Famous monuments of ancient Greece. Sights of Greece. Monuments of ancient culture

It took several centuries before the Dorian tribes, who came from the north in the 12th century BC, by the 6th century BC. created a highly developed art. This was followed by three periods in the history of Greek art:

1) the archaic, or ancient period, from about 600 to 480 BC, when the Greeks repelled the Persian invasion and, having freed their land from the threat of conquest, were again able to create freely and calmly;

2) the classics, or the heyday, from 480 to 323 BC. - the year of the death of Alexander the Great, who conquered vast areas, very dissimilar in their cultures; this diversity of cultures was one of the reasons for the decline of classical Greek art;

3) Hellenism, or late period; it ended in 30 BC when the Romans conquered Greek-influenced Egypt.

Greek culture spread far beyond its homeland - to Asia Minor and Italy, to Sicily and other islands of the Mediterranean, to North Africa and other places where the Greeks founded their settlements. Greek cities were even on the northern coast of the Black Sea.

Temples were the greatest achievement of Greek building art. The oldest ruins of temples date back to the archaic era, when instead of wood, yellowish limestone and white marble began to be used as a building material. It is believed that the ancient dwelling of the Greeks served as a prototype for the temple - a rectangular structure with two columns in front of the entrance. From this simple building, various types of temples, more complex in their layout, grew over time. Usually the temple stood on a stepped base. It consisted of a room without windows, where there was a statue of a deity, the building was surrounded in one or two rows of columns. They supported the floor beams and the gable roof. In the dark interior only priests could visit the statue of the god, but the people saw the temple only from the outside. Obviously, therefore, the main attention was paid to beauty and harmony by the ancient Greeks. appearance temple.

The construction of the temple was subject to certain rules. Dimensions, ratios of parts and the number of columns were precisely established.

Three styles dominated Greek architecture: Doric, Ionic, Corinthian. The oldest of them was the Doric style, which had already developed in the archaic era. He was courageous, simple and powerful. It got its name from the Doric tribes that created it. Today, the surviving parts of the temples are white: the paint that covered them crumbled over time. Once their friezes and cornices were painted red and blue.

The Ionic style originated in the Ionian region of Asia Minor. From here he penetrated into the Greek regions proper. Compared to the Doric, the Ionic columns are more ornate and slender. Each column has its own base - the base. The middle part of the capital resembles a pillow with corners twisted into a spiral, the so-called. volutes.

In the Hellenistic era, when architecture began to strive for greater splendor, Corinthian capitals began to be used most often. They are richly decorated with floral motifs, among which images of acanthus leaves predominate.

It so happened that time spared the oldest Doric temples, mainly outside of Greece. Several such temples have been preserved on the island of Sicily and in Southern Italy. The most famous of these is the temple of the god of the sea Poseidon at Paestum, near Naples, which looks somewhat ponderous and squat. Of the early Doric temples in Greece itself, the most interesting is the now ruined temple of the supreme god Zeus in Olympia, the sacred city of the Greeks, from where the Olympic Games originated.

The heyday of Greek architecture began in the 5th century BC. This classical era is inextricably linked with the name of the famous statesman Pericles. During his reign, grandiose construction work began in Athens, the largest cultural and artistic center of Greece. The main construction was carried out on the ancient fortified hill of the Acropolis.

A - a fragment of the Parthenon, b - clothes, c - a fragment of the capital of the Erechtheion, d - a golden comb, e - a vase, f - an armchair, g - a table.

Even from the ruins one can imagine how beautiful the Acropolis was in its time. A wide marble staircase led up the hill. To the right of it, on a dais, like a precious box, there is a small graceful temple to Nike, the goddess of victory. Through the gate with columns, the visitor got to the square, in the center of which stood the statue of the patroness of the city, the goddess of wisdom, Athena; further on was the Erechtheion, a peculiar and complex temple. Its distinguishing feature is a portico protruding from the side, where the ceilings were supported not by columns, but by marble sculptures in the form of a female figure, the so-called. caryatids.

The main building of the Acropolis is the Parthenon temple dedicated to Athena. This temple, the most perfect building in the Doric style, was completed almost two and a half thousand years ago, but we know the names of its creators: their names were Iktin and Kallikrat.

Propylaea - a monumental gate with Doric columns and a wide staircase. They were built by the architect Mnesicles in 437-432 BC. But before entering these majestic marble gates, everyone involuntarily turned to the right. There, on a high pedestal of the bastion that once guarded the entrance to the acropolis, rises the temple of the goddess of victory Nike Apteros, decorated with Ionic columns. This is the work of the architect Kallikrates (second half of the 5th century BC). The temple - light, airy, extraordinarily beautiful - stood out for its whiteness against the blue background of the sky.

The goddess of victory, Nike, was portrayed as a beautiful woman with large wings: victory is fickle and flies from one opponent to another. The Athenians portrayed her as wingless so that she would not leave the city, which had so recently won a great victory over the Persians. Deprived of wings, the goddess could no longer fly and had to remain forever in Athens.

Temple of Nike stands on a ledge of a rock. It is slightly turned towards the Propylaea and plays the role of a lighthouse for the processions that go around the rock.
Immediately behind the Propylaea, Athena the Warrior proudly towered, whose spear greeted the traveler from afar and served as a beacon for sailors. The inscription on the stone pedestal read: "The Athenians dedicated from the victory over the Persians." This meant that the statue was cast from bronze weapons taken from the Persians as a result of their victories.

In the temple stood a statue of Athena, sculpted by the great sculptor Phidias; one of the two marble friezes, girdling the temple with a 160-meter ribbon, represented the festive procession of the Athenians. Phidias also took part in the creation of this magnificent relief, which depicted about three hundred human figures and two hundred horses. The Parthenon has been in ruins for about 300 years - ever since in the 17th century, during the siege of Athens by the Venetians, the Turks who ruled there set up a powder warehouse in the temple. Most of the reliefs that survived the explosion were taken to London, to the British Museum, at the beginning of the 19th century by the Englishman Lord Elgin.

At the beginning of our millennium, when Greece was ceded to Byzantium during the division of the Roman Empire, the Erechtheion was turned into a Christian church. Later, the Crusaders, who took possession of Athens, made the temple a ducal palace, and during the Turkish conquest of Athens in 1458, the harem of the commandant of the fortress was set up in the Erechtheion. During the liberation war of 1821-1827, the Greeks and Turks alternately besieged the Acropolis, bombarding its buildings, including the Erechtheion.

In 1830 (after the declaration of independence of Greece), on the site of the Erechtheion, only foundations could be found, as well as architectural decorations lying on the ground. Funds for the restoration of this temple ensemble (as well as for the restoration of many other structures of the Acropolis) were given by Heinrich Schliemann. His closest associate V.Derpfeld carefully measured and compared the antique fragments, by the end of the 70s of the last century he was already planning to restore the Erechtheion. But this reconstruction was subjected to severe criticism, and the temple was dismantled. The building was restored anew under the guidance of the famous Greek scientist P. Kavadias in 1906 and finally restored in 1922 /

As a result of the conquests of Alexander the Great in the second half of the 4th century BC. the influence of Greek culture and art spread over vast territories. New cities sprang up; the largest centers were formed, however, outside of Greece. Such, for example, are Alexandria in Egypt and Pergamon in Asia Minor, where construction activity has gained the greatest scope. In these areas, the Ionic style was preferred; an interesting example of it was a huge tombstone of the Asia Minor king Mausolus, ranked among the seven wonders of the world.

