Syntagma Square is the central square of Athens. It was named after the Constitution, which King Otto was forced to grant in 1843 due to the revolution of September 3rd. During this revolution, the people and the military guard of Athens demanded, gathered outside the then royal palace(the building that today houses the Hellenic Parliament), the issuance of a constitution, the fundamental law of the state.
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is located in a landscaped area in front of the building of the Hellenic Parliament, directly opposite the eastern side of Syntagma Square, on Amalias Avenue. The two guards of the monument, the Evzones, are replaced by two new guards every hour, with perfectly synchronized movements.
The Odeon of Herodes Atticus, known as the Herodeion, was built in 160 AD by the wealthy orator and sophist Herodes Atticus in memory of his wife, Rigilla. Unlike other theaters, it was roofed and hosted only musical performances.
Όταν ακούμε την λέξη Ακρόπολη έρχεται στον νου μας η σημερινή μορφή της, ωστόσο η ιστορία του ιερού βράχου της Ακρόπολης ξεκινά από την 4η χιλιετία π.Χ. όταν πρωτοκατοικήθηκε η Αθήνα.
4000 π.Χ.: Οι πρώτοι κάτοικοι των Αθηνών εγκαθίστανται γύρω από τον βράχο της Ακρόπολης και από τότε αποτελεί το σταθερό κέντρο, όπου γύρω του αναπτύσσεται η ζωή της πόλης.
Μυκηναϊκή εποχή (1600-1100 π.Χ.): Ο οικισμός μεγαλώνει, ο βασιλιάς κτίζει εδώ το ανάκτορό του και οχυρώνει τον βράχο τον 13ο αι. με τεράστιους λίθους, δημιουργώντας τα "Κυκλώπεια τείχη."
Γεωμετρική και Αρχαϊκή εποχή (9ος-6ος αι. π.Χ.): Η Ακρόπολη γίνεται θρησκευτικό κέντρο της πόλης, καθώς το πολίτευμα γίνεται αριστοκρατικό. Το 566 π.Χ. επί Πεισίστρατου, καθιερώνονται τα Μεγάλα Παναθήναια, η γιορτή προς τιμή της Αθηνάς που πραγματοποιείται κάθε τέσσερα χρόνια στην Ακρόπολη. Ναοί και αγάλματα στήνονται στον ιερό χώρο.
Χρυσός Αιώνας (5ος αι. π.Χ.): Το 490 π.Χ. οι Αθηναίοι νικούν στον Μαραθώνα τους Πέρσες, για να ευχαριστήσουν την προστάτιδα θεά τους αρχίζουν να κτίζουν ένα ναό προς τιμή της, γνωστός ως Προπαρθενώνας. Ο ναός αυτός δεν ολοκληρώθηκε ποτέ γιατί οι Πέρσες το 480 π.Χ. εκστρατεύουν δεύτερη φορά κατά των Ελλήνων και πυρπολούν την Αθήνα και την Ακρόπολη. Με τη νίκη όμως των Ελλήνων το 479 π.Χ. στη μάχη των Πλαταιών και την οριστική απώθηση των Περσών, οι Αθηναίοι επιδιορθώνουν τα τείχη με οικοδομικό υλικό από τους κατεστραμμένους ή τους ημιτελείς ναούς. Ακολουθεί το β΄ μισό του 5ου αι., η εποχή του Περικλή κατά την οποία χτίστηκαν όλα σχεδόν τα κτήρια που βλέπουμε σήμερα.
Ελληνιστική και Ρωμαϊκή εποχή (330 π.Χ. - 330 μ.Χ.): Πλήθος αφιερώματα γεμίζουν την Ακρόπολη. Οι Ρωμαίοι χτίζουν το μικρό ναό της Ρώμης και του Αυγούστου μπροστά από τον Παρθενώνα. Το 267 μ.Χ. η Ακρόπολη πυρπολείται από τους Ερούλους, ένα βαρβαρικό φύλο που εισέβαλε και λεηλάτησε την Αθήνα.
Βυζαντινή περίοδος (330 μ.Χ. - 1204): Σε χριστιανικούς ναούς μετατρέπονται τα μνημεία της Ακρόπολης. Το Ερέχθειο αφιερώνεται στον Χριστό Σωτήρα και ο Παρθενώνας στην Παναγία την Αθηνιώτισσα, ενώ τα Προπύλαια χρησιμοποιούνται ως κατοικία των ορθόδοξων μητροπολιτών των Αθηνών.
