Athens Greece – The Acropolis!

The Acropolis is perched on a limestone cliff overlooking the city of Athens.  The area has been inhabited since 4,000 BC but most of the structures were built around 450 BC by the Greek politician and general Pericles.   What struck me most was just how impressive it appears, even from quite a distance.

On the path up the hillside to the Acropolis is the Theater of Dionysus (~560 BC above) indicating the  prominence of theater in Greek society at the time.  Theater was also very important to the Romans who came later and the Odeon of Herodes Atticus (161 AD below) is only a few steps further up the stairs and is even larger and more elaborate but similar in style.  The Odeon of Herodes is still used to this day for performances and concerts of various artists, especially during the Athens Festival each year.  

The Acropolis was a fortress and the steep cliffs and walls made the approach challenging.  However, it was also an area of worship, housing the Old Temple of Athena, the Temple of Athena Nike and the Parthenon.  Athena, the goddess of wisdom, warfare, and handicraft, was the patron and protectress of the city of Athens.

Even after having been blown apart in wars and having most of the relics absconded, the Acropolis is still an astounding sight to see.  At the top of the stairs, you are met by an enormous pillared gateway called the Propylaia (Above).   It definitely has the feeling of entering the house of a goddess as you feel miniscule against the massive columns.   If it feels this way to me in 2022, how much more so would it feel that way in 450 BC?  

Just past the main gate or Propylaia there used to be a gigantic 30 foot bronze statue of Athena Promachos or “Athena who fights in the front line”.   The statue was so large that the helmet and spear could be seen gleaming in the sunlight by sailors out a sea!   It was erected in 456 BC and took 9 years to construct.   Unfortunately, it was destroyed and is no longer visible but it’s incredible to imagine and must have been awe inspiring.

Of course, no visit to the Acropolis or Athens is complete without visiting the Parthenon (above).  The Parthenon was dedicated to the goddess Athena and in the center there used to be a colossal 11.5 meter (37 foot high) gold and ivory statue of Athena called the Athena Parthenos.   The word Parthenon comes from the Greek word meaning maiden or virgin, unmarried girl and scholars believe there was a room in the Parthenon for these girls though it is unclear the function.   

Most of the existing sculptures from the Parthenon and the Acropolis are no longer on site but located nearby at the Acropolis Museum or quite far away at the British Museum in London and the Louvre in France.      

While there are 21 major sites on the Acropolis, one other that I found interesting and beautiful was the Erechtheion or Temple of Athena Polias.    It housed another statue of Athena but also a sacred salt spring that was said to have been created when Pseidon slammed the ground with his trident in a battle with Athena over the city.   This temple also held the tombs of two Greek kings as well as a pit for snakes and a sacred olive tree (both of which are associated with Athena).  On the top right of the photo above is the Porch of Maidens which is on the south wall of the Erechtheion and is particularly striking but it’s function and significance, while debated, is largely lost to history.