It was a burial chamber on a high rectangular base, surrounded by a colonnade; a stone stepped pyramid towered above it, topped with a sculptural image of a quadriga, which was controlled by Mausolus himself. After this structure, later they began to call mausoleums and other large solemn funeral structures.

In the Hellenistic era, less attention was paid to temples, and squares surrounded by colonnades for promenades, open-air amphitheatres, libraries, various public buildings, palaces and sports facilities were built. Residential buildings were improved: they became two - and three-story, with large gardens. Luxury became the goal, and different styles were mixed in architecture.

Greek sculptors have given the world works that have aroused the admiration of many generations. The oldest sculptures known to us arose in the archaic era. They are somewhat primitive: their motionless posture, hands tightly pressed to the body, and forward gaze are dictated by the narrow long stone block from which the statue was carved. One of her legs is usually pushed forward - to maintain balance. Archaeologists have found many such statues depicting naked young men and girls dressed in loose folded outfits. Their faces are often enlivened by a mysterious “archaic” smile.

In the classical era, the main business of sculptors was to create statues of gods and heroes and decorate temples with reliefs; secular images were added to this, for example, statues of statesmen or winners at the Olympic Games.

In the beliefs of the Greeks, the gods are similar to ordinary people both in their appearance and way of life. They were portrayed as people, but strong, well developed physically and with a beautiful face. Often people were depicted naked to show the beauty of a harmoniously developed body.

In the 5th century BC. the great sculptors Myron, Phidias and Poliklet, each in their own way, updated the art of sculpture and brought it closer to reality. The young naked athletes of Polykleitos, for example, his “Dorifor”, rely on only one leg, the other is freely left. In this way, it was possible to unfold the figure and create a sense of movement. But standing marble figures could not be given more expressive gestures or complex poses: the statue could lose balance, and fragile marble could break. These dangers could have been avoided if the figures were cast in bronze. The first master of complex bronze castings was Myron, the creator of the famous "Discobolus".

Many artistic achievements are associated with the glorious name of Phidias: he led the work on decorating the Parthenon with friezes and pediment groups. Magnificent are his bronze statue of Athena on the Acropolis and the 12-meter-high statue of Athena covered with gold and ivory in the Parthenon, which later disappeared without a trace. A similar fate befell the one made from the same materials huge statue Zeus seated on the throne for the temple at Olympia is another one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.

As much as we admire the sculptures created by the Greeks in their heyday, these days they may seem a little cold. True, there is no coloring that revived them at one time; but their indifferent and similar faces are even more alien to us. Indeed, the Greek sculptors of that time did not try to express any feelings or experiences on the faces of the statues. Their goal was to show perfect bodily beauty. Therefore, we admire even those statues - and there are many of them - that have been badly damaged over the centuries: some even lost their heads.

If in the 5th century BC. lofty and serious images were created, then in the 4th century BC. artists tended to express tenderness and gentleness. Praxiteles gave warmth and awe of life to the smooth marble surface in his sculptures of naked gods and goddesses. He also found it possible to diversify the poses of the statues, creating balance with the help of appropriate supports. His Hermes, a young messenger of the gods, leans on a tree trunk.

Until now, sculptures have been designed to be viewed from the front. Lysippus made his statues so that they could be viewed from all sides - this was another innovation.

In the era of Hellenism in sculpture, the craving for pomp and exaggeration intensifies. In some works, excessive passions are shown, in others, excessive closeness to nature is noticeable. At this time, he began to diligently copy the statues of former times; thanks to copies, today we know many monuments - either irretrievably lost or not yet found. Marble sculptures that conveyed strong feelings were created in the 4th century BC. e. Scopas.

His greatest work known to us is his participation in the decoration of the mausoleum in Halicarnassus with sculptural reliefs. Among the most famous works of the Hellenistic era are the reliefs of the great altar in Pergamon depicting the legendary battle; the statue of the goddess Aphrodite found at the beginning of the last century on the island of Melos, as well as the sculptural group “Laocoon”. It depicts a Trojan priest and his sons who were strangled by snakes; physical torment and fear are conveyed by the author with ruthless credibility.

In the works of ancient writers, one can read that painting also flourished in their times, but almost nothing has been preserved from the paintings of temples and residential buildings. We also know that in painting, too, artists strove for sublime beauty.

A special place in Greek painting belongs to the paintings on vases. In the oldest vases, silhouettes of people and animals were applied with black varnish on a bare red surface. The outlines of details were scratched on them with a needle - they appeared in the form of a thin red line. But this technique was inconvenient and later they began to leave the figures red, and the gaps between them were painted over with black. So it was more convenient to draw the details - they were made on a red background with black lines.

The Balkan Peninsula became the center of ancient Greek culture. Here, as a result of invasions and movements of the Achaean, Dorian, Ionian and other tribes (who received the common name of the Hellenes), a slave-owning form of economy was formed, which strengthened various areas of the economy: handicraft, trade, agriculture.

The development of economic ties of the Hellenic world contributed to its political unification; the entrepreneurial spirit of the sailors who settled the new lands favored the spread of Greek culture, its renewal and improvement, the creation of various local schools in a single line of common Hellenic architecture.

As a result of the struggle of the demos (the free population of cities) against the tribal aristocracy, states are formed - policies, in the management of which all citizens take part.

The democratic form of government contributed to the development of the social life of cities, the formation of various public institutions, for which they built assembly halls and feasts, the buildings of the council of elders, etc. They were placed on the square (agora), where the most important city affairs were discussed, and trade transactions were made. Religious and political center The city had an acropolis, located on a high hill and well fortified. Here they built temples of the most revered gods - the patrons of the city.

Religion occupied great place in the social ideology of the ancient Greeks. The gods were close to people, they were endowed with human virtues and shortcomings in exaggerated sizes. In the myths describing the life of the gods and their adventures, everyday scenes from the life of the Greeks themselves are guessed. But at the same time, people believed in their power, made sacrifices to them and built temples in the image of their dwellings. The most significant achievements of Greek architecture are concentrated in cult architecture.

The dry subtropical climate of Greece, mountainous terrain, high seismicity, the presence of high-quality scaffolding, limestone, marble, which are easy to process and model in stone structures, determined the "technical" prerequisites for Greek architecture.

The town-planning completion of the square was in the Hellenistic period, porticos providing shelter from the sun and rain. The post-beam construction of these elements of buildings was the main object of constructive and artistic developments of ancient Greek architecture.

Stages of development of ancient Greek architecture:

• XIII - XII centuries. BC e. – The Homeric period, vividly and colorfully described by the poems of Homer
• 7th-6th centuries BC e. - archaic period (the struggle of the slave-owning democracy against the clan nobility, the formation of cities - policies)
• 5th–4th centuries BC e. - classical period (Greek - Persian wars, the heyday of culture, the expansion of the union of policies)
• 4th century BC. - l c. AD - Hellenistic period (the creation of the empire of Alexander the Great, the spread of Greek culture and its flowering in the colonies of Asia Minor)

1 - temple in antah, 2 - prostyle, 3 - amphiprostyle, 4 - peripter, 5 - dipter, 6 - pseudodipter, 7 - tholos.

