The Acropolis of Athens and its temples. Brief description of the Athenian Acropolis

Target educational tourism in Greece - to see and capture in memory and in photographs as many sights as possible. There are really a lot of them in this country, but the leading position is occupied by Acropolis in Athens.
A special atmosphere reigns here - the spirit of ancient Hellas, when gods and people entered into invisible battles, the wisdom and knowledge of philosophers, ancient ruins, practically untouched by human hands, intertwined with modern architectural searches. The Athenian pearl of history is located on the rocky limestone hill of Acropolis, whose height above sea level is 156 meters. Its peculiarity is a flat area at the top and steep slopes (all except the western one). The ancient Greeks escaped here from enemy raids; the city was very clearly visible from above and all approaches to the site were controlled. total area- about 3 hectares.

HISTORY OF THE ACROPOLIS OF ATHENS

The territory of the hill was divided into sacred areas, on which theaters, temples, and altars were located. From here there was an amazing view of the surrounding area; here in ancient times the military and social life of the capital was concentrated, there were outbuildings and warehouses for storing weapons.
In the middle of the 7th century. BC. The first large building is being built on the hill - the temple of Polyada on the site of the city treasury. In 490, a decision was made to build a new sanctuary - a six-column temple, where people came to worship Pallas Athena. But the authorities did not have time to complete their plan; the Persian raid on the capital destroyed the city and all the buildings.
And only in 450 BC. During the reign of Pericles, they began to create an architectural ensemble: first, the Parthenon grew on the hill, then the Temple of Athena, the official entrance - the Propylaea, near them the small temple of Nike Apteros and the Erechtheion shrine. The development of the construction plan belonged to the local sculptor Phidias. Upon completion of the work, he was condemned for allegedly misappropriating valuable materials during the construction process and was even accused of atheism for depicting himself and his friend Pericles on the reliefs dedicated to Athena. With the help of friends, he managed to escape from prison, after which the sculptor created a statue of Zeus - one of the seven wonders of the world recognized by the world.
The Acropolis was rebuilt several times; during enemy raids, some of the buildings were almost completely destroyed. Currently, all cultural values are under vigilant state protection. Most of the buildings and statues are made of marble, the main enemy of which is the unfavorable Greek ecology. Large exhaust emissions caused higher level sulfur in the air, marble gradually turned into limestone. Iron piles and slabs connecting individual parts of the structures contributed to the further destruction of the stone. These were later removed and replaced with brass elements. Some of the sculptures that you will see while traveling around the site are copies; you can see the originals in the Museum.

How to get to the Acropolis

The hill is located in the western part of the capital of Greece, you can get here by public transport, it's fast and inexpensive. Tourists use the second metro line (exit at the station of the same name), trolleybuses No. 1.5, 15 or buses (routes 135, E22, A2, 106, 208).
If you have time and prefer hiking, from the city center you can walk along Dionysiou Areopagitou street. You need to go straight towards the mountain, without turning into alleys. On the same street is the New Acropolis Museum, 300 meters from the entrance to the " upper city» near Akropolis metro station. If you visit it before climbing the hill, this will not at all smooth out the impression of the temple architecture and remains seen later ancient civilization. The ultra-modern building, which opened its doors to visitors in 2009, has 5 floors and a glass floor on the ground floor, under which winding streets can be seen - the result of archaeological excavations. The total number of exhibits is more than 4,000, including the statue of the goddess Athena. On the third floor there is a souvenir shop and a cafe. A special feature of the building is the constant coolness inside, which is very welcome by tourists after visiting the sights of the hill on a hot day.

Visiting rules

Excursions have no restrictions; at any time of the year you can enter the territory through the Propylaea (main gate) from 8.00 to 18.00. The ticket costs about 12 euros and allows unhindered entry for 4 days. It’s better to walk around the site in a group excursion group with a Russian-speaking guide, independent travel will not bring so much pleasure - you will simply contemplate ancient ruins without knowing their amazing and rich history. At the entrance to the marble gate there is a sign stating the rules of tourist behavior. The main one is the ban on touching stones and exhibits with your hands and not taking them outside the gate.
Free visit days:
- April 18 - Greeks celebrate International Monument Day;
- June 5 - World Environment Day;
- March 6 is the day when the memory of the Greek actress Melina Mercury is honored;
- last Saturday and Sunday of September.
The Acropolis is closed on major public and religious holidays: Easter Sunday, January 1, Christmas.

