Acropolis in Athens - the symbol of modern Greece

Acropolis in Athens began to erect in the middle of the fifth century BC. The idea of this large-scale construction belongs to the ancient Greek ruler Pericles. At the initial stage, a monumental gate and three churches were built. A little later, there were two more theaters - Herodes Atticus and Dionysus.

Entrance gate

The covered marble gates, which are called Propylaea, represent the entrance to the Acropolis in Athens. In the central part they have five large aisles, and on each side there are wings-porticoes and small-sized rooms with six columns. On the left side is Pinakothek. Works on the construction of the gate were completed in the fifth century BC. At different times they had different purposes. Once there was an archbishop's residence, then a castle of the Crusaders, and even later a Turkish arms store. It should be noted that the structure was badly damaged due to the penetration of the nucleus during the war between Venice and Turkey in the seventeenth century. The restoration work was completed only two centuries later.

Parthenon

The Temple of Athena on the Acropolis, which is still known as the Parthenon, is now considered the symbol of the Greek capital. Its construction was headed by Fidium, completed during the Peloponnesian War and was dedicated to the same goddess. The marble building is on a high cliff, which is also lined with this material. On the frieze of the structure images are depicted, reflecting the events of the Trojan War. Around the temple are installed Doric columns, whose height is ten meters. The statue of Athena in the Acropolis deserves special mention, which is made of ivory and gold. On her right hand is Nick. This monument was annually one of the constituent parts of the Panathenaic procession, which was accompanied by numerous competitions and sacrifices. The ancient Greeks worshiped here the goddesses Athena and Nike. In addition, the temple served as a watchpoint. According to legend, it was from here that he threw himself into the sea and crashed King Agei when he saw a black flag, erroneously posted on the ship, which meant the death of his son Theseus.

Erechtheum

The Acropolis in Athens is difficult to imagine without a temple of the Erechtheion. There is a legend that he is in the place where Athena and Poseidon entered the dispute over the city's patronage. The structure is asymmetric, and its walls have many windows. Inside it there are three rooms. An interesting feature is that in the southern part the cornice is supported not by columns, but thanks to six caryatids (statues of girls). Now the originals of these columns can be seen in the local museum. In the temple there are sanctuaries of such mythical kings as Cecrop and Erecht.

The Museum

Among other things, the Acropolis in Athens boasts the presence of its own museum, which was founded in 1878. The results of local excavations are mainly presented here. It is impossible not to mention the pediment of the temple of the goddess Athena. On it there are scenes of her triumph, as the winner of the war. In addition, the museum also preserves gable sculptures and some of the surviving parts of the Parthenon frieze.