Who created the acropolis. The Acropolis of Athens is a monument of ancient architecture. Byzantine, Latin and Ottoman periods

IN old 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 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 porticoes and a colonnade. Such a construction introduced the visitor of a sacred place into 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.

Acropolis

ACROPOLIS-I; m.[Greek akropolis from àkros - up and polis - city]. The central fortified part of the ancient Greek city, usually located on a hill; fortress. Athenian a.

(Greek akrópolis), an elevated and fortified part of the ancient Greek city, the so-called upper city; fortress (shelter in case of war). The most famous is the Acropolis in Athens.

ACROPOLIS, an elevated and fortified part of the ancient Greek city, the so-called. upper city; fortress (shelter in case of war). The most famous is the Acropolis in Athens, where the main shrines of the city were located. The Athenian Acropolis, which is a 156-meter rocky hill with a gentle top (approx. 300 m long and 170 m wide), is the site of the oldest settlement in Attica. In the Mycenaean period (15-13 centuries BC) it was a fortified royal residence. In the 7th-6th centuries. BC e. There was a lot of construction going on on the Acropolis. Under the tyrant Peisistratus (cm. PISISTRAT)(560-527) in place royal palace a temple of the goddess Athena Hekatompedon was built (i.e., a temple a hundred steps long; fragments of sculptures of pediments have been preserved, a foundation has been revealed). In 480, during the Greco-Persian wars, the temples of the Acropolis were destroyed by the Persians. The inhabitants of Athens took an oath to restore the shrines only after the expulsion of enemies from Hellas. In 447, on the initiative of Pericles (cm. PERIKL) new construction began on the Acropolis; the management of all the works was entrusted to the famous sculptor Phidias (cm. PHIDIUS), who, apparently, was the author of the artistic program that formed the basis of the entire complex, its architectural and sculptural appearance.
Sacred road, along which from the agora (cm. AGORA) moved to the temple of the patron goddess during the main holiday of the Great Panathenaic (cm. PANATHINEI) procession of the Athenians leading to the Propylaea (cm. PROPYLEIA (in Athens), having 5 passages and in ancient times flanked by two equestrian statues of the Dioscuri. In the left wing, protruding from them, there was the Pinakothek (a collection of pinak paintings brought as a gift to the goddess Athena), in the right there was a repository of manuscripts and a room for the gatekeeper and watchmen. To the right of the Propylaea on a pyrgos (a ledge of a fortified rock) stands a small, light and graceful temple of the Ionic order, dedicated to Athena Nike, known as the temple of Nike Apteros (Wingless Victory; 443-420, architect Kallikrates (cm. KALLIKRAT)).
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, slightly to the left of the road, stood a colossal bronze statue of Athena Promachos (Warrior), cast by Phidias. Behind her in the distance was the Erechtheion (cm. ERECHTHEION)(architect unknown), the temple of Athena and Poseidon on the site of the dispute between these gods for the possession of Attica. The temple has a unique Greek architecture asymmetric plan; its three porticoes are located on different levels: on the west side - a portico leading to the temple of Athena Poliada (City), on the north - the entrance to the sanctuary of Poseidon-Erechtheus, at the southern wall of the temple - the famous portico of caryatids; the whole building was surrounded by a frieze with overlaid white figures (not preserved). In the Erechtheion, the oldest sanctuary of Athens, there was the sacred xoan of Athena (a wooden statue), according to legend, which fell from the sky, the altars of Hephaestus and the hero Booth, the tomb of the legendary Athenian king Kekrop, from the west adjoined the sanctuary of the Attic dew goddess Pandrosa. In the courtyard of the Erechtheion, a sacred olive tree grew, donated to the city by Athena, a salty spring beat, which Poseidon carved with his trident.
The lightness of forms, the special sophistication of decorative finishes and the complexity of the composition of the small Erechtheion contrasts with the strict and majestic, emphatically monumental Parthenon (Temple of Athena the Virgin; 69.5 m long and 30.9 m wide, the height of the columns is 10.5 m ; 447 - consecrated in 438; architect Iktin with the participation of Callicrates), which is a Doric peripter (cm. PERIPTER). The building is perceived from the Propylaea in three quarters - the audience 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 go around the temple from the outside.
In the temple itself, in the naos (cm. NAOS), there was a chrysoelephantine statue of Athena Parthenos (Virgo) by Phidias, the sacred money of the goddess and the treasury of the Athenian Maritime Union were kept in the opisthodom. 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. Metope reliefs (cm. METOPES) scenes of mythological battles were depicted along the perimeter of the building. Architectural details, sculpture and reliefs were brightly painted. The plan and order decision of the Parthenon also differ from the traditional ones in a number of features: in front of the naos there was a hall - a maiden's chamber (the Parthenon, which gave the name to the whole temple), along the wall of the naos there was an Ionic frieze depicting the Panathenaic procession.
In front of the Parthenon, on the right side of the Propylaea, there were also the sanctuaries of Artemis Bravronia and Athena Ergana (Craft), a repository of weapons and sacred armor - Halkoteka (450). Open area The acropolis was occupied by numerous altars and gifts to the gods - statues, steles. 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) adjoined the northwestern slope of the Acropolis. ), the theater of Herodes Atticus (2nd century AD), the sanctuary of Asclepius, Stoya (Portico) of Eumenes.
The Acropolis rises above all of Athens, its silhouette forms the skyline of the city. 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; sailors approaching the shore could already see from afar the brilliance of the spear and helmet of Athena the Warrior. In ancient times, the sanctuary was known not only as a famous cult center, but also as a monument of great art, confirming the glory of Athens as the "school of Hellas" and beautiful city. The well-thought-out 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 c. The Parthenon became the Church of Our Lady, the statue of Athena Parthenos was moved 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 attached, then into an arsenal; The Erechtheion became the harem of the Turkish pasha, the temple of Nike Apteros was dismantled, and the wall of the bastion was built from its blocks. In 1687, after being hit by a cannonball from a Venetian ship, an explosion destroyed almost all central part temple of Athena the Virgin, during an unsuccessful attempt by the Venetians to remove the sculptures of the Parthenon, several statues were broken.
At the beginning of the 19th century Englishman Lord Elgin broke out a number of metopes, tens of meters of a frieze and almost all the surviving sculptures of the pediments of the Parthenon, a caryatid - from the portico of the Erechtheion.
After the declaration of independence of Greece, during the restoration work (mainly in the late 19th century), the ancient appearance of the Acropolis was restored as far as possible: all late buildings on its territory were liquidated, the temple of Nike Apteros was re-laid, etc. The reliefs and sculptures of the temples of the Acropolis are in the British Museum (London), the Louvre (Paris) and the Acropolis Museum. Remaining under open sky the sculptures have now been replaced by copies.

