Architecture of ancient greece athenian acropolis. Interesting facts about the acropolis. Excursions and Audio guide in Athens in Russian

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.

acropolis

(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

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. Athens 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) on the site of the royal palace, a temple of the goddess Athena Hekatompedon was built (that is, a temple a hundred steps long; fragments of sculptures of pediments have been preserved, the 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 an asymmetric plan, unique in Greek architecture; 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 the most 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 a cannonball hit from a Venetian ship, an explosion destroyed almost the entire central part of the temple of Athena-Virgo; 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 .

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- (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. (

Greece ... At the sound of this word, Olympus appears with a host of gods, beautiful and courageous heroes and crowded policies. This picturesque country with a rich history, every corner here is a cultural heritage that takes those who visit it deep into the centuries. famous monument Greek culture considered to be the Acropolis of Athens, short description which is presented in this article.

Acropolis - the heart of Athens

In the center of the great Greek capital, Athens, rises a hill 156 meters high, visible from any part of the city. You can climb this hill only from the sea: other slopes are steep and present a serious obstacle. At the top of the hill is a temple complex called the Acropolis (" upper city"translated from Greek). The Acropolis served as the abode of city rulers, as it was the most protected part of the city. Now it is the most popular and famous place in Greece, which attracts thousands of tourists from all over the world. It is also very interesting as a historical monument , and as a monument of architecture.Acropolis has seen a lot during its centuries-old life: the heyday of Greek culture, and its decline, and the conquests of the Romans, and the formation of the Ottoman Empire, and the emergence modern Greece. Many times the heart of Athens was destroyed by enemy shells, and now the remains silently remind of eternal values in the hustle and bustle of this world.

A bit of history

Picturesque pedestals and columns with a panoramic view of the capital of Greece today is the temple complex of the Acropolis (Athens), whose history begins around the 16th century BC.

The founder of the Acropolis is the first Athenian king - Kekrops. In those days it was just a hill fortified with huge stones. In the 6th century BC. e. at the direction of King Pisistratus, the entrance gates to the Upper City - Propylaea are being erected. In the 5th century BC. e. under the leadership of the ruler Pericles, Athens became the center of Greek politics and culture, and at the same time, active construction was underway in the Acropolis. built main temple Athens Parthenon, the temple of Nike Apteros, the theater of Dionysus, a statue of Athena Promachos was installed. The remains of these structures make up the Athenian Acropolis, a brief description of them will be given below.

In time, a new temple appeared on the hill - the Temple of Rome and Augustus. Then a long period of wars began, construction was no longer carried out, the Greeks tried to protect what they had.

Over the centuries, the Athenian Acropolis experienced many disasters. Architecture, monuments (Athens is very rich in cultural heritage) were constantly destroyed. The Byzantine rulers made the Parthenon a church, the Ottomans a harem. In the 19th century, it was almost completely destroyed by the Turks. Having finally achieved independence, the Greeks are trying to restore the temple complex and return it to its original appearance.

Currently, everyone can visit the Athenian Acropolis. A brief description of the complex, architectural features and a rich history can be found during an excursion or by studying special literature.

Propylaea - entrance to the Upper City

For those visiting the Athenian Acropolis, a brief description of the main entrance will be very interesting. The idea belongs to the architect Mnesicles, who designed the main passage in the form of porticos and colonnades, located symmetrically on both sides of the path to the hill. The entire composition was made of different types of marble and included 6 Doric columns, 2 Ionic columns, 5 gates and the main corridor, as well as pavilions adjacent to the west side. Unfortunately, only a few columns and fragments of the corridor have survived to this day.

Great Parthenon

The age of Pericles is the architecture of the classics. The Acropolis of Athens was built according to the ideas of the sculptor Phidias. He, apparently, belongs to the idea of the Parthenon.

The name of the temple means "virgin", and it was conceived in honor of the goddess Athena. Unfortunately, after the explosion of the Venetian bomb in the 17th century, only the columns survived, but according to some descriptions, one can imagine its appearance. In the center of the temple was a statue of Athena in precious decoration, surrounded by more modest statues of various Greek heroes. The temple itself, measuring approximately 70 x 30 meters, was surrounded by marble columns 10 meters high.