Architecture of the Homeric period. The architecture of this period continues the Cretan-Mycenaean traditions. The oldest residential buildings, built of brick - raw or rubble stone megarons, had a rounded wall opposite the entrance. With the introduction of framing, molded bricks, and hewn stone blocks of standard dimensions, buildings became rectangular in plan.

Architecture of the archaic period. With the growth of cities and the formation of the policy, a slave-owning tyranny was formed, based on the support of the free population. There are various forms of public institutions: symposiums, bouleuteria, theaters, stadiums.

Along with city temples and sacred sites, pan-Hellenic sanctuaries are being built. The planning composition of the sanctuaries took into account the complex terrain conditions and the very nature of religious ceremonies, which were primarily cheerful holidays with solemn processions. Therefore, the temples were placed taking into account their visual perception by the participants in the processions.

The peristyle type of dwelling house is finally established in the Hellenistic regions. The isolation of the dwelling from the external environment is still preserved. Rich houses had swimming pools, lavishly decorated with paintings, mosaics, and sculptures. In the landscaped courtyard arranged cozy places for recreation, fountains.

The Greeks built well-equipped harbors and lighthouses. History has preserved descriptions of giant lighthouses on about. Rhodes and on about. Pharos in Alexandria.

The Rhodes lighthouse was a huge copper statue depicting Helios, the god of the Sun and the patron of the island, with a lit torch, anointing the entrance to the harbor. The statue was built by the Rhodians c. 235 BC e. in honor of their military victories. Nothing has survived from her; it is not even known how tall she was. The Greek historian Philo calls the figure "seventy cubits", that is, about 40 m.

The republican system of Rhodes contributed to the extraordinary flourishing of art. To judge the Rhodes sculptural school, it is enough to mention the world-famous work "Laocoön".

Alexandria is the capital of Hellenistic Egypt, part of the empire founded by Alexander the Great. At the end of the IV century. BC e. the largest scientific center is organized here - Museion, where prominent Greek scientists worked: mathematician Euclid (III century BC), astronomer Claudius Ptolemy (II century), doctors, writers, philosophers, artists. Under Museion, the famous Library of Alexandria was created. The city stood on the trade routes of the Greeks with the eastern countries: it had large port facilities, convenient bays.

At the northern end of Pharos, forming a protected harbor in front of the city, at the end of the 3rd century. BC. a lighthouse was built in the form of a high multi-tiered tower with a pavilion, where a bright fire was constantly maintained. According to historians, its height was 150 - 180 m.

In the era of Hellenism, Greek culture penetrated into the most remote corners of the civilized world. Cultural exchange was facilitated by the extensive conquests of Alexander the Great.

The architecture of ancient Greece for a long time determined the direction of development of the architecture of the world. The architecture of a rare country did not use the general tectonic principles of the order systems developed by the Greeks, the details and decoration of Greek temples.

The viability of the principles of ancient Greek architecture is primarily due to its humanism, deep thoughtfulness in general and details, the utmost clarity of forms and compositions.

The Greeks brilliantly solved the problem of transitioning purely technical constructive problems of architecture to artistic ones. The unity of artistic and constructive content was brought to the heights of perfection in various order systems.

The works of Greek architecture are surprisingly harmonious combination with the natural environment. A great contribution has been made to the theory and practice of construction, to the formation of the environment of a residential building, to the system of engineering services for cities. The foundations of standardization and modularity in construction, developed by the architecture of subsequent eras, have been developed.

Literature

• Sokolov G.I. Acropolis in Athens. M., 1968Brunov N.I. Monuments of the Athenian Acropolis. Parthenon and Erechtheion. M., 1973 Acropolis. Warsaw, 1983
• History of foreign art.- M., "Fine Arts", 1984
• Georgios Dontas. Acropolis and its museum.– Athens, Clio, 1996
• Bodo Harenberg. Chronicle of humanity.- M., " Big Encyclopedia", 1996
• History of world art.- BMM AO, M., 1998
• Art of the Ancient World. Encyclopedia.- M., "OLMA-PRESS", 2001
• Pausanias . Description of Hellas, I-II, M., 1938-1940.
• Pliny on Art, trans. B. V. Varneke, Odessa, 1900.
• Plutarch . Comparative biographies, vol. I-III, M., 1961 -1964.
• Blavatsky V.D. Greek sculpture, M.-L., 1939.
• Brunov N. I. Essays on the history of architecture, vol. II, Greece, M., 1935.
• Waldgauer O. F. Antique Sculpture, Ig., 1923.
• Kobylina M. M. Attic sculpture, M., 1953.
• Kolobova K. M. The ancient city of Athens and its monuments, L., 1961.
• Kolpinsky Yu. D. Sculpture of ancient Hellas (album), M., 1963.
• Sokolov G. I. Ancient sculpture, part I, Greece (album), M., 1961.
• Farmakovsky B. V. The artistic ideal of democratic Athens, Pg., 1918.

The architectural monuments of ancient Greece are part of the world heritage of mankind, attractions that attract the attention of tourists. The ruins of ancient temples are scattered throughout the Peloponnese and the islands Aegean Sea.

Unfortunately, time had little mercy on religious buildings. The ancient temples themselves are refined and openwork, earthquakes are frequent in Greece, and the local Herostrati tried to seek glory for themselves by arson. Christianity that replaced paganism did not care much about the memory of pagan ancestors. Not very conducive to the preservation of the heritage of antiquity and Muslim rule in the territory of modern Greece.

Only after the liberation wars of the early 19th and early 20th centuries did Greece occupy territory remotely close to the ancient borders. Attention to the architectural heritage of antiquity was drawn only from the second quarter of the 19th century. The study, excavations, restoration and conservation of monuments began.

The pearl of Greece is, of course, Athens. In addition to the Acropolis with the Parthenon temples, the Erechtheion with a portico of caryatids, the temple of Nike Apteros, in the city and its environs there are many living witnesses of antiquity - propylaea, the temple of Hephaestus (Theseion), the monument of Lysicrates (334 BC). Tower of the Winds - built in 44 BC. weather station - bears the features not of Greek democracy, but of Roman imperial architecture.

The Temple of Hera at Paestum (5th century) and the Temple of Hephaestus at Athens (Theseion) are the two best-preserved monuments. Basically, the monuments of Ancient Greece are picturesque ruins.

We know about most of the temples only from the mentions of ancient historians and the meager results of excavations.
Much more survived other monuments of Ancient Greece - amphitheaters. Hewn in mountain slopes, they resisted destruction more strongly and amaze with their excellent acoustics. The amphitheaters in Epidaurus, Delphi, Athens, now empty, were once as crowded as cinemas and supermarkets are now. Theaters at that time were also religious, and not entertainment, structures. They were dedicated to the gods, and the performances on the stage were divine services.

Byzantine civilization left fortification monuments in Greece - the ancient fortress in Thessaloniki, the Mystra fortress, the Venetian fortress Methoni and religious ones - the temple of the Virgin Ekatondapiliani (IV c) on the island of Paros, the temple of Demetrius in Arta (IX c), the temple of Panagia in Thessaloniki (1028 g) , Kapnikeria in Athens (XI century), the Church of St. Sophia on a rock above the sea in Monemvasia. You can admire the paintings of the XIV century in the monastery of Christ the Savior in Verria.

You can also see modern buildings: the Cathedral of St. the Apostle Andrew in Patras was built from 1908 to 1974, the Cathedral of Nektarios of Aegina on the island of Aegina in 1994. All of them are worthy successors of the majestic Ancient Greek architecture.

planning travel to Greece, many people are interested not only in comfortable hotels, but also in the fascinating history of this ancient country, an integral part of which are art objects.