Sights of the Acropolis

Propylaea
Propylaea - the official entrance to the "museum under open air", which is a marble gate through which visitors enter the territory. The modern structure was erected on top of the previously existing one, it was designed in 437 BC by the famous architect Mnesicles and the construction was completely completed in 5 years.
The external and internal facades are Doric porticoes consisting of six columns, and the outer part of the gate is a complex architectural composition and greater depth than internal. In total, the Propylaea has five passages for visitors, the central one is the widest (4.3 m), it was intended for the passage of riders on horses and the passage of animals, which were supposed to be sacrificed to the gods of Olympus. Instead of steps, a gentle ramp leads to it, framed by internal columns in two rows.
Temple of Nike Apteros
If you move southwest from outside gate, you can see the small temple of Nike Apteros, which spreads its possessions on a high bastion. This is the only structure located in front of the Propylaea. The frieze depicts scenes of battles for the country, episodes from ancient Greek myths. The miniature nature of the structure is amazing; the tall columns in the Ionic style, despite their bulkiness, seem weightless, and the internal lighting in the evenings makes this place mysterious.
Parthenon
This is the main and very first temple of the Acropolis, located in the northwestern corner of the “upper city,” built in 447-438 BC. Over the course of 9 years, the shrine was rebuilt according to the design of Kallicrates; during excavations, archaeologists found ancient tablets with reports from the authorities on the expenditure of city funds on construction to the population. The temple was almost completely destroyed several times; reconstruction work is still underway. In the depths of the sanctuary there was a statue of the goddess Athena, its height reached 10 meters, the body was made of wood, and its open areas were made of ivory, which gave the statue maximum resemblance to a person. The clothes and wreath were made of pure gold, the total weight of which reached 1150 kg. It is not surprising that the original statue has not survived to this day (according to official version- lost), several smaller copies of the goddess have been preserved in the Museum.
Unlike other buildings, Greek architects tried not only to build beautiful building, but also took into account the characteristics of the human visual organs. In their opinion, the following construction tricks were able to give the temple greater grandeur - not a flat, but a slightly convex floor inside, the diameter of the corner columns is larger than the others, and the size of the columns located in the middle is slightly smaller than the others.
Erechtheion
It is not for nothing that the Greeks call this temple a pearl of architecture. Created in the Ionic style (lighter and more refined), construction was completed after the death of King Pericles. The shrine was created mainly for priests who worshiped Athena (unlike the Parthenon, which could be visited by everyone); sacrifice rituals and religious sacraments were performed here. At this place, as legend says, a competition took place between the beautiful Athena and Poseidon for power over the capital. And when the god of the seas lost, he struck the ground with his trident in anger. In one of the reconstructed halls you can see a deep trace of it, which the architects decided to preserve.
King Erechtheus was a favorite of the local population. In one of the battles, he killed the son of Poseidon. As punishment, Zeus struck Erechtheus with lightning at his request - during a tour of the Acropolis, the guide will show tourists the place where the elements damaged the marble slabs, leaving several deep cracks in them. The temple was erected next to the resting remains of the king.
The main building is divided into two uneven parts located at different levels from the ground line. East End with a separate entrance was dedicated to Athena, in front of the statue in the sanctuary an unquenchable fire burned in a golden lamp, the western one had three separate entrances, three altars were located here in worship of the gods Poseidon, Hephaestus (god of fire and blacksmithing) and the first priest of Athena Butu, the king’s brother Erechthea.
Login western part The temple was designed in the form of a rectangular portico supported by six columns depicting full-length female figures. The portico of the Caryatids got its name in honor of the priestesses of the goddess, who during the holidays performed a special ritual dance with large baskets filled to the brim with ripe fruits. Caryatids are women originally from the small town of Karia, known for their beauty and refined figure. Even during the capture of the Greek capital by the Turks, who did not recognize human images on statues due to Muslim beliefs, the columns were not destroyed. They limited themselves to carefully cutting off the stone faces of beautiful women.
Temple of Augustus
A small temple was located east of the Parthenon round shape, built in 27 BC. The roof was supported by 9 columns in the Ionic style. Archaeologists managed to find only the foundation of the building; they were able to correlate it with the real building only after discovering a dedicatory inscription at the foot. It said that the temple was dedicated to Roma and Augustus and was erected by grateful Athenians, this is a symbol of veneration by the local residents of Octavian Augustus. It is the only one erected for the purpose of glorifying the cult of the Emperors. The construction ideas belonged to the architect who was involved in the restoration of the Erechtheion during the Roman Empire, so the two buildings have many similar features.
