Where is the acropolis in Athens. Acropolis in Athens - the sacred center of the ancient city

Acropolis(from the Greek word "acropolis" - which means " upper city"") - is a fortified part of the city, located on a hill and intended for the defense of the city in wartime. The Acropolis was the site of the original settlement of people, and much later a lower city was built around it, which did not have significant protective structures.

Walled cities were usually built around a hill or high cliff. Internal fortifications were erected on the rock. Such a citadel in ancient Greece was called the Acropolis. However, the building served not only the role inner fortress- The Greeks kept in the depths of their minds ideas about prehistoric times, and the square raised on a rock symbolized for them the celestial sphere, sacred soul-cleansing forces and immortality.

Fearless warriors and wise military engineers fortified the entrance to the Acropolis only when the enemy approached. The threshold of the sacred site seemed to the Greeks a kind of boundary of immortality and earthly prosaic deeds. On the acropolis were located temples dedicated to the ancient Greek gods. One of the outstanding monuments of world architecture is the Acropolis in Athens.

athenian acropolis occupies a rocky hill over 150 meters high. Its top is flat, and the temples are built on it in ascending order. The hill reaches a width of 170 meters and a length of about 300 meters.

Structure of the Acropolis in Athens.

The ensemble of the Athenian Acropolis includes several temples and other important objects, among which are the following:

• is the central and most main temple Acropolis, dedicated to the patroness of the city, the goddess Athena. The temple was built in the middle of the 5th century BC by the architect Kallikrates.

• Hekatompedon- one of the oldest temples in the Acropolis, which was built in honor of the goddess Athena, which was built much earlier than the Parthenon.
• - a temple as part of the Acropolis, located north of the Parthenon, which also had an important religious and cult significance. The Erechtheion was dedicated to the goddess of wisdom, Athena, the god of the seas, Poseidon, and the legendary Athenian king Erechtheus.

• Statue of Athena Promachos- a huge bronze statue of the goddess Athena - the patroness of the city - the policy. Its author was the sculptor Phidias, who erected a statue in 465-455 BC on an elevated pedestal between the temples of the Parthenon and the Erechtheion.

Athena holds a shield and a spear in her hands, and a golden helmet flaunts on the head of the statue. The spear was also made of pure gold. In the rays of the sun, they sparkled, and their light was visible for many kilometers. That is why the statue of Athena Promachos served as a kind of beacon for sailors - they navigated along it and successfully reached the shores of Hellas.

• Propylaea- represent a passage, limited by a colonnade, which is intended for solemn processions. It is not by chance that the Propylaea became the hallmark of the Acropolis - their slender colonnade forms the entrance to the ensemble.

• Temple of Nike Apteros- dedicated to the goddess Nike - the winner. The temple is located in the southwest direction from the Propylaea. It is built on a ledge of a rock, and therefore is additionally reinforced with a supporting wall 8 meters high. The Temple of Nike was built by Callicrates in 427-424 BC.

• Eleusinion
• Bravroneion- This is the sanctuary of the goddess Artemis of Bravron, which was located in the corner of the Acropolis next to Chalcotheca. The goddess Artemis patronized pregnant women and women in childbirth. The temple is distinguished by its simplicity and elegance.

• chalcotheque- a special building in which weapons, ritual objects and utensils for making sacrifices were collected for storage. It was here that spears belonging to the city, shields, shells, catapults, as well as trophy weapons obtained in a fair fight from the enemy were stored.

• Pandroseion- this is a temple building - a sanctuary built in honor of the daughter of the first king of Attica Kekrops, whose name was Pandrosa. The courtyard of the sanctuary has a trapezoidal shape. On its territory there is an altar of the god Zeus Herkey, the patron of the family hearth.

• Arrephorion- This is a small structure that serves as a residence for four arrephoras - young girls of noble origin who weaved peplos, intended as a gift to the goddess Athena during the annual Panathenaic Games.
• Athenian altar — special place in the courtyard of the Acropolis, where it was customary to perform ritual sacrifices in honor of the ancient Greek gods. Usually, sacrifices had to be made during celebrations and holidays.

