Acropolis where. Athens Acropolis - a monument of ancient architecture

The Acropolis of Athens is the main attraction of Greece. All tourists are concentrated around it. Like any top European attraction, you should not appear here during the high season. The surrounding areas are very different from. It is quite safe, there are a huge number of shops, cafes and restaurants.

Acropolis of Athens - Pantheon, Erechtheion, Propylaea, Odeon of Herodes Atticus.

The complex is quite small. All the iconic sights of Athens are concentrated around it. All of them can be easily viewed in one day.

The Acropolis of Athens is a 156-meter rocky hill with a gentle top (~ 300 m long and 170 m wide)

It is foolish to assume that all these buildings, columns and statues are two thousand years old. Everything they could have been taken away and blown up a long time ago. Today's acropolis is almost a complete reconstruction. It has been going on for a long time and will not end soon.

The Parthenon is the main temple in ancient Athens. Built in 447-438 BC. e.

In 560-527 years. BC e. on the spot royal palace Temple of the goddess Athena was built. In the 5th century, the Parthenon became the church of Our Lady. 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. In 1687, after being hit by a cannonball from a Venetian ship, an explosion destroyed almost all central part temple. At the beginning of the 19th century, the English 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.

After the declaration of independence of Greece, during the restoration work (mainly at the end of the 19th century), the ancient appearance of the Acropolis was restored if possible: all late buildings on its territory were liquidated. The reliefs and sculptures of the temples of the Acropolis are in the British Museum (London), in the Louvre (Paris ) and the Acropolis Museum. The sculptures that remained in the open air have now been replaced by copies.

I spent half an hour spinning photos of the Parthenon, but it still remained littered. The answer turned out to be simple - there are almost no strictly straight lines in the contours.

• The steps have a slight increase towards the center, since otherwise it would seem from afar that the floor is sagging;
• The corner columns are inclined towards the middle, and the two middle ones towards the corners. This was done to show them straight;
• All columns have entasis, thanks to which they do not appear thinner in the middle;
• The corner columns are somewhat thicker in diameter than the others, otherwise they would appear thinner. In cross section, they are not round;

The Athenian Acropolis has a very bright and contrasting illumination. In the dark, it is almost impossible to get normal photos. The best time is twilight.

The Odeon of Herodes Atticus (165 AD) is a building for singing and musical competitions built in Athens under Pericles. Subsequently, it was used for various public purposes. The Odeon has the classical form of an ancient theater with 5,000 seats, in which almost everything from the time of construction has survived to our time, with the exception of statues in niches and multi-colored marble lining. They are not allowed inside, you can get there only during concerts and performances by paying for a ticket. The Bolshoi Ballet performed on the stage of the Odeon.

The Theater of Dionysus is located on the southeastern slope of the Acropolis hill and is one of the most ancient theaters in the world. The theater was built in the 5th century. BC e. and was made of wood. Around 326-325 BC the theater was reconstructed: the wooden stage and rows of seats were replaced with marble ones. Stone seats were placed in 67 rows, reaching the base of the Acropolis. The theater now accommodated up to 17 thousand spectators, which at that time was about half of the Athenian citizens. Due to the huge size of the theater, it was deprived of roofing, and therefore the actors, choir and spectators were located in the open air, and the stage action took place in natural light.

Theater of Dionysus. Athens.

The Erechtheion is one of the main temples of ancient Athens, located on the Acropolis to the north of the Parthenon. The building dates from 421-406 BC. e. The temple is dedicated to Athena, Poseidon and the legendary Athenian king Erechtheus.

Among the Athenian sights, a separate place is occupied by the first modern Olympic venues- Panathinaikos Stadium and Olympic Village. Since the stadium in its present form was built only at the beginning of the revival Olympic Games, it was built according to an old model (in particular, its treadmills do not meet modern accepted standards). The stadium of 50 horizontal marble rows can accommodate about 80,000 fans.

Panathinaikos stadium. Athens. Entrance - 3 euros.