Bule Gate
Are part architectural ensemble, their construction dates back to 267. The gate is considered an emergency entrance to the site; this small opening in the wall after the raids of the ancient Germanic tribes of the Heruls made it possible for residents to leave the territory unnoticed. They are named after Ernest Bullet, an architect from France, who in 1825 was engaged in archaeological excavations in the area and discovered a secret gate.
Sanctuary of Zeus
Located east of the Erechtheion, its main feature is the lack of a roof. There is no information about what the sanctuary looked like before, and all data obtained varies, so future reconstruction of the structure may not correspond to reality. In accordance with one of the scientists' hypotheses, this site was ideal for worshiping the main god of Olympus, since it is located highest point hill above sea level. On the territory of the sanctuary, a bronze altar was installed, as well as a small chapel, in the center of which there was a sacrificial pit. In those days, sacrifices were considered to be a joint meal between gods and people. Feasting was prohibited until some of the food went into the big fire. At first, food, fruits, cookies, incense and other offerings were burned near the sanctuary, and the ashes were carefully poured into this niche. No evidence has been found of people performing nal rituals in honor of the gods.
Bravronion
The structure is located near the surviving ruins of ancient Mycenaean walls to the east. Artemis Bravronia was the patroness of girls until marriage and the protector of pregnant women.
According to documents, the creator of the sanctuary is considered to be Pisistratus, in whose homeland this goddess was worshiped. The shape of the small temple is a colonnade in the Dorian style, adjacent to it are two wings in the shape of the letter “P”, where statues of the goddess Artemis were kept, one belongs to the hands of the sculptor Praxiteles, the author of the second is unknown. The date of construction of the sanctuary is not precisely known, approximately 430 BC. The sanctuary did not play a major role in the complex, so instead of the traditional ancient altar there were 4 porticoes, to which women laid their offerings.
Once every four years, residents of the capital celebrated the holiday of “Bravronia”: from Athens to Bravronia (38 km) a procession of girls (7-10 years old) walked on foot to stay there for at least one year and play the role of she-bears for Artemis (she was considered the Bear goddess). Rituals were regularly held here; after the last one, the girls took off their long capes, which they wore all year, which symbolized the onset of the period of female maturity.
Chalkoteca
Behind the sanctuary there was a structure with an additional separate room (“inner room”), where shields, throwing weapons, and religious objects for the rites of worship of Athena were kept. The exact date of construction is unknown; according to preliminary data, it was the mid-5th century. BC, large-scale reconstruction was carried out during the Roman period. Today, what remains of the Chalcotheca are several large building blocks and a large basin made of stone.
Theater of Dionysus - the first " Entertainment Center"Greeks
Bread and circuses were what the locals demanded, and it was in abundance in ancient Greece. The first and most ancient Athenian theater is located on the southern side of the hill. It was built in honor of the god of wine, who, according to legend, the Athenians killed, mistakenly believing that he gave them poisoned wine. On the day of his death, the festival of Dionysus was celebrated, accompanied by noisy feasts and mass celebrations. This is how the first theater was created, on the stage (then it was an “orchestra”) of which the audience first saw the theatrical performances of Euripides and Sophocles, and the tandem of poetry and tragedy was born here. Stone structure the open-air venue could accommodate up to 17 thousand spectators at a time.
The orchestra was separated from the rows by a rather deep ditch with water; scientists suggest that this trick improved audibility, thanks to which even in the upper seats the dialogue of the actors was perfectly audible.
Behind the stage there was a small building (skhena) intended for changing clothes for participants in productions. The walls of the theater were decorated with bas-reliefs depicting gods and episodes from mythology, fragments of some of which tourists can still see.
At the beginning seats were made entirely of wood, but in 325 BC. they were replaced by more durable marble ones. Their height was only 40 cm, so that you could see everything that was happening on stage, and they were equipped with soft pillows.
The chairs in the first row were named, this can be judged by the inscriptions that could not be destroyed by the forces of nature. In the 1st century, the amphitheater was rebuilt, this marked the beginning of gladiatorial fights and circus performances. A high iron side was built between the first row of spectators for the safety of visitors.