Temple of the Erechtheion and Temple of Nike Apteros

It was the Erechtheion temple, named after King Erechtheus, that was considered a place of worship for the goddess Athena, because her wooden statue, according to legend, fell directly from heaven, was kept here. There was also a trace from the lightning of Zeus, which killed the above-named king, and the salty spring of Poseidon, reminiscent of his struggle with Athena for dominion over the Adriatic. A lot of sculptures of the goddess of war and wisdom are kept by the Athenian Acropolis (architecture, monuments). Athens, named after this goddess, is the heart of Greece, and every temple, every statue here is imbued with reverence for the patroness of the city.

Many temples included the ancient Athenian Acropolis. The description briefly tells about the temple of Nike Apteros. This is a marble structure with four columns, in which there was a statue of the goddess of victory, holding a helmet in one hand, and a pomegranate fruit in the other, symbolizing peace. The Greeks deliberately deprived the statue of its wings so that Victory could no longer fly away from them and never leave their sacred city.

Theater of Dionysus

Let's continue our short excursion to the Athenian Acropolis (brief description). For children, perhaps the most interesting place more precisely, its surviving fragments. Initially, this theater, built for performances during the Lesser and Greater Dionysias (that is, every six months), was wooden. Two centuries later, the stage and most of the steps were replaced with marble ones. During the Roman Empire, instead of theatrical performances, gladiator fights were held here. The huge stage and many marble chairs in the open air could accommodate the whole city. The first rows were intended for honorary citizens, the rest - for ordinary spectators.

Even now, after so many centuries, the theater of Dionysus impresses with its size and majesty.

What else to see in the Acropolis?

In addition to the famous sights mentioned above, the Athenian Acropolis, a brief description of which we continue, is also interesting for other monuments that are practically not preserved, but still noteworthy. These are temples, or sanctuaries, of Aphrodite and Artemis, the temple of Rome and Augustus, a small temple of Zeus. In the 19th century, a French scientist discovered a secret emergency gate to the Upper City. They were named after him - the Bule Gate.

Panoramic view of great city Athens, which opens from the top of the hill, can also be considered part of cultural heritage. The whole capital (with its old and new buildings) at a glance, White City against the background of the blue sea, visible in the distance.

What should tourists know?

The Acropolis is open to visitors all year round, from 8:00 to 18:30 on weekdays and in an abbreviated mode (from 8:00 to 14:30) on holidays. There are certain public holidays when the museum is closed to the public. Please read the opening hours carefully before planning your tour. The entrance ticket costs 12 euros and is valid 4 days after purchase (there is a reduced rate for students and pensioners and free admission for schoolchildren).

You can visit the Acropolis either with a guided tour, or with an individual guide, or on your own. In the latter case, only the cost of the entrance ticket is paid, but it should be noted that without the guide's comments, the tour of the monument will not be interesting. It is better to get an audio guide or an accompanying story.

July and August are peak tourist days in Athens, so you need to be prepared for queues and a large number of guests temple complex. It is better to plan a visit in the early morning when there are fewer visitors.

When visiting in the summer, you should wear a hat and take a sufficient amount of drinking water (you can buy it on the territory of the complex, but the price will be unreasonably high).

You should visit the Acropolis in comfortable shoes, prepare for walks over fairly long distances.

In the temple complex, nothing can be touched with your hands, not even stones!

300 meters from the Acropolis is a new Archaeological Museum where you can see interesting excavations and finds right in the ground, walking on the glass floor. The cost of visiting is not high.

On the roof of the museum open cafe where they offer very tasty coffee and inexpensive dishes local cuisine. The view of the Acropolis from there is simply amazing!

Can be purchased to leave the Acropolis in your memory for a long time, description and photo: Greece, Athens, picturesque nature and famous sights will remind you of yourself from the pages of the album.

Tourist impressions

The Athenian Acropolis leaves no one indifferent: the reviews of tourists are mostly enthusiastic, filled with vivid emotions. The grandeur of the temple complex in Athens is amazing! Every stone, every piece of marble keeps centuries of history, the memory of flourishing and destruction, of defeats and victories, the memory of great warriors and cruel conquerors.

Despite the fact that only fragments of its former splendor have survived to this day, a special atmosphere of the culture of the ancient Greeks hovers here, and people who ascend the hill seem to become a little closer to this heritage, as if they are surrounded by those deities in whose honor they were built beautiful temples, sanctuaries and colonnades!