• Sanctuary of Zeus Poliea
• Shrine of Pandion- today it is the ruins of a destroyed building, which in ancient times was located in the southeastern part of the Acropolis of Athens. This small building was the temple of the legendary ancient Greek hero Pandeonis, one of the Athenian kings.
• Odeon of Herodes Atticus- is a building in the form of an ancient Greek theater, designed for visiting 5 thousand spectators. The building was built in 165 AD by order of the Greek orator and philosopher Herodes Atticus in memory of his deceased wife Regina. To date, the building has been preserved almost completely, and it hosts performances and concerts.

• Standing Eumenes- This is a two-story building in which there are columns of the Doric order. Inside the building there are Ionic columns, and the upper tier is decorated with capitals made in the Pergamon style. Ahead of the Stoa are the remains of the foundation of the monument to Nikias. The standing Eumenes was built on a hillside, and got its name from the name of the architect Eumenes II of Pergamon.
• Asklepion- This ancient greek temple, built in honor of the god of healing Asclepius. The sanctuary had not only religious and cult significance, but also served as a medical institution. Asklepions contributed to the development of medical science in Ancient Hellas.

The treatment of the sick was carried out by the priests of the god of healing - Asclepiades. At first, only certain ritual actions were performed, but later the priests began to use various healing herbs and potions. This helped to cure the sick, and also contributed to the accumulation of special medical knowledge.

• Theater of Dionysus
• Odeon of Pericles
• Temenos of Dionysus
• Sanctuary of Aglaura

Propylaea.

This border was a colonnade called the Propylaea. The Greeks improved the order, borrowed from the traditional Egyptian architecture. The columns of the Propylaea are made in the Doric order, which the Greeks considered the embodiment of strength and courage.

The exterior of the Propylaea is not characterized by symmetrical lines. The right wing of the building seemed to shrink to make room for a marble temple. The four columns of the temple, thinner and more elegant, stand on chiseled stands and end with two elastic curls. These are columns of the Ionic order - the embodiment of graceful femininity.

Temple of Nike Apteros.

The goddess of victory, Nike, is depicted unarmed, for real victory is higher than weapons. Victory is fickle, which is why Nika has eagle wings. After the Greco-Persian wars, the Greeks claimed that having settled in their city, Nika would never leave it, and therefore depicted a victory without wings, and the building was called the Temple of the Wingless Victory - Nike Apteros. Thus, Victory became the home goddess for Athens.

And, as proof that she feels confident and comfortable, on one of the bas-reliefs of the temple, she slowly straightens the tie of her sandal. Temple of Nike is located directly in front of the entrance to the Acropolis. The left wing of the Propylaea is a spacious marble pavilion in which the world's first museum of painting, the Pinakothek, was arranged.

Statue of Athena Promachos.

Just as other cities were separate policies, the Acropolis was a special world, opposed to the city - a world in which reality merged with fiction. Those who came to the Acropolis were met by a huge figure in a scaly shell, cast in bronze.

In the struggle for independence, there was a conscious unity between people and the land. The Greek selflessly served the fatherland. The peace won could prove fragile, and Athens could at any moment again turn to war. The armed world existed in the guise of the patroness of the policy in armor and a helmet. The bronze figure, leaning on a spear, was for the Athenians the goddess Athena herself.

Greek sculptors did not adhere to once and for all established standards, they were constantly in a creative search. The artist sought to give the figure a more expressive pose or a new gesture. The canons of Greek art were not immutable and the priests did not follow their strict observance. Each master made his own changes. Also, Greek art was unknown once and for all established plots.

The world was presented to the Greeks in constant cyclical movement. The plastic incarnation of gods and heroes was a statement of perfection. Sculpture was considered the main of the arts, and the work on the creation of sculptural compositions was headed by the brilliant ancient Greek sculptor Phidias, the creator of the bronze statue of Athena.

According to the myth, two deities claimed the role of the patron of the city - the policy - Athena and the god of the seas Poseidon. During the dispute, Athena lightly touched the rock with her spear, and an olive tree grew in this place. In turn, Poseidon struck a stone with his trident, and water gushed out of it.

However, the gods unanimously recognized the miracle created by Athena as more useful, and gave the city under her protection. The city also got its name from the name of the goddess.

The god of the seas, Poseidon, was also the god of the rich, while the goddess of wisdom, Athena, patronized the workers. The myth of Athena's victory over Poseidon is depicted in sculptural composition on the western pediment of the Parthenon - the main temple of the Acropolis.