A large number of treatises by well-known art historians are devoted specifically to ancient Greek sculpture, as the fundamental branch of world culture. Unfortunately, many monuments of that time did not survive in their original form, and are known from later copies. By studying them, one can trace the history of the development of the Greek visual arts from the Homeric period to the Hellenistic era, and highlight the most striking and famous creations of each period.

Aphrodite de Milo

The world-famous Aphrodite from the island of Milos belongs to the Hellenistic period of Greek art. At this time, by the forces of Alexander the Great, the culture of Hellas began to spread far beyond the Balkan Peninsula, which was noticeably reflected in the visual arts - sculptures, paintings and frescoes became more realistic, the faces of the gods on them have human features - relaxed postures, an abstract look, a soft smile .

Statue of Aphrodite, or as the Romans called it, Venus, is made of snow-white marble. Its height is slightly more than human height, and is 2.03 meters. The statue was discovered by chance by an ordinary French sailor, who in 1820, together with a local peasant, dug up Aphrodite near the remains of an ancient amphitheater on the island of Milos. During its transportation and customs disputes, the statue lost its arms and pedestal, but a record has been preserved of the author of the masterpiece indicated on it: Agesander, the son of a resident of Antioch Menida.

Today, after a thorough restoration, Aphrodite is exhibited in the Louvre in Paris, attracting millions of tourists every year with its natural beauty.

Nike of Samothrace

The time of creation of the statue of the goddess of victory Nike dates back to the 2nd century BC. Studies have shown that Nika was installed above the sea coast on a sheer cliff - her marble clothes flutter as if from the wind, and the slope of the body represents a constant movement forward. The thinnest folds of clothing cover the strong body of the goddess, and powerful wings are spread in joy and triumph of victory.

The head and hands of the statue have not been preserved, although individual fragments were discovered during excavations in 1950. In particular, Karl Lehmann with a group of archaeologists found the right hand of the goddess. Nike of Samothrace is now one of the outstanding exhibits of the Louvre. Her hand was never added to the general exhibition, only the right wing, which was made of plaster, underwent restoration.

Laocoon and his sons

A sculptural composition depicting the mortal struggle of Laocoön, the priest of the god Apollo, and his sons with two snakes sent by Apollo in retaliation for the fact that Laocoön did not listen to his will and tried to prevent the entry of the Trojan horse into the city.

The statue was made of bronze, but its original has not survived to this day. In the 15th century, a marble copy of the sculpture was found on the territory of the "golden house" of Nero, and by order of Pope Julius II, it was installed in a separate niche of the Vatican Belvedere. In 1798, the statue of Laocoon was moved to Paris, but after the fall of Napoleon's rule, the British returned it to its original place, where it is kept to this day.

The composition, depicting Laocoön's desperate death struggle with divine punishment, inspired many sculptors of the late Middle Ages and the Renaissance, and gave rise to a fashion for depicting complex, vortex-like movements of the human body in fine art.

Zeus from Cape Artemision

The statue, found by divers near Cape Artemision, is made of bronze, and is one of the few pieces of art of this type that has survived to this day in its original form. Researchers disagree on whether the sculpture belongs specifically to Zeus, believing that it can also depict the god of the seas, Poseidon.

The statue has a height of 2.09 m, and depicts the supreme Greek god, who raised his right hand in order to throw lightning in righteous anger. The lightning itself has not been preserved, but numerous smaller figurines show that it looked like a flat, strongly elongated bronze disk.

From almost two thousand years of being under water, the statue almost did not suffer. Only the eyes, which were supposedly made of ivory and encrusted with precious stones, disappeared. You can see this work of art in the National Archaeological Museum, which is located in Athens.

Statue of Diadumen

A marble copy of a bronze statue of a young man who himself crowns himself with a diadem - a symbol of sports victory, probably adorned the venue for competitions in Olympia or Delphi. The diadem at that time was a red woolen bandage, which, along with laurel wreaths, was awarded to the winners of the Olympic Games. The author of the work, Poliklet, performed it in his favorite style - the young man is in easy movement, his face displays complete calm and concentration. The athlete behaves like a well-deserved winner - he does not show fatigue, although his body needs rest after the fight. In sculpture, the author managed to very naturally convey not only small elements, but also the general position of the body, correctly distributing the mass of the figure. The full proportionality of the body is the pinnacle of the development of this period - classicism of the 5th century.

Although the bronze original has not survived to our time, copies of it can be seen in many museums around the world - the National Archaeological Museum in Athens, the Louvre, the Metropolitan, the British Museum.

Aphrodite Braschi

A marble statue of Aphrodite depicts the goddess of love, who was naked before taking her legendary, often described in myths, bath, returning her virginity. Aphrodite in her left hand holds her removed clothes, which gently fall on a nearby jug. From an engineering point of view, this decision made the fragile statue more stable, and gave the sculptor the opportunity to give it a more relaxed pose. The uniqueness of Aphrodite Brasca is that this is the first known statue of the goddess, the author of which decided to portray her naked, which at one time was considered unheard of insolence.

There are legends according to which the sculptor Praxiteles created Aphrodite in the image of his beloved, hetaera Phryne. When her former admirer, orator Euthias, found out about this, he raised a scandal, as a result of which Praxiteles was accused of unforgivable blasphemy. At the trial, the defender, seeing that his arguments did not impress the judge, pulled off Phryne's clothes to show those present that such a perfect body of the model simply cannot harbor a dark soul. The judges, being adherents of the concept of kalokagatiya, were forced to fully acquit the defendants.

The original statue was taken to Constantinople, where it died in a fire. Many copies of Aphrodite have survived to our time, but they all have their own differences, as they were restored according to verbal and written descriptions and images on coins.

marathon youth

The statue of a young man is made of bronze, and presumably depicts the Greek god Hermes, although there are no prerequisites or his attributes in the hands or clothes of the young man. The sculpture was raised from the bottom of the Gulf of Marathon in 1925, and since then has replenished the exposition of the National Archaeological Museum in Athens. Due to the fact that the statue was under water for a long time, all its features are very well preserved.

The style in which the statue is made betrays the style of the famous sculptor Praxiteles. The young man stands in a relaxed pose, his hand rests on the wall, near which the figure was installed.

Discus thrower

The statue of the ancient Greek sculptor Myron has not been preserved in its original form, but is widely known throughout the world thanks to bronze and marble copies. The sculpture is unique in that for the first time it depicted a person in a complex, dynamic movement. Such a bold decision of the author served as a vivid example for his followers, who with no less success created objects of art in the style of "Figura serpentinata" - a special technique depicting a person or animal in an often unnatural, tense, but very expressive, from the observer's point of view, pose.

Delphic charioteer

The bronze sculpture of a charioteer was discovered during the 1896 excavations at the Sanctuary of Apollo at Delphi and is a classic example of ancient art. The figure depicts an ancient Greek youth driving a wagon during Pythian games.

The uniqueness of the sculpture lies in the fact that the inlay of the eyes with precious stones has been preserved. The eyelashes and lips of the young man are decorated with copper, and the headband is made of silver, and presumably also had inlay.

The time of creation of the sculpture, theoretically, is at the junction of archaic and early classics - its pose is characterized by stiffness and the absence of any hint of movement, but the head and face are made with a rather great realism. As in later sculptures.