ACROPOLIS (GREECE)

Today we will make an excursion to the Athenian Acropolis.

Translated from Greek as "upper city". In the ancient Greek city-states, the acropolis was called the elevated and fortified part. This fortified part of the city, located on an elevated place, served as protection in times of danger. Therefore, it was on the acropolis that they erected temples to the gods, patrons of the city, kept the treasury and weapons of the city. Such acropolises were in many ancient cities. Known, for example, the oldest acropolises in Mycenae, Tiryns. But the most famous is, of course, the Acropolis of Athens!

This slender ensemble of outstanding works of architecture and sculpture is considered a masterpiece of not only Greek but also world art, a kind of symbol of the greatness of classical Greece. The Acropolis of Athens is listed as a World Heritage Site. Therefore, it is probably superfluous to say that, having arrived in Athens, even for a very short time, you must definitely visit the Acropolis and see, as they say, with your own eyes all this splendor.

In this regard, we decided today to invite you for an exciting walk around the majestic and ancient Acropolis. This miracle of antiquity is located on a rock 156 meters high above sea level. This rock natural origin and has a flat top. It is noteworthy that the entire complex architectural and spatial complex of the Athenian Acropolis takes into account the surrounding nature as much as possible. Let's take a walk through this ancient fortress.

Approaching the Acropolis, in the area of the southern wall, we will see that the rock on which the Acropolis was built is fortified with stone walls. These walls are huge, five meters thick! Such walls were around the entire complex, but only a fragment of them has survived to this day, which we can see.

These are very ancient walls! They were erected in the 13th century BC. e. According to legend, these majestic walls were erected by creatures of supernatural power - the Cyclopes. The ancient Greeks believed this. And today, even looking at a fragment of these gigantic walls, we are also ready to believe that only mythical creatures-strongmen could build walls of such dimensions!

In general, it should be noted that the first fortifications on the rocky spur of this rock appeared long before the onset of the classical period. In those distant times, the Acropolis was the center of the political and military life of the city: first of all, it was the residence of the ruler. But at the end of the second millennium BC, the Acropolis acquires exclusively cult significance!

According to myths, the wooden image of the goddess Athena, the patroness of the forces of the earth and the militant protector of the city, was thrown by Zeus to Earth and fell right on the Acropolis! Therefore, it was here that temples were erected in honor of the goddess! But, unfortunately, almost all of them were destroyed by the Persian king Xerxes, who captured Athens in 480-479 BC. e. This is even evidenced in his notes by the "father of history" Herodotus himself.

The Acropolis was rebuilt only in the so-called golden age of Pericles. This Athenian strategist, having concluded a truce with Sparta, got the opportunity to start arranging the capital. Under the guidance of the greatest of the Greek sculptors, Phidias, by the end of the 5th century BC. The Acropolis was rebuilt. Moreover, the new Acropolis was incredibly beautiful and grandiose!

Let's get closer. The Propylaea appear before us from the western part of the complex.

This is the main, solemn entrance to the Acropolis! These gates were erected in 437-432 BC. Let's mentally fast forward to the distant 5th century BC. and let's see what the Propylaea were at that time, and at the same time we will see what happened here. So, we are in the distant past! In front of us, the Athenians are slowly climbing the wide stone stairs to the Propylaea. Look, pedestrians are walking along the side aisles, and horsemen and chariots are passing through the central one! Sacrificial animals are also led here.

Pay attention to the Propylaea themselves! They are made of Pentelikon marble. See how beautiful this material is. Today, this marble looks different. But nothing can be done, time takes its toll. And in those days, the gate was simply amazing with its magnificence! You noticed that the Propylaea are two Doric porticos, one of which faces the city, the other - to the top of the Acropolis. Raise your head and look up at the portico ceilings. See those square holes? These are caissons! They are painted with gold stars on a blue background! Very beautiful, isn't it! And you see, where the slope of the hill rises sharply, a transverse wall with five passages was built. So the central of these passages is intended only for solemn processions! In normal times, it is closed with bronze gates. By the way, these gates are the boundaries of the sanctuary. It is a pity that much has not been preserved to this day!