Most of the figures are depicted naked. The ideal of the Greeks was the harmony of external and internal beauty, the unity of body and spirit. Greek gods, restless, ardent and active in character were similar to the Greeks themselves.

Athens Acropolis – greatest monument ancient architecture in the Greek city of Athens. Ancient temples of the gods of Hellas were located here. The Acropolis rises above 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 Olympian, 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) The Propylaea (elias filis / flickr.com) The 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) Map 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, on which the ancient masters of sculpture and architects worked.

The Acropolis of Athens was a sacred place; ancient temples of the gods of Hellas were located here. It is sad that now only ruins can be seen here. But even at present architectural ensemble The Acropolis of Athens is admired by lovers of antiquity.

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

At the top stands majestic Parthenon, the temple of the goddess after whom the capital of Greece is named. It is the main attraction of the Acropolis. It can be seen almost everywhere in the city, and at present it is forbidden to build high-rise buildings in Athens so as not to overshadow this unique cultural monument.

Next to the Parthenon, you can see the graceful Erechtheion - the temple of three deities: Athena, Poseidon and Erechtheum. 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, he stands on an impregnable rock, which, in turn, crowns the hill, stretched from west to east. It is surrounded by walls, especially they are 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 refuge natural origin who protected the Greeks from their enemies.

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

They were unable to climb the imposing rock, but were able to penetrate the Athenian Acropolis from the north. There seemed to be thickets of bushes there, the slope was not guarded, 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 out all the valuables and destroyed many buildings, including the still unfinished Parthenon. Arrows found on the northern slope testify to this event. When the Greeks returned to their monastery after the battle of Salamis, they built a wall to protect north side and, of course, sought to restore their sanctuary.

Excavations have shown that in the 2nd century BC, religious holidays, meetings of authorities and lawsuits took place here. And the whole social, cultural and religious life of Athens took place in the Acropolis. The oldest buildings The Acropolis is poorly preserved, unlike Olympia and other places of worship in Greece.

The oldest buildings on the Acropolis

From the buildings of the VI century, only the foundations have survived to the present, due to the war of the Greeks with the Persians. The buildings that were in this period are undoubtedly like the temples of Apollo at Corinth, Hera at Olympia and Demeter at Paestum.

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

Ancient masters strove for symmetry, which was present everywhere: in planning, in images. The pediment of the Hekatompedon depicted the struggle of Hercules with Triton. And also there was a sculpture of a kind 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 it was preserved, the body was pink, and the hair and beards 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 between Hercules and the Hydra was also found here. The statues found here are widely known. Someone claims that these are sculptures of goddesses, someone sees in them girls who bring gifts to Athena. Their clothes are beautiful and festive, complex hairstyles are richly decorated.

Athenian Acropolis during the reign of the Romans

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 buildings from 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 is written: "This is the city of Theseus." It is connected with the heroic legend. Rise of Athens above the rest Greek cities, occurred after the state fell 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 which many buildings were built in Athens. The material was Pontic marble.

The construction was carried out in such a way that the whole 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, other sanctuaries - the temple of Zeus and the temple of Hephaestus.

The architectural ensemble of the Athenian Acropolis

The ruins that can be seen in the Acropolis now belong mainly to such majestic buildings 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. Initially, they had 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 this majestic gate was the architect Mnesicles. He skillfully combined the harsh Doric and sublime Ionic orders in the construction. This building was a gate with a roof, which was supported by columns, with 5 passages.

On the left side used to be Art Gallery. To the right was a small room. A lift was equipped to the gate, which did not have steps, so that chariots could drive in.

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 Nike sculpture here does not have wings, as it was conceived on purpose, since the Greeks wanted victory to always remain here. The temple stands as if it invites you to enter inside.

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

The 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. On one, she slaughters a bull; on the other, she removes 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 the Erechtheion.

The choice of the place where it was built is connected with the myth. This legend formed the basis of the whole city. Athena and Poseidon argued which of them would become the patron of the city. Poseidon struck with his trident and a spring gushed out at that place. Athena grew an olive, and locals chose her.

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

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

The main temple of the Athenian Acropolis - the majestic Parthenon

The Acropolis ensemble is crowned by the eight-columned Parthenon. In 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 backfilled area.

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

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

Of particular interest are the metopes of the Parthenon, although they are poorly preserved. They represent the gods ancient greece, the series of which is completed by the goddess of the night Nux.

