern facade of the Parthenon, depicting the battle of the Lapiths with the centaurs. The pearls of the museum are originals of the Caryatids from the southern portico of the Erechtheion. The statues are stored in a room with a special temperature regime.

Reminder for tourists

Acropolis Open daily from 8am to 6:30pm.

Acropolis opening hours may vary slightly depending on
season. On Acropolis It is forbidden to bring any bags (they can be left at the entrance to the Acropolis)

The entrance ticket costs 12 euros, but with this ticket you can also visit Agora and Temple of Zeus.

Acropolis on the map of Athens