Yes, the Propylaea are amazing! Have you forgotten that we are in the distant past? Remembered? Then look to the left. See it's pretty large building, which is adjacent to the Propylaea? This is the Pinakothek Art Gallery. Portraits of the heroes of Attica are exhibited here! Now look to the right. See the ledge on the rock? You know, this is the very ledge from which, according to legend, the Athenian king Aegeus in the XIII century BC. rushed down when he saw the ship of his son Theseus entering the harbor with black sails, symbolizing the failure of his voyage to the island of Crete! Remember the legend? And remember that it was a mistake, and Theseus, in fact, was alive! Yes, fate sometimes plays cruel jokes with people! On the ledge is a small rectangular temple of Nike Apteros, dedicated to Nike, the goddess of victory. In translation, its name sounds like "Wingless Victory".

Do you know why Wingless Victory? The fact is that in the conditions of a truce in the protracted Peloponnesian War, the Athenians thereby expressed the hope that victory would not “fly away” from them now! Just look at what an unusually elegant marble temple it is! Standing on a three-stage pedestal, this temple is surrounded on all sides by a sculptural frieze ribbon, which depicted episodes of the struggle between the Greeks and the Persians, the Olympic gods (Athena, Zeus, Poseidon). But we can only see this sculptural band of the frieze by transporting ourselves in our imagination to those distant times. To this day, as you know, it has not survived. If we, all in the same past, go inside the temple, we will see a beautiful sculpture of Athena Nike! The majestic goddess holds a helmet in one hand, and a pomegranate fruit in the other, a symbol of the victorious world! It is a pity, but today this magnificent statue is also no longer visible. She, unfortunately, was also destroyed.

But let's continue our journey through the Acropolis in the past. Let's follow the Athenians into the Propylaea. Passing them, we found ourselves at the very top of the cliff. Look, right in front of us rises a huge bronze statue of Athena Promachos, that is, Athena the Warrior. See the gilded tip of her spear? The Athenians are sure that on clear days it serves as a guide for ships sailing to the city. Just behind the statue, pay attention to open area there is an altar, and a small temple was erected on the left, where the priests perform rites of worship to the patroness of the city - the goddess Athena. If we go up to one of the residents and ask about this place, they will tell us ancient myth about the dispute between Athena and the god Poseidon for possession of the largest of the Greek policies.

We learn that, according to the myth, the winner in this dispute should have been the one whose gift would have been more important for the city. Then Poseidon threw his trident at the Acropolis and in the place of his blow a source of sea water began to beat. He also promised the Athenians success in maritime trade. But Athena still won this dispute! She struck with a spear, and in this place an olive tree grew, which became the symbol of Athens. Therefore, this is where the altar is located. By the way, please note that one of the parts of the temple is dedicated to the legendary king of Athens, Erechtheus. This part is called the Erechtheion. Do not be surprised that only part of the temple. Then there was only a part, but later this name was transferred to the whole temple. And today we know this building as the Erechtheion.

Of greatest interest in the Erechtheion is the Portico of the Daughters - six sculptures of the most beautiful girls support the roof of the temple extension instead of columns. In Byzantine times, they began to be called Caryatids, which meant women from small town Kariya, famous for their exceptional beauty. One of the Caryatids (together with the friezes and pediments of the Parthenon) at the beginning of the 19th century, with the permission of the Turkish government, was taken to England by the ambassador of this country in Constantinople, Lord Elgin. Elgin's act so excited the Athenians that soon a legend was born about the sounds heard in the night - the crying of the five Daughters remaining on the temple for their kidnapped sister. And Lord Byron "dedicated" his poem "The Curse of Athens" to the robber of these immortal treasures. The famous Elgin marbles are still in the British Museum, and the statue on the temple has been replaced with a copy.

Look at the Erechtheion carefully. The peculiarity of the temple is its unusual asymmetric layout, taking into account the unevenness of the soil. Such an interior, marble relief friezes, original porticos, the most famous of which is the portico of caryatids, can only be seen in the past, since they have not survived to this day: the marble relief friezes are completely destroyed, and the porticos are very damaged. But, you must admit that even today, even with damaged porticos, the Erechtheion is still beautiful! This is a gem of ancient Greek architecture!