encyclopedic Dictionary. 2009 .

See what "acropolis" is in other dictionaries:

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- (Greek akropolis) an elevated and fortified part of the ancient Greek city, the so-called. upper city; fortress (shelter in case of war). The most famous is the Acropolis in Athens. ACROPOLIS in Athens fortified part of ancient Athens, where the main ... ... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary Hotel catalog

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Acropolis- in Athens. ACROPOLIS (Greek akropolis upper city), the elevated and fortified part of the ancient Greek city, the so-called upper city; fortress (shelter in case of war). On the acropolis there were usually temples of the patron deities of this ... ... Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary

- (Greek akropolis upper city), an elevated and fortified part of the ancient Greek city, the so-called upper city; fortress (shelter in case of war). On the acropolis were usually temples of patron deities this city. Most… … Modern Encyclopedia

ACROPOLIS, acropolis. husband. (Greek akropolis) (source). IN ancient Greek cities central fortified part, kremlin. Acropolis of Athens. Dictionary Ushakov. D.N. Ushakov. 1935 1940 ... Explanatory Dictionary of Ushakov

- (Acropolis, Αχρόπολις). In general, the upper city, the citadel, the Kremlin. Usually this name is called the Athenian Acropolis, which served as the treasury of the city. (

Athenian 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.

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 one of 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) 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 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 depict the gods of 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 entire archaeological area 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.

The Acropolis is the legendary symbol of the Greek capital - the city of Athens. A piece of history, a shrine that has found incredible fame all over the world. A cult architectural complex rises on the city hill, consisting of several fortified ancient Greek buildings - this is the whole Acropolis. He, like an invisible thread, binds ancient civilization With modern Greece. The Acropolis is the most valuable historical and cultural monument that belongs not only to one's own country, but to the whole world. Millions of tourists and pilgrims from all over the world come to admire this grandiose complex every year.

A bit of history

The history of the Acropolis dates back to ancient times. When on the territory of the legendary Attica appeared new town. In the 15th century BC, the residence of the Mycenaean kings settled here. During the reign of Pisistratus, a beautiful temple dedicated to the goddess Athena, Hekatompedon, was erected within the city.

In the 5th century BC most of The Acropolis was destroyed by Persian soldiers. The revival of the city began 3 years later under Pericles. Greece was conquered in the 15th century Ottoman Empire. And numerous temples ancient complex turned into mosques. After Greece became officially free (19th century), new work began on the restoration and restoration of the appearance of the Acropolis.

Buildings of the Acropolis

Upon entering the area architectural complex you can see the famous gates of the Propylaea - the brainchild of the famous ancient Greek architect Mnesicles. Only a few snow-white columns and part of the roof have survived to this day. The tour of the holy city starts from the southern slope of the hill. Here rises the oldest theater in Greece - the theater of Dionysus. In the 5th century, famous Greek playwrights Euripides, Aeschylus, Sophocles and Aristophanes presented their creations on its wooden stage. The seats in the auditorium were also made of wood. The stage and benches made of marble appeared only in the 4th century BC. At present, tourists can see a huge auditorium in the shape of a semicircle and part of a dilapidated facade. In the 2nd millennium BC, during the reign of Eumenes II, a fortified portico was added to the theater of Dionysus. In sweltering heat or extreme cold, viewers could take refuge in it. Today it's oblong stone structure, "shabby" and affected by time.