Athena Parthenos

Majestic goddess athena statue has not survived to our time, but there are many copies of it, restored according to ancient descriptions. The sculpture was completely made of ivory and gold, without the use of stone or bronze, and stood in the main temple of Athens - the Parthenon. A distinctive feature of the goddess is a high helmet, decorated with three crests.

The history of the creation of the statue was not without fatal moments: on the shield of the goddess, the sculptor Phidias, in addition to the image of the battle with the Amazons, placed his portrait in the form of a weak old man who lifts a heavy stone with both hands. The public of that time ambiguously regarded the act of Phidias, which cost him his life - the sculptor was imprisoned, where he committed suicide with the help of poison.

Greek culture has become the founder for the development of fine arts around the world. Even today, looking at some modern paintings and statues, one can detect the influence of this ancient culture.

Ancient Hellas became the cradle in which the cult of human beauty in its physical, moral and intellectual manifestation was actively brought up. Inhabitants of Greece of that time, they not only worshiped many Olympic gods, but also tried to resemble them as much as possible. All this is displayed in bronze and marble statues- they not only convey the image of a person or a deity, but also make them close to each other.

Although many of the statues have not survived to the present, their exact copies can be seen in many museums around the world.

Ancient Greece influenced many of the world's cultures over the centuries. architectural styles- for example, neoclassicism, so popular in the 19th century, was actually a revival of ancient Greek architecture. A significant number of world masterpieces were inspired by the architecture of Greece, in particular the ancient Greek style of the Doric, Ionic or Corinthian orders.

The Minoan civilization flourished on the Greek island of Crete from the 27th to the 15th century BC. e. The most famous architectural structure of this period is the impressive palace city of Knossos, located on a hill and surrounded pine forests. It was divided into two courtyards: the Western wing, where religious and official premises were located, and the Eastern wing, which was used for internal needs.

Archaeologists have discovered the beautiful frescoes of Knossos almost intact under layers of ash, suggesting the cause of the Minoan city's destruction. powerful eruption Santorini volcano around 1450 BC. The frescoes are of bright colors and depict peaceful scenes from everyday life or illustrations of festivities. These paintings, coupled with the fact that the Minoan cities did not have fortified walls, prove that the Minoans, apparently, had good neighborly relations with other cultures and did not get involved in wars.

Other significant Minoan monuments in Crete are the palace cities of Phaestos and Zakros.

Mycenaean architecture

Mycenaean architecture, which flourished from 1600 to 1200 BC, is very different from Minoan architecture. Unlike the Minoans, who chose trade as the vector of development, Mycenaean society progressed thanks to the cult of war. The Mycenaeans were often involved in armed conflicts, so their cities had solid and high fortifications called Cyclopians, since it was believed that only the Cyclopes could lift the huge stones used to build them.

The protective fences of Mycenae and Tirinth have characteristic cyclopean walls. Also typical of the architecture of the Mycenaean period are vaulted tombs, where the king and high priests were usually buried. The most famous vaulted tomb is the treasury of Atreus in Mycenae, which is considered the tomb of King Agamemnon.

classical architecture

The ancient Greek civilization, now known as classical Greece, reached its peak around 500 BC. Greek builders developed three architectural orders using three different styles of columns.

Ionic order

The earliest known stone column belongs to the Doric order, and somewhat later the builders of the eastern part of Ionia developed their own style, called Ionic. Classical orders are not unique to each area, but are named after the part of the country where they were first discovered. The most elegant and latest style of ancient Greek architecture - Corinthian - became a mixture of Doric and Ionic.

temples

Ancient Greek classical architecture is characterized by unique marble temples. Throughout mainland Greece and on the islands, there are many ancient temples dedicated to various gods, including the temple of Apollo at Delphi, the temple of Hephaestus in Athens, the temple of Athena Aphaia in Aegina, and others.

The temple is the most common and well-known form of Greek public architecture. It did not fulfill the same function as the modern church, as the altar stood in the open air in the temenos, often right in front of the building. Temples rather served as places to store treasures associated with the cult and as a place for worshipers of the deity to leave their offerings, such as statues, armor, or weapons.

The most significant Greek temple monument is the Parthenon, erected on the sacred site of the Acropolis in Athens. The Parthenon, built between 447 and 438 BC. e., is a vivid example of the Doric and Ionic styles of architecture. This building was dedicated to the goddess Athena, the protector of the city: inside was a gigantic statue of Athena Parthenon, made by Phidias.

The Corinthian style was not so popular in classical architecture, but still in Athens there is a very significant monument built in the Corinthian style - in the city center.

Public buildings

Other architectural forms erected by the Greeks:

• the tholos (or circular temple), the best example of which is the Tholos of Theodore at Delphi, dedicated to Athena Pronia;
• propylon (porch), which forms the entrance to the temple sanctuaries (for example, the propylaea of ​​the Athenian Acropolis);
• public fountains - buildings where women filled their jugs with water;
• stoa (or standing) - a long narrow gallery with an open colonnade on one side, there were rows of shops in the agoras (shopping centers) of Greek cities (the fully restored gallery of the Stoa of Attalus can be seen in Athens).

In addition, in large Greek cities, palestras or gymnasiums were built, a sort of social centers for men. These open-air enclosed spaces were used for sports competitions and exercise.

In the cities there were bouleiterions, public buildings that served as a meeting place for the city council (bule). Since the Greeks did not use arches or domes, they could not build buildings with large interior spaces. Thus, the bouleiterion had rows of internal columns holding up the roof (hypostyle). To date, no examples of such buildings have been preserved.

Theaters

Finally, each city had a theater used both for public meetings and for dramatic performances. At first, these buildings were actually gathering places for people who wanted to take part in the ritual. For example, during festivities dedicated to the deity, people gathered in the theater to participate in offerings led by priests. With the invention of theater as an art form, dramatic performances became part of such religious celebrations.

The theater was usually located on a hillside outside the city and consisted of multi-level rows of seats arranged in a semicircle around the central performance area - the orchestra. Behind the orchestra was a low building called a skena, which served as a pantry and dressing room.

A number of Greek theaters have come down almost untouched to our time. The most famous of them is Epidaurus, built in the 4th century BC. e., characterized by perfect symmetry and amazing acoustics. Other famous buildings are the Theater of Dionysus, which is considered the first theater in the world, and the Odeon of Herodes Atticus. Both are located at the foot of the Acropolis.

Roman architecture

In the second century BC, the Romans conquered Greece and ushered in a new era in Greek architecture. Roman architecture became a mixture of ancient Greek, Phoenician and Etruscan styles, with little influence from other cultures of the Roman Empire. Athens has many buildings from the Roman period with characteristic arches and stone carvings. For example, the Arch of Hadrian, built in 132 AD to mark the boundaries between the old (classical) Athens and the new (Roman) part of the city.

Greece is a small country with a colossal historical and cultural heritage. It was here that the formation of European civilization in the form in which we know it today began. And although many elements came from earlier eras, it was in Greece that many of the classical elements of science, art and medicine originated. And the Greek language served as a "donor" of many modern dialects, and not only at the level of individual words, but even writing and liturgical elements. The colossal historical heritage of the country in most cases is viewed relatively weakly today - the turbulent history of this land destroyed many ancient cities and temples. Monuments of ancient civilization, for example, are much more outside the country itself, in the same Asia Minor. However, the land of Greece itself carries the spirit of its former greatness, and there are many monuments of later eras. And friendly people, unique traditions, picturesque settlements, warm climate, countless islands and long coastline attract millions of tourists every year.