I already wrote that Athens as a whole, and the Acropolis area - two around the world. Below are photos of the acropolis areas - Plaka and Thissio.

The Acropolis of Athens is the oldest architectural monument in Greece, which is unique object ancient culture, a world heritage that has retained its majesty and organic component.

The Greek word "Acropolis" consists of two particles: "acro" and "polis", which translates as " upper city". In other sources, one can find somewhat different, however, interpretations similar in meaning - “fortified city”, “fortress”.

The Acropolis of Athens is often referred to as the heart of Athens, the main tourist attraction in Greece is visited by millions of tourists every year from all over the world. In different historical periods, the territory of the fortification was repeatedly destroyed, the erected structures turned into ruins, suffered from ruthless robberies. The Acropolis of Athens served as a kind of fortress, the impregnability of which seemed to be taken care of by nature itself. The "Upper City" is located on a natural limestone hill with a flat top, its height is 156 m. The elevated platform has steep, steep slopes, so it remained impregnable for enemy troops. The Athenian acropolis did not need additional protection, the ascent to the plain was open only from the western side, in the direction where the coast was washed by the sea. Densely growing olive trees served as an additional defense.

In 1987, the Acropolis of Athens was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Using the surviving ruins of the Acropolis, scientists are bit by bit restoring entire historical periods of the Greek state, its cultural features, in particular, the formation of its capital. The founding of the first settlements dates back to such ancient times, which many consider mythical.

First settlements
The initial mention of the unique fortress dates back long before the onset of the classical period. During the archaic period, majestic temples, necessary religious objects, and sculptures were erected. During excavations, cultural samples were found corresponding to the era of the early and middle Bronze Age.

According to legend, the founder of the Acropolis is considered the first king of Athens - Kekrops, in his honor the elevated territory of the fortifications was often called "Kekropia" or "Kekrops" (cecropia). In the Mycenaean period, the walls of the residence of the ruler were lined with large stones. According to one version, the “Cyclops” did it, which is why the walls were called “Cyclopean”.

The era of the Middle Ages and the Archaic period

In the 7th century BC. in the Acropolis, the cult of the goddess Athena, who became the patroness of the city, became widespread. The area was occupied by the rulers - Eupatrides. Active construction unfolded closer to the VI century BC. during the reign of Peisistratus. The Propylaea were built, near which people's meetings later took place. The Council of Elders met in the area of ​​the Areopagus Hill. The first temple built in honor of the goddess Athena, like other divine structures, did not last long, they were destroyed during the Greco-Persian wars.

Construction under the direction of Pericles

Around 495-429 BC. the power in Athens belonged to Pericles, the excellent strategist and leader of the democratic party sought to turn the city into the political and cultural center of all Greece, further plans were to spread the democratic system to the rest of the Greek policies. During the economic and cultural heyday, between the Persian and Peloponnesian wars, great masterpieces were created, which are examples of art for many European countries. This period was called the Classical, from the word "classicos" - a sample. The famous sculptor Phidias became the head and author of the artistic development program.

The work was carried out according to a previously planned plan:

- Parthenon - the main temple of Athena Parthenos (447-438 BC);

- Propylaea - solemn gates, main entrance(437-432 BC);

- Temple of Nike Apteros (449-420 BC);

- Erechtheion Temple (421-406 BC);

- Statue of Athena Promachos.

The monuments of the Athenian Acropolis over the course of 20 centuries have experienced various natural disasters: fires, floods, earthquakes, numerous wars and enemy invasions.

Hellenistic and Roman period

During the Hellenistic and Roman periods, many of the existing buildings were repaired, mostly age damage and damage from military shelling.

During this period, several monuments glorifying the honor of foreign kings were erected. A little later, the construction of the Temple of Rome and Augustus began, the building was located near the Parthenon and had a round shape. The building was the last ancient object created on top of the hill and has cultural significance.