Εποχή της Φραγκοκρατίας (1204-1458): Τα Προπύλαια μετατρέπονται σε κατοικία των Φράγκων ηγεμόνων και το Ερέχθειο χρησιμοποιείται ως κατοικία και υπόγεια δεξαμενή. Στα Προπύλαια χτίζεται ο Φράγκικος Πύργος, ύψους 26μ., που σώζεται ως τον 19ο αιώνα. Ενισχύονται τα ήδη ισχυρά τείχη και μετατρέπεται η Ακρόπολη σε μεσαιωνικό φρούριο με πύργους και επάλξεις.
Εποχή της Τουρκοκρατίας (1458-1821): Τα κυριότερα μνημεία μετατρέπονται σε μουσουλμανικά τεμένη. Στο πίσω μέρος του Παρθενώνα υψώνεται ένας μιναρές. Η μεγαλύτερη όμως καταστροφή γίνεται το 1687 κατά τον Β΄ Ενετοτουρκικό πόλεμο όταν ο Μοροζίνης ανατινάζει τον Παρθενώνα που χρησίμευε ως πυριτιδαποθήκη των Τούρκων. Η καταστροφή συνεχίστηκε στις αρχές του 19ου αι. με την κλοπή μέρους των μαρμάρων από τον Βρετανό λόρδο Έλγιν, τα οποία σήμερα βρίσκονται στο Βρετανικό Μουσείο.
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When we hear the word Acropolis, we usually imagine its present form. Yet the history of this sacred rock goes back to the 4th millennium BC, when Athens was first inhabited.
4000 BC: The first settlers of Athens established themselves around the Acropolis rock, which from then on became the permanent center around which the city’s life developed.
Mycenaean period (1600–1100 BC): The settlement grew, and in the 13th century BC the king built his palace here and fortified the rock with massive stones, creating the so-called Cyclopean Walls.
Geometric and Archaic period (9th–6th century BC): The Acropolis became the religious center of the city as Athens evolved into an aristocratic state. In 566 BC, under Peisistratos, the Great Panathenaia festival was established in honor of Athena, celebrated every four years on the Acropolis. Temples and statues were erected on the sacred site.
The Golden Age (5th century BC): After the Athenians defeated the Persians at Marathon in 490 BC, they began building a temple in honor of their patron goddess, known as the Pre-Parthenon. This temple was never completed, as in 480 BC the Persians invaded again, burning Athens and the Acropolis. With the decisive Greek victory at Plataea in 479 BC, the Athenians repaired the fortifications using material from the ruined and unfinished temples. The second half of the 5th century BC marked the age of Pericles, during which nearly all the monuments we see today were built.
Hellenistic and Roman period (330 BC–330 AD): Numerous offerings filled the Acropolis. The Romans constructed the small Temple of Roma and Augustus in front of the Parthenon. In 267 AD, the Acropolis was burned by the Heruli, a barbarian tribe that invaded and plundered Athens.
Byzantine period (330–1204): The monuments of the Acropolis were converted into Christian churches. The Erechtheion was dedicated to Christ the Savior, the Parthenon to the Virgin Mary (Panagia Athiniotissa), and the Propylaea served as the residence of the Orthodox metropolitans of Athens.
Frankish rule (1204–1458): The Propylaea became the residence of the Frankish rulers, while the Erechtheion was used as a residence and cistern. A Frankish tower, 26 m high, was erected on the Propylaea and stood until the 19th century. The fortifications were strengthened, transforming the Acropolis into a medieval fortress with towers and battlements.
Ottoman period (1458–1821): The major monuments were converted into mosques. A minaret was built at the rear of the Parthenon. The most severe destruction occurred in 1687 during the Second Venetian–Turkish War, when Morosini bombarded the Parthenon, which the Turks were using as a gunpowder store. Further losses followed in the early 19th century with the removal of a large part of the sculptures by Lord Elgin, now housed in the British Museum.
The Parthenon is the largest and most important structure on the Acropolis. It is a supreme achievement of ancient Greek architecture. It is a Doric temple made of Pentelic marble, with 8 columns on the east and west sides, and 17 columns on the side facades. The roof was wooden. The pediments were decorated with scenes from the birth of Athena and the contest between Athena and Poseidon. The metopes, 92 in total, were adorned with relief scenes depicting the Gigantomachy, the Fall of Troy, the Amazonomachy, and the Centauromachy. The Parthenon was built between 447 BC and 438 BC by the architects Ictinos and Callicrates. The temple was not a place of worship but a dedication to the gods. Inside, there was a chryselephantine statue of Athena Parthenos, created by Phidias, and considered a masterpiece of ancient art.
The Erechtheion, which was the last of the buildings constructed during the time of Pericles, was not an ordinary temple dedicated to a single deity, but a complex structure built to house earlier cults, such as the worship of Athena and Poseidon Erechtheus(the mythical king, son of Gaia, who later merged with Poseidon but gave his name to the building). The Erechtheion also housed the "martyria"(the marks of Poseidon's trident and Athena's olive tree).