The temple consists of two rooms located at different levels. East End temple, is located higher than the western one. By the way, remember the legend told to us by the inhabitants of Athens about the dispute between Athena and Poseidon?

According to legend, two powerful deities, Poseidon and Athena, fought for the right to patronize the city and its inhabitants. The Olympic gods, in order to resolve this dispute, offered the rivals to make a gift to the city. Poseidon hit the rock with his trident and scored from it with a key sea water- a symbol of the sea power of the city, which was given to it by the god of the sea, and from the place where Athena struck with a spear, an olive tree sprang up. The gods recognized Athena's gift as much more valuable and gave the people under her protection, and the city was named after her.

Now look at the floor in the temple, see these irregularities? These are the marks of Poseidon's trident! Do you see the well inside the temple? This well contains salty sea water. This is the source that, according to legend, Poseidon bestowed on the city! Yes, after all that you have seen, you are now unlikely to say that myths are fiction! On the western side, close to the Erechtheion, is the sanctuary of the nymph Pandrosa. It is there, inside the open courtyard, that you can see the sacred olive, the very one that Athena, according to legend, gave to the inhabitants of the city.

We hope you have not forgotten that we are still in the past? Then we will continue our journey through the Acropolis. Do you see the solemn procession heading to the most majestic temple of the Acropolis, to the Parthenon?

This is the holiday of the Great Pan-fines! The climax of this celebration takes place at the altar in front of the eastern facade of the Parthenon, where new clothes for the statue of Athena are handed over to the priests. Yes, the Parthenon is the most important and most iconic place in the Acropolis. This temple is also dedicated to the goddess Athena. But this time she acted in the guise of Athena-Parthenos or Athena-Virgo. Hence the name of the temple.

Look how beautiful this temple is!

It has amazing harmony! Its steps, outer colonnade, pediments, friezes and metopes - everything is impeccable and magnificent! The entire building was erected from local white marble. The Parthenon is a masterpiece of ancient Greek architecture and a symbol of Greek genius! Let's climb its marble steps. By the way, pay attention to the columns of the temple. You see, the columns taper upwards. This is not an optical illusion, this is how it really is. This architectural technique helps to visually increase the height of the columns, and it seems that they rush high into the sky and almost touch the sky!

As we said, all the elements of the Parthenon's construction, including the roof tiles and steps, were carved from local Pentelian marble, almost white, but with time acquiring a warm yellowish tint. Therefore, today the Parthenon no longer looks snow-white. But, nevertheless, even today it is called the "anthem" of Ancient Greece and the "beauty of simplicity"!

Let's enter the Parthenon. Look, in the space bounded by the inner colonnade, there is a colossal, golden and ivory cult statue of Athena! Today it has not survived, but in the past we can see it. You see, the clothes and helmet of the goddess are made of pure gold, and the hair and shield are made of gold plates. Look at her eyes! They are made from precious sapphires! On the right hand of Athena she holds the figure of the goddess of victory Nike, at the left shoulder - a spear. Luxurious robes, a helmet, a shield and an aegis, decorated with the mask of the Gorgon Medusa, give the statue a majestic solemnity. Yes, this is a real goddess! Here she is - the great patroness of the great city!

statue of Athena Parthenos

The sculptural groups on the pediments of the temple depict the deeds of this goddess. In the east - the birth of Athena, who, fully armed, jumped out of the head of Zeus after the blacksmith god Hephaestus cut his head with an ax. In the west, there is a dispute between Athena and Poseidon, already known to us, when the olive tree donated by the goddess was recognized as a more valuable gift than the source of salt water discovered in the rock by Poseidon. Yes, unfortunately, not everything that was created by the ancient masters, and that the Athenians of distant times could see, has survived to this day. Let's now return from our time travel. Let's look at the great Acropolis today. Agree that all the same, what is left and preserved is also just great! Yes, the Acropolis is truly a standard of harmony, naturalness and beauty!

Here are a couple more photos from the Acropolis:

At the entrance to the Acropolis is also Theater of Herod Attica. Tiberius Claudius Herod Atticus was one of the richest Athenian citizens, as well as the Roman governor in the province of Asia. Among other things, he was a famous philosopher and was the teacher of Marcus Aurelius.
In 161 AD in memory of his wife, he built the Odeon (theater) in Athens. This is a perfectly preserved example of Roman architecture in Athens.
The theater had a stage 35.4 meters long built on two floors and was covered with white and black marble slabs from the Karista quarries. The capacity of the theater was up to 5,000 people. The roof of the theater was made of cedar wood.
The theater premises were rebuilt and today the Athens Festival is held in the theater, where they present their art to the attention of the audience. the best theaters peace.