When asked what Greece is primarily associated with, many will answer: the famous Athenian Acropolis. Others will remember rows of white houses rising in tiers against a turquoise sky. Fans of Mediterranean cuisine will answer differently: for them, Hellas is, first of all, the birthplace of moussaka melting in the mouth and lamb souvlaks washed down with retsina - white wine with the aroma of pine resin. Those who love solitude will find hard-to-reach corners under the Greek sky, and dreamy people are more likely to be attracted by Delphi, the Meteora monastery complex or the amphitheater in Epidaurus.

This country and all the iconic sights of Greece cannot be recognized by visiting here only once. Each city has its own characteristics - to get to know them, you need to come to Hellas again and again.

Athens. Sights of Athens

The main center of tourism in Greece is its capital - Athens, one of ancient cities world, located in a bowl-shaped valley on west coast Attica surrounded by the mountains of Egaleo, Parnita, Pendeli and Gimet (Imitos). The city itself was built somewhat chaotically and, due to its location in an intermountain basin, has a rather difficult ecological situation, but its beautiful ancient monuments and excellent museums attract millions of tourists here. The Acropolis and Lycabettus (Lycabettus) hills are considered the center of Athens, from which the city began more than 6 thousand years ago. The Acropolis of Athens is a symbol of ancient Greece. Already during the Mycenaean era (1600-1000 BC), a royal palace was built on top of this 155-meter rocky hill, surrounded by a Cyclopean wall (4.5 m thick), which, however, did not save the city from numerous destructions. The buildings that have survived to this day were built mainly in the 5th century BC. BC e. The monumental portal Propylaion (447-432 BC) served as the entrance to the Acropolis.

The pearl of the Acropolis is the Parthenon (5th century BC) - the temple of Athena Parthenos, which is a unique architectural structure - it is designed in such a way that its different-sized columns and the curvature of seemingly flat structures gives this huge building amazing lightness and proportionality. A colonnade ("peristyle") of 46 columns and the famous Parthenon frieze (now kept in the British Museum) set off beautiful sculptural groups by the great Phidias, most of which has not survived to this day and is known only from copies. The Parthenon in its history was both a Christian temple and a powder warehouse, and only in the 19th century. a partial restoration of this unique monument began, which is still ongoing. The Pegille Theater (II century BC) has also been restored, in which festivals are now held and performances by ancient authors are staged, next to which lie the ruins of the more ancient theater of Dionysus.

Statistical indicators of Greece
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Near the Parthenon is the oldest place of worship of the Athenians - a small classical temple Erechtheion (421-407 BC), built on the site of the Mycenaean royal palace. According to legend, it was at this place that the dispute between Athena and Poseidon for the right to patronize the city was resolved. In honor of this event, two temples were built under one roof. Of greatest interest is the "Portico of the Daughters" - six sculptures of Caryatids, one of which was taken by the English ambassador to London (now stored in the British Museum), which gave rise to the legend of the crying of the remaining Caryatids heard in the night for their kidnapped sister.

The central part of the city is bounded by a triangle of Omonia (Consent), Syntagma (Constitution) and Monastyraki squares - this is the most crowded and always filled with tourists and businessmen district of the city. From Monastyraki with its first cathedral in the capital - Agios Eleftherios (XII century), to Syntagma Square, which is considered business center capital, you can walk past the church of Kapnikarei along the quiet pedestrian Ermou Street to pay tribute to the memory of the Greek patriots at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, which is guarded by the guard of honor of the Evzones (national guard) in traditional Greek costumes. Next to the memorial rises majestic building Parliament (in the past - the Royal Palace), behind which is a luxurious royal park Zappio, and also, a little further away, the ruins of the temple of Olympian Zeus (530 BC - 129 AD) and the famous Arch of Hadrian. In no case should you miss the Panathenaic Stadium with 60 thousand seats built on the site of the old ancient stadium (330 BC), where the first modern Olympic Games were held in 1896, the temple of Hephaestus (sometimes incorrectly called Thissio) - the most beautiful of the surviving ancient temples of Athens, as well as the ensemble of buildings of the National Academy, the University of Athens and the National Library on Panepistimiou Street, the Keramikos Necropolis, Klepsydra Andronicus from Kirra and the Roman Agora. Of the monuments of later eras, the church of Agios Apostoli (St. Apostles) in the area of ​​​​Ancient Agora, the church of Agios Theodori (St. Theodore) on Klaftmonos Square or the church of Agios Georgios (St. George) on the top of Lycabettus Hill, on which you can take the funicular up to admire the magnificent panorama of the city.

Athens has 250 museums, galleries and more modern temple complexes. The National Archaeological Museum is one of the richest museums in the world, storing unique finds from all over the country (and from the islands of the Cyclades, Crete and Santorini), beautiful jewelry, including those found by Schliemann during the excavations of Mycenae. Only vases and amphoras are allotted a whole room here! Byzantine Museum on Vasilissis Street Sofias is famous for the best collection of icons and mosaics in Europe, as well as other works of famous Byzantine sculptors and artists. The Benaki Museum was founded in 1930 by the collector A. Benakis and is famous for its rich collection of ancient Greek and Byzantine art, as well as for its expositions of Chinese porcelain, oriental jewelry and weapons. Also of interest are the Archaeological Museum of the Athenian Agora, the Natural History Museum of Goulandris, the National Art Gallery, the Museum of Greek Folk Art and the Museum of Greek Folk Musical Instruments, as well as the Cultural Center of the Municipality of Athens (Theater Museum), the Museum of Cycladic and Ancient Greek Art, the Museum of the Holy Icons in the Archdiocese building, the Museum of Ceramics and many other collections.

Other sights of Greece

Peloponnese Peninsula

In the northern part of the Peloponnese, in the foothills of Agios Ilias, lies the center of one of the oldest civilizations in the world - the city and fortress of Mycenae, founded by the legendary Perseus. In 1870, the archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann, relying on the texts of Homer's Iliad, began excavations in these places, and rediscovered the treasures of the "golden Mycenae" to the world. The fortress that surrounded the city was built from giant blocks of stone, giving rise to the legend of the Cyclops who built it. Now, on the site of the legendary city, there is a museum famous for its "Lion's Gate", "Agamemnon's Tomb", royal palace, the royal cemetery and the ruins of numerous household buildings, and many gold items found during excavations are now stored in the National Archaeological Museum in Athens.

Olympia, an ancient Greek city in the northwestern part of the Peloponnese, is the site of the ancient cult of Zeus and the birthplace of the Olympic Games in honor of Olympian Zeus. The existence of Olympia is rooted in antiquity - the first settlements here date back to the 3rd millennium BC. e., and the oldest architectural monuments - to the II millennium BC. e. At present, almost all the monuments of the Altis complex (Olympic temple and cult complex) have been uncovered, and these are famous buildings, as the remains of the sanctuary of Pelops over his grave (the end of the 2nd millennium BC), the temple of Hera (7th century BC), the sanctuary and oracle of Zeus (468-456 BC) belonging to the "seven wonders of the world" BC), portico Echo (VI century BC), palestra (III century BC) and gymnasium (II century BC), a number of temple treasuries, buleuterion (place meetings of the Olympic Council, VI-V centuries BC), a stadium, more than 130 statues, the triumphal arch of Nero, baths and nymphs of the Roman period, and much more. Since the revival of the Games in 1896, the Olympic flame has been lit again in the ancient sanctuary of Olympia, from here it makes its journey to the venue of the next Olympics. In 1887, the Museum of Olympia was formed - one of the best collections of ancient art in the world.