In the 3rd century there was a threat of a new invasion, so work was resumed to strengthen the walls and the main gate. The Acropolis was again used as a fortress.

Byzantine, Latin and Ottoman periods

In later periods, frequent changes took place on the territory of the Athenian Acropolis. During the Byzantine era, the main temple of the Parthenon was transformed into the Church of the Virgin Mary. At times Latin period the government used elevated fortifications as administrative center cities. The Parthenon served as a cathedral; the Ducal Palace was located on the territory of the Propylaea.

After the Ottoman conquest of Greece, the Parthenon was used as a garrison of the headquarters of the Turkish army, the Erechtheion temple was turned into a harem of the Turkish ruler. In 1687, the buildings of the Acropolis were everywhere damaged by fires and shelling during the Venetian-Turkish war. The main temple, on the territory of which there was a powder warehouse, received the most serious damage. One of the shells hit the Parthenon, only ruins remained from the building.

In 1821, the Greeks, fighting for independence from Ottoman Empire, in one of the battles besieged the Acropolis of Athens. When the Turkish military began to run out of ammunition, they decided to open the columns of the Parthenon in order to get lead fortifications, then cut them into bullets. Upon learning of this news, the Greeks sent opposite side a batch of lead, wishing to save the monument from destruction.

Having liberated the Athenian Acropolis, the new Greek government actively engaged in restoration work. Cultural objects were taken under control, buildings of later development were liquidated. The purpose of the reconstruction was to return the area to its original appearance.

Architectural Ensemble of the Acropolis

The main component that forms the city skyline of Athens is the Acropolis. It is not for nothing that in ancient times this territory was called a sanctuary; the famous cult center became a unique monument art.

Combining into a single whole, buildings and temples form a common ensemble, the composition has a characteristic proportionality. The presented architecture and numerous sculptures are the best example of the achievements of ancient Greek culture; here you can observe the finest modeling, complex architectural details and drawings.

Few people know that the construction of multi-storey buildings is prohibited in Athens. This decision is directly related to the Acropolis, which for hundreds of years has served as an indispensable guide for moving around the city. The attraction is visible from every corner and alley. People diligently cherish this tradition, because high-rise buildings can change a charming and inspiring panoramic view in a matter of months.

Proudly towering above the hill, the Parthenon is accessible for viewing even from such remote points as the islands of Salamis and Aegina. One of the first things that sailors saw when sailing to the shores was the brilliance of the spear and helmet of the statue of Athena the Warrior.

The outstanding ensemble of monuments of world art clearly demonstrates the greatness of ancient Greek culture, and at the same time, the emergence and formation of European civilization. Millennia later, the surviving remains of the buildings have not lost their historical value, but from the point of view of artistic significance, they have received the status of an “inaccessible” piece of art.

Plan of the area and characteristics of the cultural objects of the Acropolis

The compositional ensemble of the Athens Acropolis was built on a grand scale, the historical territory has unique features. The spacious area is difficult to cover with one glance. To this day, only a small part of the historical exhibits located in the open air has been preserved in its original form.

Plan of the Athenian Acropolis

1. Parthenon
2. Hecatompedon
3. Erechtheion
4. Statue of Athena Promachos
5. Propylaea
6. Temple of Nike Apteros
7. Eleusinion
8. Bravroneion
9. Halkoteka
10. Pandroseyon
11. Arrephorion
12. Athenian altar
13. Sanctuary of Zeus Polyeas
14. Sanctuary of Pandion
15. Odeon of Herodes Atticus
16. Stoa of Eumenes
17. Asklepion
18. Theater of Dionysus
19. Odeon of Pericles
20. Temenos of Dionysus
21. Sanctuary of Aglaura

In the days of the ancient Greeks, it was possible to climb the Acropolis of Athens along a single narrow road. Based on defensive purposes, the entrance was made from the western side. The solemn gate of the Propylaea was built on the passage, the construction plan belonged to the architect Mnesicles. The gates were made of marble, ennobled with a wide staircase, two porticos, which alternately rushed towards the hill or the city. On the ceiling of the Propylaea, golden stars and a blue sky were applied. Initially, an 80-meter path served as an ascent to the top, the steps were made in the 1st century by the Romans during the reign of Emperor Claudius. Closer to the elevation of the slope was a transverse wall, in which the builders prudently made five entrances. The central passage was intended for solemn processions, the rest of the time it was closed with a bronze door. The gates were the original boundaries of the sanctuary.