The Theater of Dionysus is the oldest theatrical structure in the world. This theater was closely linked to the worship of the god Dionysus in classical ancient Athens, as theatrical performances were held during the dramatic contests that took place as part of the grand festival in honor of the god, the Great or City Dionysia.
The Temple of Olympian Zeus is one of the most important sanctuaries of Athens and one of the oldest, as a place of worship for Zeus already existed here. In the late 6th century BC, Peisistratus sought to construct a grand temple, but he was unable to complete it. Centuries later, Antiochus IV Epiphanes of the Hellenistic Seleucid Kingdom in Syria attempted to finish it, but once again, he did not succeed due to his death. Ultimately, the completion of the temple was carried out by the Roman Emperor Hadrian between 125 AD and 132 AD, linking his name with the city of Athens.
The Temple of Hephaestus is one of the best-preserved temples of classical antiquity. Construction began before the Parthenon in 449 BC, but the work was interrupted to complete the Parthenon, and resumed afterward. The temple is located on the hill known as the "Agoraio Kolonos" and is commonly referred to as the Theseion. The decoration of the temple depicts the labors of Theseus and Heracles, with an emphasis on Theseus, which led to the impression that the temple was dedicated to the Athenian hero. The temple was later converted into a church during the Christian years and was dedicated to Saint George.
Δυτικά της Ακρόπολης βρίσκεται ο Άρειος Πάγος,εδώ συνεδρίαζε την μυκηναική εποχή η 5ο αι. π.Χ. ο Άρειος Πάγος είχε μόνο δικαστική εξουσία. Το όνομα του συνδέεται πιθανόν με τον θεό Άρη και τις Αρές, θεότητες των τύψεων.Ο Άρειος Πάγος ως σώμα είχε στην αρμοδιότητα του και θέματα που σχετίζονταν με την εισαγωγή νέων λατρείων.Από τον λόφο αυτό ο Απόστολος Παύλος,στα μέσα περίπου του 1ου αι. μ.Χ. , δίδαξε της αρχές της νέας θρησκείας.
West of the Acropolis lies the Areopagus. During the Mycenaean period and the 5th century BC, the Areopagus held judicial authority. Its name is likely connected to the god Ares and the Erinyes (Furies), deities associated with remorse. As a council, the Areopagus was also responsible for matters related to the introduction of new cults. From this hill, the Apostle Paul, around the middle of the 1st century AD, preached the principles of the new religion.
According to the ancient traveler Pausanias, the highest of the three hills west of the Acropolis was named after the poet Musaeus, who lived, taught, and was buried there. However, it is more likely that the hill was associated with a temple dedicated to the Muses, to whom the hill must have been consecrated. Today, however, it is more commonly known as the Hill of Philopappus, named after the funerary monument of Philopappus located at its summit. Philopappus, a descendant of the Seleucid dynasty, rulers of the Hellenistic Kingdom of Syria, gained Athenian citizenship due to his generous offerings to the people of Athens. As a result, he was granted the right to erect his funerary monument on the hill opposite the Acropolis.
The Roman Agora was constructed between 19 BC and 11 BC and housed the commercial activities of ancient Athens. Its construction was funded by donations from Julius Caesar and Augustus. It has two gates: one on the west, in the Doric style, made of Pentelic marble, known as the Gate of the Chief Goddess Athena. The other gate is located on the eastern side of the Agora and is in the Ionic style with smooth columns made of gray Hymettus marble. It is not known when the Roman Agora was destroyed, but it remained in continuous use until the 19th century. During the Byzantine and post-Byzantine periods, it was occupied by houses, workshops, and churches such as the Church of the Taxiarchs (today's Panagia Grigorousa), the Church of the Prophet Elijah, and the Church of the Saviour of Pazaroporta. The Gate of the Chief Goddess Athena became known during the Ottoman period as the "Pazaroporta" because the area housed the grain market of the time.
The Horologion of Andronikos Kyrrhestes, also known as the Tower of the Winds or Aërides, was built by the architect and astronomer Andronikos from Kyrrhos in Macedonia around the end of the 2nd century BC. This structure has a triple function: it is a weather vane, a sundial, and a hydraulic clock. At the top of the building, there was a rotating bronze figure of Triton, which indicated the direction of the wind. In the 13th-14th centuries, the monument functioned as a church, and later, during the Ottoman period, it was used as a tekke(dervish lodge) for the Mevlevi order.
The Library of Hadrian was a square-shaped space with colonnades surrounding it. The main library was located at the far end of the courtyard, opposite the entrance. On the left and right sides, there were spaces that served as reading rooms. This library was constructed in the 2nd century AD by the Emperor Hadrian. Today, the Fethiye Mosque, also known as the Mosque of the Conqueror, houses the Museum of Greek Folk Art.
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