Epidaurus, located 30 km. east of Nafplio, was famous for the sanctuary of Asclepius (Aesculapius, the god of healing) and its theater (4th century BC), which accommodated more than 14 thousand spectators and in which real ancient Greek dramas are still played every Friday. Also of interest are the local Historical Museum and the "katogogoion" - a hotel for pilgrims and patients of the temple of Asclepius.

The fortress of Monemvasia (the legendary Malvasia, VI century) is located on a huge rock in the sea opposite the town of Gefira, with which it is connected by a unique structure - an ancient tunnel. The fortress itself and many Byzantine houses, which now house luxurious hotels, have survived to this day.

The first capital of independent Greece - Nafplio (165 km from Athens), is famous for its Turkish fortress of Palamidi, a small Venetian castle on an island at the entrance to the bay and picturesque alleys overgrown with poplars and olive trees. Now it is the starting point for numerous excursions in the Peloponnese and to the islands of Hydra, Spetses and Poros, as well as to Monemvasia. In the vicinity of Nafplio there are many good and clean beaches, the best of which stretch along the coast of the Saronic Gulf near the resort of Tolon. You can also relax on the wonderful sandy coasts of Kyllini, Kalogria, Ermionida, Porto Heli and Galatas, or in the picturesque mountain resorts of Kalavryta and Vytina.

Macedonia

Thessaloniki - the capital of Macedonia and the second largest city in the country, was founded in 315 BC. e. and named after Thessaloniki, the sister of Alexander the Great. For my centuries of history Thessaloniki was the capital of many states, saw the glory of the Macedonians and the power of Rome, the invasions of the Celts and Mongols, survived five centuries of Turkish rule and numerous uprisings of the local population. The Roman triumphal arch of Galeria (Camara, 300 AD), the theater with stands and the mosaic floors of Roman villas, the Roman Rotunda built on the site of the ancient temple of Caviro, which itself was subsequently rebuilt into the Christian church of St. George (IV century), have survived to this day. . AD), the basilica of the patron saint of the city - St. Demetrius (V century AD, rebuilt in 1949), the temple of Achiropiitos (Not made by hands, V-VI centuries), the domed basilica of St. Sophia ( V-VIII centuries), churches of Elijah Profitis (Prophet, 1360), St. Catherine (XIII century), Holy Apostles (XIV century), built on the site of the ancient temple of Hephaestus, the Church of Our Lady of Halkeon (V century AD BC), the Vlatadov Monastery (1351-1371) and others. The symbol of the city is Lefkos-Pyrgos ( White Tower) - a former terrible Turkish prison, which even deserved the name "Bloody Tower". Now Thessaloniki is a large industrial and financial center of Greece, a venue for major international fairs, but in the vicinity of the city, on the coast of Thermaikos and Paralia Gulf, as well as on the peninsulas of Kassandria (Kasanfa), Sithonia and Athos, there are many beautiful resort places - Sani, Afytos , Nikiti, Sithonia, Kallithea, Litohoro, Sarti, Neos Marmaras, Porto Koufo and many others.

In the southeastern part of Chalkidiki is Holy place for every Orthodox person - Agion-Oros (Holy Mount Athos, 2033 m.). The first major monastery, the Great Lavra (Lavra of St. Athanasius), was founded here in 963, in 1016 the first Russian monastery appeared - Xylourgou (later - St. Panteleimon), and now this "monastic state" has 20 monasteries with thick impregnable walls, many sketes and secluded cells. In accordance with the "golden bull" of Constantine the Monk (1060), access to Athos is still limited (permit is required, it is forbidden to stay overnight, women are not allowed to enter), but visiting these places is worth the effort spent on it - Athos is a real museum, unique treasures of great historical and artistic value are stored here.

Thessaly

The modern capital of Thessaly - Larisa, attracts tourists with the acropolis on the hill of Agios Achillios, the ancient Christian basilica and the bishop's chambers (VI century), as well as the ruins of a three-nave basilica with beautiful mosaics and wall paintings (IV-V centuries), the ancient Greek theater (II century BC), picturesque Alkazar Park, Thessaly Theater and many excellent museums. In the district there are such interesting places as the cave of Kefalovriso, the international reserve in the Kilada valley, the "residence" of the ancient Greek gods - the city of Olympus (2917 m.), the churches of Aiu Georgiou (St. George), Agios Paraskevis (St. Paraskeva -Fridays), Ayia-Athanasiou (St. Athanasia) and the famous monastery of Our Lady Panagia Olymbiotis (XIV century), built on the site of an ancient Greek acropolis, numerous monuments of original local architecture in Tsaritsani and Ambelakia, as well as beautiful resort places in Agiokambos, Velika, Kokkino-Nero, Karitsa, Stomio and Nea-Messangala.

The sights of Karditsa are represented by the Church of Zoodokhu-Pigis (Life-Giving Spring), the Archdiocese of Agia Konstantinou, the original Museum of Christianity and Pavsilipos Park. 18 km. southwest of Karditsa, at an altitude of 1150 and., there is an important religious and Cultural Center country - Moni Koronas monastery. In the vicinity are the healing springs of Smokovos and Kets, the town of Rendina famous for its unique architectural ensemble, the vaulted burial of the Mycenaean period (1500 BC) in the vicinity of Georgiko, the ancient Greek settlements of Gomfi and Kierion, the monastery of Moni Petras ("on the rock") near Lambero and the beautiful artificial lake Tavropou.

Capital of ancient Thessaly and modern district Magnesia - Volos, lies in the depths of the Pagasitikos Gulf. Majority ancient Greek monuments the city has not survived to this day, but nevertheless, the churches of Aiu Constantinou, Aiu Nikolaou, Metamorphosis (Transfiguration) and Agios Triadas (Holy Trinity) in the Anavros area, the Archaeological Museum and an old miniature train that regularly runs on the picturesque slopes of Mount Pelion, where, according to legend, the legendary centaurs lived. There are many beautiful resorts on the Magnesia peninsula - Chorefto, Kissos, Tsangarad, Mylopotamos, etc. This district also includes the Sporades Islands, almost all Northern part which has been declared a National Marine Park. The famous Euboea (Evia), the second largest island in the country, is famous for its thermal springs(3rd place in the world), cozy small beaches with the purest sand and many karst caves.

The city of Trikala (Homer's Trikki) is interesting for its Byzantine fortress and the old district of Varusi located under its walls, the archaeological reserve on the site of the ancient Greek Asklepion and the Municipal Art Gallery with a wonderful collection of icons of the 16th-19th centuries. In Kalambaka there is the majestic Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin with icons and wall paintings of rare beauty, as well as picturesque rock Theopetra, in the depths of which lies a cave with an archaeological site from the Stone Age period. Kalambaka serves as a starting point to the famous Holy Meteora - the second largest and most important monastery complex in the country after Athos. Built on the tops of grandiose rocks (up to 400 m), the impregnable monastic country of Meteora (from the Greek "meteoros" - floating in the air) became a haven for hermits as early as the 11th century.