It also depicts preparations for a military campaign, the farewell of soldiers, and the Trojan War. The southern metopes show the battle with mythical creatures - centaurs.

The frieze of the Parthenon depicts a solemn procession in the third year of the Olympiad. It is noteworthy that Olympic Games, got its name because it was originally held in Olympia.

Horsemen, priests with rams and bulls, 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, of course, a place of pilgrimage for tourists.

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

Useful information for tourists

• Entrance to the whole archaeological zone costs 12 euros, except Sunday (on this day you can go for free).
• On Mondays and holidays, all museums and areas are closed. On other days, the visit is open from 8:00 to 19:00.
• The archaeological zone includes attractions such as the Acropolis, the Temple of Zeus, Keramiko, the Ancient Agora, the theater of Dionysus.
• Beforehand, it is better to familiarize yourself with the scheme on which these cultural monuments are marked.

You can also visit the New Acropolis Museum, which houses many of the sculptures found here. The entrance to it is 5 euros, the visit is possible from 8:00 to 20:00.

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

Map of the Acropolis with signatures (© Madmedea, Wikimedia Commons)

In ancient times, on the high hill of the Acropolis, the city of Kekropia was erected, which later received a new name - Athens. It is better to admire the Acropolis in Athens at sunrise or sunset, it is at this time that the ruins of the former great city come to life and seem to be rebuilt.

History of the Athenian Acropolis

Let's take a look at the history of the city. King Kekrops is considered the founder of Athens. Founding 12 is attributed to this great man Greek cities, the introduction of a ban on human sacrifice, and, most importantly, the introduction of the cult of Zeus the Thunderer. The arrival of the greatness of the goddess Athena occurs during the reign of another king - Erechtonius, it was during his reign that the city was renamed Athens.

Approximately in the II millennium BC, the territory of the Acropolis completely contained Athens. It was surrounded by powerful walls. On the western sloping side, a particularly strong fortification of Enneapilon "Nine-Gate" was erected. Outside the walls was the palace of the Athenian kings. It was in it that the sanctuary of Athena was later placed, and as the city grew, the Acropolis became a religious center dedicated to the patroness of the city.

Architecture of the Athenian Acropolis

The construction of the ensemble of the Athenian Acropolis began after the great victories of the Greeks over the Persians. In 449, Pericles' plan to beautify this area was approved. The Athenian Acropolis was to become a great symbol of a great victory. No money or material was spared. Pericles could get whatever he wanted for this business.

Tons of material were brought to the main hill Greek capital. It was considered pride for everyone to work at this facility. Several excellent architects were involved here at once, but Phidias played the main role.

Propylaea of ​​the Athenian Acropolis

The architect Mnesicles created the buildings of the Propylaea, which are the entrance to the Acropolis, decorated with porticos and a colonnade. A similar structure introduced the visitor sacred place in absolutely new world not like everyday reality. At the other end of the Propylaea, a statue of the patroness of the city of Athena Promachos, executed personally by Phidias, was installed. Speaking of Phidias, one can say that it was from his hands that the famous statue of Zeus came out in Olympia, which became one of the seven wonders of the world of the ancient world. The helmet and spear of the warrior Athena were seen even by sailors sailing through Attica.

Parthenon - the first temple

The main temple of the Athenian Acropolis is the Parthenon. Previously, it contained another statue of Athena Parthenos, also made by Phidias. The statue was made in chrysoelephantine technique, like Olympian Zeus. But this miracle has not reached us, so it remains only to believe the rumors and images.

The columns of the Parthenon, made of marble, have lost their original whiteness over the centuries. Now its brownish columns stand out beautifully against the evening sky. The Parthenon was the temple of Athena Polias the Guardian. Due to the position of the building, this name was usually shortened to big temple or even just the Temple.

The construction of the Parthenon was carried out in 447-428 BC under the leadership of the architects Iktin and his assistant Kallikrat, of course, not without the participation of Phidias. The temple was supposed to be the epitome of democracy. Great calculations were made for its construction, which is why the building was completed in just 9 years. Other decoration continued until 432.

Erechtheion - the second temple

The second temple of the Acropolis is the old Erechtheion, also dedicated to Athena. There was a functional difference between the Erechtheion and the Pantheon. The Pantheon was intended for public needs, the Erechtheion, in fact, was the temple of the priests.