The Propylaea is followed by the Temple of the Wingless Nike, the walls of a small marble structure have four columns. The construction of the building was planned to begin in 450, but it was only in 427 that the actual construction began, and the construction work took about 6 years. The architect Kallikrates decorated the temple with an elegant frieze sculptural ribbon depicting episodes of the battle of the Greeks with the Persians, images of the Olympian gods. Inside the temple was placed a wooden statue of the goddess of victory. The ancient Greeks portrayed Nike in an unusual way, the girl was without traditional wings, so that victory could not “fly away” from them. In her hands, the statue held a helmet and a pomegranate fruit, which symbolized the victorious world.

The greatest monument of art, the main element of the Acropolis ensemble is the temple of the goddess Athena, which is better known as the Parthenon. The length of the structure is about 70 m, the width is a little more than 30 m, columns 10 m high are placed along the perimeter.

Inside the temple was located the famous sculpture of Athena-Virgo, its creator was the chief architect of the Acropolis - Phidias. The figure of Athena was 12 meters. The statue stood on a small pedestal, in its right hand there was an image of the goddess of victory Nike, and in the left - a spear. The victorious spirit and majesty of the sculpture were given by additional elements, namely a shield, a helmet, an aegis, a luxurious attire, a symbolic mask of the Gorgon Medusa. The face and hands of the goddess were made of ivory, the weapons and elements of clothing were cast in gold, the natural brilliance of the eyes was achieved with the help of precious stones.

Another outstanding architectural monument era of ancient Greece is the Temple of Erechtein, its author remains unknown to this day. The building is located near the Parthenon. The origin of the temple is connected with interesting legend, which is deeply intertwined with the history of the city's name. The ancient shrine is dedicated to Athena, Poseidon, the famous king of Athens - Erechtheus. The first two fought for the right to patronize the city, then the Gods of Olympus offered everyone to make a gift for the inhabitants and a large Greek policy.
Under the terms, the patron was the one whose gift would be recognized as the best. Poseidon washed the shores of the city with sea water, and the goddess Athena presented an olive tree. The last gift was recognized as more valuable, in honor of the new patroness the policy was named Athens.

The Erechtein temple performed a kind of storage function, the most valuable items were collected here: a wooden statue of a warrior goddess, a sacred peplos, the altars of Ifest and Erechtheus. In this place, the main religious rites were performed. The building united several sanctuaries, but its size was small. The uniqueness of the temple lies in the fact that during the construction intentionally West Side the building is made lower by 3 meters on the east side. This technique was undertaken to hide the unevenness of the earth's surface.

The Acropolis complex, in addition to the main historical sites mentioned above, includes the following buildings:

- Bule Gate. Spare entrance to the Acropolis of Athens, which was made in the walls after the battles with the Heruli in 267. The excavations of this area in 1825 were carried out by the French architect Ernest Bule, and the secret gates were named after him.

- Sanctuary of Aphrodite Pandemos. The temple of Aphrodite was located on the right side of the Bule gate. IN modern times only ruins and an architrave remained from the building, which is honorably decorated with garlands and doves.

- Sanctuary of Artemis Brauronia. The building is located on the east side, near the ruins of the Mycenaean walls. Pisistratus is considered to be the creator; the cult of Artemis was widespread in his homeland. The temple is made in the form of a Dorian colonnade, which adjoined two "P" shaped wings. Two statues of Artemis were placed in the side colonnades, one of them was created by the great sculptor Praxiteles, and the second was made of wood, the author remained unknown.