Greek islands

The main attraction of the country is its islands. Usually the islands of Greece are divided into two groups - the Ionian Islands (the so-called Eptanis - "Seven Islands", including Corfu, Kefallinthia, Zakynthos and Lefkas) forming the western arc, the more numerous Aegean Islands, united in the Sporades, Cyclades and Dodecanese archipelagos . In the Saronic Gulf, there is another small island group - Argosaronica.

In the south of the Aegean Sea is the most big Island Greece - Crete (8.3 thousand sq. km.), One of the centers of the ancient Minoan culture (III-II thousand years BC), which had a huge impact on the culture of ancient Greece. On this island, covered with the legendary glory of ancient myths, Zeus was born, the palace of Minos and the famous Labyrinth of the Minotaur towered here. On its northern coast are the best beaches in Greece, and in the mountains central regions- about 3 thousand caves, deep canyons and fertile valleys. The most picturesque are the Lasithi plateau irrigated by thousands of windmills, the longest gorge in Europe - Samaria, the only date forest in Europe in the Vai and Preveli regions, as well as highest peak islands - the city of Ida (2456 m.).

The capital of Crete and at the same time the center of the largest region of the same name on the island is the city of Heraklion (Heraclion), named after the legendary Hercules. Once Heraklion was the main port of the Venetians in the eastern Mediterranean. The powerful defensive walls of the Fortress (XVI century), built around the "old city", have been well preserved to this day. But the main attraction of this major port- Archaeological Museum unique frescoes from the palaces of Knossos and Phaistos, the famous "Phaistos disc" and many sculptural forms. This is a one-of-a-kind collection of exhibits from the Minoan era, placed in strict chronological order, starting from the 6th millennium BC. e. and to "late Rome" (3rd century AD), which makes it possible to visually trace all six millennia of the history of civilization. After the museum, visit the Church of St. Catherine of Sinai with a museum of icons, the Venetian Basilica of St. Mark (1239) converted into a mosque with the Gallery of Modern Art, the Church of St. Titus (961) with the relics of this saint, the magnificent fountain of Morosini and the Venetian Stock Exchange which now houses the mayor's office.

Near Heraklion lie the ruins of ancient Knossos - the ancient city Crete and one of the first cities in Europe. The famous Palace of Knossos, the exact date of construction of which is lost in the darkness of centuries (most of the discovered premises date back to the 2nd millennium BC), appears in many ancient legends and myths as an example of luxury and grandeur. Excavated by archaeologists, the remains of this colossal multi-storey structure, richly decorated with frescoes, reliefs and sculptures, are now partially reconstructed and are a wonderful open-air museum. No less interesting belonged to the brother of Minos palace complex in Phaistos (XVIII-XV centuries BC), the "royal villa" in Ayia Triada (not far from Phaistos), where a rich tomb with a painted sarcophagus was discovered (1550-1400 BC), the palace at Kato Zakros (eastern tip of the island) and the ruins of the Niru palace at Hani Kokkini.

Next to Phaistos lie the ruins of Gortyn, the Roman capital of Crete, where the remains of many buildings, the Odeon and the famous Gortyn codex carved on stone columns, have been preserved.

Around Heraklion, there are many monuments from other eras - in Malia (Malia, 34 km east of Heraklion) there is another Minoan palace (1900 BC), in which an ornament in the form of two golden bees was found - the symbols of Crete. Vrontisian monastery(1400 AD) is famous for its frescoes and a fountain depicting Adam and Eve in paradise, and the Varsamoner Monastery (XIV century) is considered one of the oldest monasteries of Crete. 20 km. from Heraklion lie the resorts of Gouves and Stalida with excellent beaches, and 26 km. to the north is the best resort of northern Crete - Hersonissos, next to which one of the largest water parks in Europe is located in resort area Elounda. Rhodes is the largest island of the Dodecanese group ("twelve islands"), lying in the southeastern part of the Aegean Sea off the coast of Asia Minor. Here once stood the Colossus of Rhodes - one of the seven wonders of the world, ships of the crusaders were loaded in its ports, its land saw great battles and powerful empires. Now it is a world-famous resort with an excellently developed tourism infrastructure. The capital of the island - the city and port of Rhodes, is located on its northern tip. Founded in ancient times by the Greeks, in the Middle Ages it was almost completely rebuilt by the knights of the Order of St. John (Hospitallers) - powerful (up to 12 m thick) fortress walls were built (XIV century), the Palace of the Grand Masters (Castello, XIV century.) with the museum now located in it, the Palace of the Admirals (XV century), the buildings of the residences of the order on Ippoton (Knights) Street, the Castellania shopping center, the Small Palace and the Gothic chapel with a statue of Our Lady. The Suleiman Mosque with an excellent library, the Sultan Mustafa Mosque and those still operating today remained from Turkish rule. Turkish baths. You should definitely visit the ancient port (Port of Mandraki) with its fortress of St. Nicholas, windmills and statues of deer - the symbols of Rhodes, as well as the archaeological area on Monte Smith, the churches of St. George and St. Paraskeva Pyatnitsa, the largest Catholic church of Rhodes - the Church of the Virgin Hora and the Byzantine Trinity Church.

Located in the building of the former knight's hospital (XV century), the Archaeological Museum is famous for its antique collection, the Ethnographic Museum has a rich exposition of furniture, ceramics and traditional folk crafts, and the Pinakothek (City Art Gallery) presents works by contemporary artists. Be sure to visit the famous "Valley of the Butterflies", where thousands of these exotic insects live in natural conditions, among beautiful groves, streams and waterfalls.

The Ionian Islands (Kefalonia, Kerkyra, Zakynthos and Lefkada) lie at western coasts Greece. The island of Kerkyra (Corfu) is the northernmost and most beautiful of them. Immersed in greenery and flooded with a generous sun, with indented, like lace, the shores of the bays, the island is repeatedly sung in myths as the "country of feacs", in which the Argonauts found refuge after returning from a campaign for the Golden Fleece. Since ancient times, this land has inspired many poets and artists, and today it has become one of the most fashionable resorts in Greece. The best beaches the islands are in the area of ​​Gouvia, Kastoria, Messonghi, Paralia Katerinis, Sidari and Roda. In the capital of the island - Kerkyra, you should definitely visit the Old (Sea, XII-XVI centuries) and New (Coast, XVII centuries) fortresses built by the Venetians, visit the beautiful main square cities - Spianada and the Cathedral of St. Spyridon (1590) with the relics of the patron saint of the city, walk through the quarters of "kadunia" ("Old Town" - the largest medieval complex in Greece, protected by the state), see the Municipality (XVII century), " old palace"Regenda (1819) with triumphal arches and the amazing Liston building. The "visiting card" of the city is the monastery of Blachernae in Kanoni (4 km south of the capital), also visit the baroque palace of San Giacomo, the Achillio palace (1890) in Gastouri with a magnificent park and museum, the well-preserved monastery of Our Lady of Platytera, Byzantine Museum and Asian Art Museum, picturesque Bella Vista Hill and medieval fortresses in Gardiki, Kassiopi, Paleokastritsa and Angelokastro (Fortress of Angels, XIII century). Of the ancient monuments, the stone “pediment of the Gorgon” (585 BC), a fragment of the pediment of the temple with the image of Dionysus, copper sculptures of Aphrodite, and others that previously adorned the Doric temple of Artemis, are of interest. In total, there are more than 800 churches and monasteries on this island.