The temple, according to legend, was built at the site of the dispute between Poseidon and Athena for the right to rule in Athens. The elders of the city were supposed to resolve the dispute, at their request, power was given to one of the gods, whose gift would be the most useful for the city. Poseidon made a stream of salt water from the hill of the Acropolis, while Athena grew an olive tree. The daughter of Zeus was declared the winner, and the olive tree was the symbol of the city.

In one of the rooms of the temple there was a trace of the impact of the trident of Poseidon on the rock. Near this place is the entrance to the cave, where, according to another legend, the snake of Athena lived, which is the personification of the glorious king-hero Erechthonius.

In the same complex there is the grave of Erechthonius himself, and in the western part of the temple there is a well with salt water, as if appeared at the behest of the same Poseidon.

Temple of Athena Nike

Athena in the Acropolis found its embodiment in another form - Athena Nike. The first temple dedicated to the goddess of victory was destroyed during the wars with the Persians, therefore, after the conclusion of the truce, it was decided to restore the sanctuary. The temple was built by Callicrates in 427-424 BC.

This is the elevated part or the so-called upper city. Fortifications were built here, where in case of attacks citizens could hide and, of course, the most basic temples were erected here. All ancient greek cities had acropolises, but the most famous is the Acropolis of Athens, towering 150 meters above the main city.

The Acropolis rises above all of Athens, its silhouette forms the skyline of the city. Rising above the hill in ancient times could be seen from any end of Attica and even from the islands of Salamis and Aegina; sailors approaching the shore could already see from afar the brilliance of the spear and helmet of Athena the Warrior.

The Acropolis just refers to those places that are said to be magnificent and delightful. It is considered to be a miracle that has survived to this day, even despite the fact that all the buildings are extremely laconic in their form, and the entire Acropolis can be walked in an hour.

The walls of the Acropolis are steep and steep. Previously, there was a huge amount of valuables, various sculptures inside. Now only four great structures can be found inside the Acropolis.

History of the Acropolis

The construction of the Acropolis began in the 2nd century BC. But during the Greco-Persian wars, it was completely destroyed. For almost a century, he stood in a terrible state.

By the middle of the 5th century BC, Athens became the most prosperous city in Hellas, economic and cultural center. It reached its peak during the reign of Pericles. On his initiative, the city began to be decorated with all sorts of buildings. In 449, the grandiose reconstruction of the Acropolis was completed.

The Athenian Acropolis was built, as they say, on a grand scale. It is impossible to capture it with one glance. Of course, today only a small part has survived from that ancient building, but even now he is worthy of admiration. To begin with, it is worth getting acquainted with the Acropolis, which existed under the ancient Greeks.

Only one entrance led to the Acropolis along a narrow road located on the western side. This entrance is through the gates of the Propylaea, built by the architect Mnesicles in 437-432 BC. The gates were decorated with a wide staircase and two porticos, one of which faces the hill, and the second - to the city. Once upon a time, the ceilings of the Propylaea were painted with golden stars against the blue sky.

The Propylaea are surrounded by the walls of the temple of the Wingless Nike. Small building with 4 columns. This temple was designed as early as 450 BC, but construction could only begin in 427. They built it for 6 years. In ancient times, inside the temple was a wooden statue of the goddess of victory. Traditionally, Nika was depicted as a girl with a pair of wings, but the ancient Greeks depicted her without wings so that victory would not “fly away” from them.

Entering through the gate, one could immediately see the statue of Athena, erected in 456-445 by the sculptor Phidias. Athena was depicted with a shield in her left hand and a spear in her right, she had a military helmet on her head. The height of the statue was 7 meters, and the spear was even more - 9 meters.

To the left of the statue of Athena was a temple. It was dedicated to Athena, Poseidon and King Erechtheus. It was in this temple that the most valuable was kept, in particular, a wooden statue of a warrior goddess, which, according to legend, fell from the sky; the sacred peplos, which was woven by priestesses, the altars of Ifest and Erechtheus .. The most important rites were performed in this temple.

The temple of Erichtheion was small in size (23 by 11 meters), but it united several sanctuaries under it at once. The temple was uneven in its height: West Side buildings 3 meters below the east side. This is because the temple was built on uneven ground.

