The Acropolis & Parthenon
No visit to Athens can be complete without a visit to the Acropolis. It is one of the most essential things to visit on a trip to Athens! Indeed, it’s such an important site for the history of Greece and of Western Civilization itself, that the two things are inextricably linked: the city, and the citadel.
The Acropolis is located atop a hill overlooking the city of Athens. Originally inhabited as far back as the fourth millennium BC, the first fortification walls were built in the 13th century BC, to protect the palace of the Mycenean king. Over time, the hill gradually assumed a religious character, and in the 8th – 5th centuries BC, the first temples were erected on the site. At about 500 BC, plans were made for a newer, grander temple, that required leveling the stony hilltop and laying a foundation for bigger structures. After the wars with Persia, Athenians used some architectural remnants to build a curtain wall, and many artifacts were buried as efforts to create the artificial hilltop plateau were resumed.
The Acropolis as we know it today was created due to the enormous scale of building efforts carried out under Pericles during the Golden Age of Athens, from 460-430 BC. During this time, the Parthenon, Propylaea, and the Temple of Athena Nike were built, followed a few decades later by the temple of Erechtheion, and more temples, statues, and sanctuaries were constructed. In 1687, gunpowder stored in the Parthenon was detonated during a battle with Venice, severely damaging the buildings of the Acropolis, and serious, modern restoration was really only begun in 1975.
Today, the Acropolis is a complex of ancient sites, monuments, museums, and artifacts that can easily occupy several days of perusing, not in the least because the site also commands incredible views of Athens and the sea beyond, dotted with islands.
The most famous structures of the Acropolis include:
The Parthenon
Arguably the most iconic building in the world, second perhaps only to the pyramids of Giza, the Parthenon is a masterpiece of ancient art, design, and technology. It is the best example of Greek architecture, even in its own time. The fascinating construction style of the Parthenon makes the whole building something of an optical illusion: the building achieves the appearance of perfect straight lines, even columns, right angles, and exact proportions by, in fact, incorporating subtle curves and angles to deceive the eye. The illusion is so convincing that the building continues to fascinate architects and designers to this day.
Inside the Parthenon, visitors can see ancient sculptures and marvel at the figures in the pediments, but the most famous piece of art is the Parthenon Frieze. The Frieze is the height of classical Greek sculpture, a bas-relief sculpture depicting a massive procession in ancient Athens.
Odeon of Herodes
The Odeon of Herodes Atticus is a stone theatre structure located on the southwest slope of the Acropolis of Athens, Greece. The building was completed in 161 AD and then renovated in 1950. It was built in 161 AD by the Athenian magnate Herodes Atticus in memory of his wife, Aspasia Annia Regilla. It was originally a steep-sloped theater with a three-story stone front wall and a wooden roof made of expensive cedar of Lebanon timber. It was used as a venue for music concerts with a capacity of 5,000. It lasted intact until it was destroyed and left in ruins by the Heruli in 267 AD.
The Erechtheion
The Parthenon had the shape and prestige of a temple but was never a properly holy site. The Erechtheion, with its famous Porch of the Caryatids, was a truly sacred site in ancient Athens. Today, visitors can have the best of both worlds: atop the Acropolis, gazing out over Athens, are perfect replicas of the original caryatids, so they can be seen and appreciated as intended. However, inside the Acropolis Museum, the original caryatids are being carefully cleaned and restored. In the museum, they can be observed closely from all angles, where visitors can truly appreciate their incredible design. Each is unique and different from her sisters, with fabric folds and elaborate hairstyles all her own.
Acropolis Museum
Speaking of the Acropolis Museum, it’s an essential companion for a visit to the Acropolis. The museum is itself an archaeological site, with glass floors so visitors can see the excavations below, and it provides preservation, information, and context for the sights of the Acropolis. The site and the museum work together to preserve ancient history as it is, and show it as it was.
No visit to Athens is complete without experiencing the Acropolis and the Parthenon, and seeing majestic Athens in all her Golden Age glory.