— Halkoteka. Directly behind the temple of Artemis was a building designed to store items necessary for religious rites and the worship of the goddess Athena. Halkoteka was supposedly built in the middle of the 5th century BC, the building was reconstructed in the Roman period.

— Temple of Augustus. In 27 B.C. on the east side of the Parthenon, a small round temple with 9 Ionic columns was erected. At the foot of the building there was an inscription: "the temple is dedicated to Roma and Augustus from the grateful Athenians."

— Sanctuary of Zeus Polyeas. In a small temple named after Zeus, a ritual of Dipolia was performed, today rubble of stones remained from the construction. The territory of the building consisted of a rectangular fence, which separated a small temple and a hall of gifts.

- Theater of Dionysus. Enough large area on the south side is occupied by the most ancient theater, created in honor of the god of winemaking. One of the legends says that the inhabitants of Athens took the life of Dionysus, as they mistakenly believed that he wanted to poison them with wine. On this day, it was decided to celebrate the feast of Dionysus, in honor of the murdered god. Mass festivities led to the creation of the first theater. It was here that the theatrical performances of Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides and others were first shown.

Having passed through entire epochs, the modern Athenian Acropolis has not lost its former grandeur. The significant building captivates tourists with its scale, here each stone keeps centuries-old secrets, saturated with historical events.

A modern project for the restoration of the Athenian Acropolis.

The restoration of the ancient appearance and large-scale restoration work on the territory of the Athenian Acropolis began only at the end of the 19th century, but in general, attempts at the first reconstructions could be called fruitless. In the 70s of the XX century, the immediate intervention of architects and builders was required to preserve the centuries-old heritage. During this period, it was decided to transfer most of the sculptures and bas-reliefs to the territory of museums, one of the main reasons for this was the growing level of environmental pollution.

During the "rescue" work, new, unforeseen problems arose, the foundations of many buildings were unstable. A large number of unique architectural details were among the rubble that remained from past fires, explosions, earthquakes and other cataclysms. The surviving cultural samples needed careful treatment, the creation of chamber conditions, and conservation.

The modern view of the Acropolis is only remotely similar to the one that existed in the "golden" times. small town. Many cultural exhibits can no longer be restored; they were irretrievably destroyed. For example: In the XIII century, a delightful statue of Athena the warrior was taken to Constantinople, a little later it was burned and destroyed. For other buildings, restoration work is so extensive that after completion the building loses its former exclusivity and uniqueness, in particular, this concerns the Temple of the Wingless Nike.

Residents of Greece are outraged by the reluctance of the British Museum to return marble statues Parthenon, which were taken out at the beginning of the 19th century by Lord Elgin to the territory of England. The British Museum paid Lord £35,000 for the exhibits.

Major works were devoted to the problem of the destruction of marble. Over time, connecting iron structures began to have a negative impact on natural stone, the process was accelerated by active emissions of exhaust gases into the atmosphere. Marble gradually began to turn into limestone. To fix the problem, it was necessary to completely remove the iron structures and replace them with brass ones. In some cases, it was impossible to stop the chemical destruction, some of these exhibits were sent to the museum, and authentic copies were installed in their place.

Today, in the Acropolis of Athens, in parallel with technical work, scientific and archaeological research is being carried out. The goal of the work of scientists is to ensure maximum compliance of the ongoing work with the strict international requirements that apply to the reconstruction of the most significant historical monuments. The ongoing work is managed by the Committee for the Preservation of Acropolis Monuments, funding is provided by the European Union and the Greek state.

Memo to the tourist

The entrance ticket to the Acropolis of Athens is 12 euros, 6 euros for students and pensioners from the European Union, free for children and schoolchildren. This price additionally includes free admission to the Agora, the Temple of Zeus, the theater of Dionysus, the Library of Hadrian, the Cemetery of Ancient Athens. The ticket is valid for 4 days from the date of purchase.