In the 6th century BC the tyrant Peisistratus, who ruled in Athens, instilled the cult of Dionysus in Athens and organized the Great Dionysia, which were held during March - April. At about the same time, the poet Thespis, a native of the demos of Ikaria, appeared in Athens. He introduced the first actor in Dionysia and began to write texts himself, which the actor and members of the choir were to read. Before Thespides, these texts were pure improvisation of the choristers. Thespis also began to devote texts not only to events from the life of Dionysus, but also to other heroes. Greek mythology and real historical figures. Actor masks were also invented and introduced, since the same actor had to play many roles.

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

There are 78 spectator rows in the theater, which are divided by a passage into two zones. The passage is also part of the Peripate - the path that surrounds the sacred rock of the Acropolis.

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

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

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

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

/ Acropolis of Athens

Athens Acropolis

(Greek Ακρόπολη Αθηνών; English Acropolis of Athens)

UNESCO site

Opening hours: from 8.30 to 19.00 daily, except Monday.

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

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

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

Map of the Acropolis of Athens

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

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

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

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

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

To the left of the Propylaea adjoins the building of the Pinakothek - an art gallery where portraits of the heroes of Attica were displayed. In the Pinakothek, carpets were hung on which, tired after climbing the hill, people could rest.

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

The main attraction of the whole ensemble was and remains Parthenon- the largest and most famous building in this ensemble, which is called both the "anthem" of Ancient Greece and the "beauty of simplicity."

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

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

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

Most big interest in the Erechtheion it calls the Portico of the Daughters, consisting of six sculptures of the most beautiful girls, who, playing the role of columns, support the roof of the temple. In Byzantine times, they were called Caryatids, women from a small town called Karia, who were famous for their exceptional beauty. The Turks, who at one time captured Athens and did not allow, according to their Muslim beliefs, images of a person, did not destroy these statues, however. They limited themselves to cutting off the faces of the girls.

At the top of the flagpole located on the very high point hill, stands the Greek national flag. During the 2nd World War, when the Germans captured Greece and Athens, Konstantinos Koukidis, the Evzone guarding the flag, was ordered to remove it. Konstantinos obeyed, took down the flag, and, turning into it, threw himself down from the cliff, and crashed to death. And on the night of May 31, 1941, a couple of eighteen-year-old Athenians, Manolis Glezos and Apostolis Santas, made their way to the top of the Athens Acropolis and tore off the flag hanging there with the German swastika. Today, every day, at 6:30 am, a special detachment of Greek soldiers raises the flag over the Acropolis of Athens, and at sunset, another detachment of foot soldiers rises to the hill, which lowers the flag for the night.

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

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

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

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

Restoration of the unique values of the Athenian Acropolis and intervention in the structure of their material requires the highest responsibility. It requires experience in field work, very deep knowledge of this area, knowledge of the basics of conservation and the basics of restoration, constant attention in carrying out technical work with architectural objects, the ability to properly demonstrate their findings on museum sites. Many years will pass before the moment when all the work will be completed, but it is then that the Acropolis of Athens, with all its ancient monuments, will appear before our descendants in all its Hellenic beauty.

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

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

Location of the Acropolis: how to get to it

The main attraction of Athens is located in the heart of the city and is perfectly visible from anywhere in the capital. The 156 meters high Acropolis Hill is located in the Acropolis area - for obvious reasons, the most visited area of the city. get to right place won't be difficult. The easiest way is by metro to the nearest Acropoli station or to the stations of Thissio, Syntagma, Omonia and Monastiraki. From the center of Athens, the Acropolis can be reached on foot if you follow Dionysios Areopagite Street. You have to keep going uphill. Closer to the Acropolis, numerous signs will not let you go astray.

Acropolis on the map of Athens. Marker placed at the entrance to the Acropolis

History of the Acropolis

The rocky hill of the Acropolis has been used by the Athenians since time immemorial. During the archaic period, temples were built here and sculptures were installed, religious ceremonies were held. During the Mycenaean period, the Acropolis served as a royal residence - it was difficult to imagine a more advantageous and safe location in Athens.