The next point of the tour is the legend of the Acropolis - sacred temple goddess Athena Parthenon. At the time it was the most beautiful building complex, an unsurpassed masterpiece of architectural art. In the 6th century BC, a small archaic temple was built on the site of the Parthenon. In the 5th century BC, a new, beautiful building, made of white Pentelian marble, grew on its ruins. The central hall of the temple was decorated with the golden goddess Athena, the creation of the sculptor Phidias. Now restoration work is underway on the territory of the Parthenon, so admire the "remains" Ancient Greece can only be outside. To date, only a small part of the temple has remained - a few elegant antique columns, towering on a powerful marble foundation. The walls and roof of the Parthenon are practically gone.

Erechtheion and Areopagus

Another notable building of the Acropolis is the ancient Erechtheion temple, built in the 5th century BC, which is not inferior in beauty even to the Parthenon. At present, only a few columns remain from the temple, an original portico decorated with sculptures of young girls, and several dilapidated walls.

The Areopagus is the place where the famous ancient court sat in ancient Greece. The first city parliament appeared here. The most interesting thing is that the courthouse was "carved out" of the sacred rock. At first glance, it seems as if it is part of it, as if growing out of the ground. To this day, small "crumbs" of this building have survived, ruins in which the "spirit of justice" still hovers.

The Acropolis Museum is very popular with tourists. Within its walls you can learn a lot of interesting things about ancient civilization, tyrant kings, the history of the city, Greek architecture, etc. The pearls of its exposition are - Moskhofor, unique sculpture dated to the 6th millennium BC. In the center of the composition is a young man bringing a “golden” calf as a gift to the goddess Athena. Koras are several graceful, refined figures belonging to young girls. The sculptures are so realistic that you can see their hairstyles, facial features and even folds on national clothes. The frieze slabs are rectangular plates depicting the Olympian gods. On some slabs you can see whole scenes from ancient Greek mythology. Caryatids - statues of the ancient priestesses of the Erechtheion temple.

How to get there?

The sacred hill of Athens is located in the western part of the capital. You can get to it by metro, using its 2 line, moving to the Acropolis station. And you can get there by trolleybus number 15, 5 and 1 or by bus number 208, number 106, number 135, number E22. For those who decide to make hiking, you need to move from the center of the capital along Dionysiou Areopagitou street, without turning straight anywhere. The Acropolis is open for visits daily from 8:00 to 18:00. The ticket price is 12 euros.

Address: Athens 105 58, Greece

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Athens Acropolis (Greece) - description, history, location. Exact address, phone number, website. Reviews of tourists, photos and videos.

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Each policy of Ancient Greece had its own Acropolis, but none of them can surpass the Athenian in scale, layout and concentration of such a number of monuments of past eras.

Without it, the capital of Greece is simply unthinkable, it is rightfully considered its calling card, a real mecca for tourists from all over the world. Here time stops, it is frozen in the impeccable elegance of architectural forms. Everything here looks majestic and impresses with its scope and monumentality, testifying to the high level of development of the culture of the ancient Greeks and remaining a model of world architecture for centuries.

Initially, the imperial palace was located on the hill of the Acropolis, and in the 7th century BC, large-scale reconstruction began and the foundation was laid for the first and most significant temple - the Parthenon. It impresses not only with its size, but also with a special layout - it can be seen in volume. If you look at the building from the side of the central gate, three walls appear at the same time. The secret is that the columns of the Parthenon are located at a certain angle to each other, this is the reason for a number of other interesting architectural features. And the main decoration of the temple was the statue of Athena, made of ivory and gold. Around the 5th century BC, she was taken to Constantinople, where she burned down in a fire.

Acropolis

No less grandiose is the Erechteinon, built on the site where the legendary dispute between Poseidon and Athena took place. Here, in the sanctuary of Pandora, an olive branch was kept, and a spring flowed with sea ​​water. In addition, the temple has the famous sculptures of Caryatids - six beauties that replace the columns of the temple, many friezes and a mosaic preserved in places.

The temple of the goddess Nike also stands out among others, which, according to legend, the Athenians left without wings so that she would not fly away from them, and victory was always theirs. It's true legendary place- it was here that Aegeus was waiting for his son Theseus, and in a fit of unbridled despair he jumped into the sea. And very close is the ancient theater of Dionysus, where Aristophanes and Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides presented their dramas and comedies.

Previously, one could enter the Acropolis through a huge gate - the Propylaea, which is a masterpiece of architectural art and was called "the brilliant face of the Acropolis."

In one of their parts of these gates, the very first art gallery in the world was placed.

Of course, even the monumental structures of the Acropolis are subject to the influence of time, so everything that can now be seen there is pretty much destroyed. Changed the look even more upper city» numerous destruction and devastation that occurred in different times. But, nevertheless, the Athenian Acropolis amazes us with its grace, luxury and perfection, even being in ruins.