It is better to visit the Acropolis of Athens from the very opening, at 8 in the morning, because after 9 o'clock numerous excursions arrive, and crowds of tourists fill everything. A tour of the Athenian Acropolis takes an average of 4-6 hours. It is recommended to explore the historical ensemble of sights in a group with a guide. In the summer, a headdress and sufficient water are required. Shoes for visiting the territory should be comfortable, even in dry weather the trodden paths are very slippery. Take time to visit new contemporary museum Acropolis. It is located 300 meters from the attraction. The glass building stands out noticeably against the background of the general panorama. The unique museum was built on the site of archaeological excavations. A visit to the museum is paid additionally, the price is symbolic - 1 euro.

Free entry:
March 6 (Memorial Day of Melina Mercouri, actress, singer, Minister of Culture)
June 5 (International Environment Day)
April 18 (International Monument Day)
May 18 (International Museum Day)
last weekend of September (European heritage days)

Weekend: January 1, March 25, May 1, Easter Sunday, Holy Spirit Day, December 25, 26.

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The Acropolis of Athens (Greece) is the most popular and interesting attraction that several million travelers come to see every year. It is visible from various points of the city, because the government has forbidden the construction of high-rise buildings nearby that can block this attraction. People new to the map of Athens can use the Acropolis as a guide to avoid getting lost in the narrow streets of the city.

History of the Acropolis

In ancient Greece, the term "acropolis" meant a well-fortified place or settlement. Several millennia ago, the main city was located here, protected by reliable fortifications from enemies. Even before the beginning of the Mycenaean era, the Acropolis was a majestic city. On the territory there were many temples with the necessary objects of worship and other important state buildings. Due to the monumentality of the structures, it is assumed that the mythical Cyclopes took part in the construction of the Acropolis. Only they could lift huge boulders.

In the period from the 15th to the 13th century BC, the royal residence was located in the Acropolis. If you believe in the reality of myths, it was here that the residence of Theseus, who owns the victory over the Minotaur, was located.

By the 7th century BC. Athena became the main patroness of the Acropolis. Her cult became widespread, and a beautiful temple was erected in honor of the goddess. A century later, Peisistratus began to actively build up the Acropolis, new buildings of the Propylaea and the Areopagus appeared.

Alas, during the war with the Persians, the Acropolis was badly damaged. Most of the buildings were completely destroyed. The Greeks did not accept the fall of their beloved city and vowed to restore its greatness. With the advent of peace in 447 BC. builders, under the guidance of the famous sculptor and architect Phidias, began to revive the Acropolis. They restored it completely, some temples of the Acropolis of that period have survived to this day. Among them are the Erechtheion, the temple of the goddess Nike, the statue of Athena, and the Parthenon.

Until the 3rd century AD The Acropolis existed in relative peace, so the inhabitants were able to significantly increase the architectural richness of the city. Statues of kings and new temples appeared, but the danger of another invasion forced them to switch to strengthening the walls.

Over the next few centuries, power over the Acropolis changed. Other saints were worshiped in the temples, and the main buildings changed their purpose. Having regained power, the Greeks began to actively restore the Acropolis. The main task of the builders was to restore the place to its original appearance.

Acropolis architecture

Today the Acropolis is the largest temple complex. Thanks to the work of restorers, many buildings appear almost in their original form. They amaze with snow-white columns, labyrinths of corridors and high walls. The entrance to the territory was carried out through the gate. Some of them are called Bule Gates after the archaeologist who found them. The gate was built in a powerful fortress wall in 267 BC.

Immediately outside the gates, the Propylaea began - buildings that immersed travelers in the world of the Acropolis. They consisted of a long colonnade with porticoes. Passing through the corridors, the travelers appeared in front of the statue of Athena, the patroness of the city. The statue was so large that its helmet and spear could be seen from the ships passing by.

Behind the Propylaea, tourists see the Temple of Nike Apteros (Wingless Nike). This is a small building with four columns and sculptures, which are located on the frieze ribbon. The wingless Goddess of Victory was made on purpose so that she could not fly away from the Greeks.