Under Pisistratus, active construction began on the hill ancient temple Acropolis - Hekatompedon, the predecessor of the Parthenon. It was dedicated to the goddess Athena and surrounded by several religious buildings. But all the temples fell into decay after the invasion of the Persians. And then the Greeks vowed to restore the shrines, driving out the enemies.

Acropolis in antiquity.

New attempts to build a temple on the Acropolis were made during the time of the famous commander Pericles - he initiated it. The development of the project was entrusted to Phidias, who became the main author of the architectural appearance. So the Parthenon rose above Athens, and it was destined to become a recognizable symbol of Greece. But before the temple passed tests. The Parthenon was converted and captured several times: it served Orthodox church and a mosque, and neighboring buildings were even used to house a harem. Some priceless monuments were taken apart for building materials.

Only with the revival of Greece as an independent state was the restoration of the monuments of the Acropolis begun. And many sculptures were replaced with copies for preservation purposes - the originals are stored in the Acropolis Museum.

For the Greeks, the theme of the heritage of the main attraction of Athens remains painful. In the 19th century, a collection of art objects was taken to England by Lord Elgin (whom Byron called a thief for this). And so far, the UK is refusing Greece's requests to return the stolen marbles to their homeland.

The famous portico of the Caryatids. One of the sculptures was broken out by Lord Elgin and is now kept in the British Museum.

Temples and monuments of the Acropolis

The entrance to the Acropolis is the Propylaea, made of gray Eleusinian and white Pentelian marble. The architecture combines Doric and Ionic columns - the first time in Ancient Greece that two orders "met" in one structure. The monumental entrance consists of two porticos. One looks at the Acropolis, the other is directed towards Athens.

On the southwestern side of the Propylaea stands the Temple of Nike. Its marble frieze, made in the Ionic style, depicts the gods and fragments of the battle against the Persians. In ancient times, the now-lost statue of Nike stood inside. In 2000, the temple was restored, and today it adorns the Acropolis.

The Parthenon is the main attraction of the Athenian Acropolis.

The central place on the hill is given to the Parthenon. For the sake of it, many people come to Athens. In the ancient city, it served as the main temple dedicated to Athena, and its appearance inspired architects throughout Europe. The Parthenon has not yet been completely restored, although this does not prevent it from being the most impressive monument of the Acropolis.

Among the important temples of Ancient Athens was the Erechtheion. It was erected on an uneven surface, so the structure is asymmetric. On the southern part of the Erechtheion are statues of caryatids, which made the appearance of the temple recognizable. Also on the slopes of the Acropolis you can see the ruins of Asklepion and the Odeon of Herodes, which still serves as a venue for concerts.

Acropolis Museum

In 2009 in Greek capital inaugurated the New Acropolis Museum. Its ultra-modern building is several times larger than the size of the old museum. The openings were waited for so long that in the first 3 months the number of visitors exceeded 1 million.

The collection is made up entirely of objects found on the Acropolis since 1834. Here you can see statues, original caryatids, memorial plates, countless fragments of structures and religious objects. Visitors even have the opportunity to watch the excavations that take place right under the building of the New Museum.

The museum covers in detail the different eras of the existence of the Acropolis. He introduces not only the ancient period, but also the era of the Roman Empire. Interactive materials complement the exhibition well. The Acropolis Museum regularly hosts temporary exhibitions, and on holidays it organizes interesting events for children.

What to visit near the Acropolis

A visit to the Acropolis can be combined with a walk along other famous places cities. For example, according to the Agora - the center of the political, commercial and cultural life of Ancient Athens. Former market Square preserved many architectural evidence, including the Temple of Hephaestus. To the left of the Acropolis is Philopapu Hill with a monument to the Roman ruler Philopapu. The building has been partially preserved, so the hill attracts tourists with a magnificent panoramic view of Athens.

And, of course, after visiting the Acropolis, you need to go to Monastiraki - the most popular and colorful area Athens, which has preserved many interesting monuments stories. Among them stand out the Church of the Virgin and the mosque. But the main attraction for tourists is the Monastiraki market, where any tourist will find a souvenir to remember Athens.