The interior space was divided into two parts. On the western side was the sanctuary of the Erechtheion, and on the eastern side was the sanctuary of Pallas Athena. The sculptural decoration of the temple was very rich. All around the perimeter there were friezes, the theme of which was myths.

A sacred olive tree grew in front of the western facade of the temple, but it was cut down, and the temple itself was destroyed.

In the center of the Acropolis was the Parthenon, also dedicated to the goddess Athena. It was built over 9 years (447 - 438 BC). Its architects were Iktin and Kallikrat. The Parthenon was a rectangular building measuring 70 by 31 meters, surrounded on all sides by columns - 17 on the longitudinal sides and 8 columns on the end parts of the temple.

The Parthenon is richly decorated with various sculptural elements created by prominent masters. ancient world(Phidias, Alkamen, Agoracritus, Callimachus). The popular notion that Greek temples were always colored is actually wrong. In ancient times, the Parthenon was very colorful, and according to today's tastes, it is even almost luridly painted. Of course, over time, the paint fades, so the temples that have survived to this day are exclusively white.

The interior of the Parthenon was divided into two parts. The first part is the cella, where the 12-meter statue of Athena, created by Phidias, was located. Athena was wearing a luxurious helmet and festive elegant clothes. The face of the goddess and her hands Phidias made of ivory, and the clothes were covered with gold plates.

The second room was intended for female priestesses who worked on the manufacture of the sacred vestments of the goddess.

Modern Acropolis

The modern Acropolis bears little resemblance to the one that existed many centuries ago. Modern tourists can get to the site where the Propylaea are located through the Beile gate, built in the Roman-Byzantine era. They got their name in honor of the archaeologist Beyle, who in 1853 discovered them under the remains of a Turkish fortification. Right in front of the entrance are the ruins of the Temple of the Wingless Nike, which was destroyed by the Turks when they captured the city. In the middle of the 19th century, when Turkish rule was overthrown, they tried to restore the temple, but it was no longer possible to make it the same as before.

Much of the Acropolis was irretrievably destroyed. For example, the statue of Athena the Warrior was taken to Constantinople, where it was destroyed in the 13th century.

The Temple of the Erechtheion repeatedly suffered from robbers, especially during the Greek struggle for independence in 1821-1827. Only in 1906 they began to carry out the reconstruction of the temple, restoring it on the preserved foundation.

The Parthenon was turned into a Christian church in the 13th century. During turkish wars The Parthenon was shelled. The main building and the colonnade were completely destroyed. Nowadays, it has been partially restored, but its former grandeur has already been lost.

Of course, the modern Acropolis is not so majestic, but even today it is one of the most beautiful buildings on our planet. Much has been destroyed, if not completely destroyed. But something has been preserved and still attracts tourists to Athens.

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

The Acropolis of Athens arose as a protective structure about 6-10 thousand years ago. Even then, this rocky spur, located today on the outskirts of Athens, attracted with its impregnability - a rock 70-80 meters high with an almost flat upper platform and steep slopes on three sides already served as a refuge for local population in the event of an 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 then attributed to the Cyclopes.

But the real heyday came here in the 5th century BC, when the Greeks expelled the troops of the Persian king Xerxes. After themselves, the Persians left 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 guidance of the outstanding sculptor Phidias that this religious center the city turned into that pearl, which, albeit with numerous, often irreparable destruction, has survived to this day, and which the whole world now knows.

From 450 BC were lined up here famous buildings ancient Greek architecture, the main of which were the Parthenon (the temple of the goddess Athena Parthenos), the Propylaea, the solemn 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 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 spearhead, which served as a kind of guide for ships that saw the light of the great goddess from afar.

The passing centuries did not spare the Athenian Acropolis. In the 6th century, it was taken to Constantinople and there the statue of Athena died 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, which was both a Catholic church and a mosque, and barely not destroyed by a 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, the looting and removal of the ruins of the Acropolis to the largest museums in the world was stopped, and since 1898 a large-scale reconstruction of the monument has been carried out. http://omyworld.ru/2091

A state-of-the-art Acropolis Museum has opened in Athens.

The museum exhibits unique finds of ancient times, in particular marble sculptures, which are parts of the frieze of the main Athenian ancient temple of 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, then the 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 Athenian Acropolis in the museum.

It looks like the goddesses from the east frieze of the Parthenon looked like this.

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