The most important temple of the Acropolis - the Parthenon - is located almost in the heart of the ancient city. This the greatest building built in honor of Athena. The length of the temple exceeds 70 m, and its width is 30 m. The perimeter is decorated with huge ten-meter columns.

Many buildings of the Acropolis belong to the architect Phidias. He also created a beautiful statue of Athena, which reached a height of 12 m. The statue was decorated with many decorative elements symbolizing invincibility. Part of the attire and decorations were made of gold.

Not far from the Parthenon is another beautiful temple- Erechtheion. It is dedicated to King Erechtheus, Athena and Poseidon. The building also served as a storehouse, a treasury and a place for religious ceremonies. Due to the unevenness of the earth's surface, the western part has a lower height than the rest of the sides.

The structures of the Athenian Acropolis are very diverse, in addition to those listed, the following buildings can be distinguished:

• Sanctuary of Aphrodite. The ruins of a temple with a beautiful architrave covered with figures of doves with garlands have survived to this day.
• Sanctuary of Artemis. The building from the time of Peisistratus is decorated with a large colonnade and statues of Artemis.
• The Temple of Augustus, built in honor of the Roman emperor, has a compact size and a round shape. Its diameter is 8.5 m, and the perimeter is decorated with nine columns.
• Sanctuary of Zeus. A small temple, which was divided by a low side into the hall of the temple itself, where rituals were held, and a place for gifts.
• Halkoteka. A special room where all the necessary attributes were kept for rituals in honor of Athena. It is located near the Temple of Artemis.
• Theater of Dionysus. A beautiful building in the south of the Acropolis. According to legend, the inhabitants of the city killed Dionysus, thinking that he wanted to poison them. To atone for their guilt, they began to organize noisy holidays on the day of his death in the theater of Dionysus.

The restoration process of the Acropolis has not yet been completed. There are several reconstruction programs funded both by the government and by independent charities. Scientists are sure that the Acropolis has not yet revealed all its secrets, therefore research work And archaeological excavations continue.

Acropolis Museum

In addition to the ruins of ancient buildings, it is worth visiting the Acropolis Museum. At first it was located in a small room near the Parthenon. The first expositions were exhibited there in 1878. Gradually, the number of exhibits increased and it was decided to build a modern building. Today the museum is located at a distance of 300 meters from the walls of the city.

The galleries show archaeological finds found in the Acropolis. Among them are the Parthenon friezes and sculptures by masters of the 5th century. BC. There are many statues from the temples, which depict battle scenes of gods, giants, Hercules, figures of Caryatids and Moschophoros. Some statues require strict temperature regime closely monitored by museum staff.

Tours of the Acropolis

The complex is open daily from 8:00 to 18:30, except for public holidays. Entrance to the territory is paid, it is 12 euros. EU citizens are offered discounts: the entrance fee for pensioners and students is 6 euros, and schoolchildren visit attractions for free. On one ticket, a tourist has the right to see the sights for four days. To enter the Acropolis Museum, you need to pay an additional 1 euro.

It will take from 4 to 6 hours to explore the numerous temples in detail, so you should stock up on water and sun protection. Comfortable clothes and shoes are welcome. Although it rarely rains here, the marble steps can be slippery even in dry weather.

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

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

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

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

History of the Acropolis

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The temple of Erichtheion was small in size (23 by 11 meters), but it united several sanctuaries under it at once. The temple was uneven in its height: the western part of the building is 3 meters lower than the eastern side. This is because the temple was built on uneven ground.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Modern Acropolis

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

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

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

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

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

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 through the majestic and ancient Acropolis. This miracle of antiquity is located on a rock 156 meters high above sea level. This rock is of 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 surrounding nature. 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 this rather large building that adjoins 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 approach one of the inhabitants and ask about this place, then we will be told an 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, located on different levels, premises. 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. See the solemn procession heading towards the very majestic temple Acropolis, 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.