Hill Caves

Cave of Zeus
Every year in the spring, the “chosen” Athenians came here, expecting lightning - natural phenomenon, considered a sign of the arrival of the main deity of Olympus on the hill of Armagh. He showed them the correct and safe course to Delphi, this was a signal that the deity was protecting and blessing.
Altar of Apollo
Not far from the cave of Zeus you can see a recess in which the altar of the Sun god was located. After local residents elected 9 archons (highest officials of the capital), they went to take an oath of allegiance and honor at the altar of Apollo of Patros, the second solemn oath was pronounced here.
Cave of Pan
If you walk a little east from the altar, you can see a small cave that is almost overgrown. This is a tribute to Pan, the god of shepherds and forests. It appeared in the minds of the Greeks and official literature after the Battle of Marathon in 490 BC. He is credited with instilling fear in the Persians and winning local residents.
Source of Clepsydra
In the western part there is a small stone niche with a source, previously called "Embedo". Its waters periodically disappear, then spring water appears on the surface of the earth again. In the 5th century BC. the Greek commander Kimon turned it into a fountain, which was later filled with stones. During the heyday of Christianity, Clepsydra received the status of a “saint”; a small church of the Holy Apostles began to be built near him.

Acropolis as a unique ecosystem

The hill is not only the cradle of Greek civilization, but also a protected area significant for environmental organizations. Biologist Grigoris Tsounis claims that the Acropolis is a corner of heaven on earth. The scientist studied the diversity of flora and fauna on the slopes of the hill for a long time and came to the conclusion that rare species of birds and butterflies are present in this ecosystem. Seeing one of the representatives of the fauna in our time is a great success.
Among the poppy and chamomile meadows there is also a unique plant called “micromeria acropolitana”. Micromeria grows only on the slopes of the Acropolis, in places where rocky areas predominate and there is a minimum of soil. It was first noticed in 1906, after which it disappeared without a trace. G. Tsunis discovered it again only in 2006; Professor Kit Tan from the University of Copenhagen came to confirm the presence of Micromeria. The team of scientists does not stop developing further actions to protect the area’s ecosystem, so that for a long time this amazing corner will greet tourists not only with historical ruins, but also natural resources, which did not have time to destroy the elements and destructive actions of man.

If you want to buy souvenirs, it is better to do it in the capital’s craftsmen’s shops or shops. The triple markup on trinkets in the form of magnets, stones and mugs will hit your pocket hard, and the range of Acropolis sellers is limited - local authorities do not give permission to turn the attraction into an ordinary trading platform. But the Greeks are a wise people, they understand that foreign tourists It is difficult to understand all the greatness of the holy land; there have been and will be attempts to take with you a piece of a temple or theater dilapidated by winds, precipitation and time. Every night, caretakers go up to the site and scatter pieces of marble, shells and colored glass that you can take home as souvenirs.

is the heart and main tourist attraction of Athens and Greece. Clearly visible from all sides (construction is prohibited
high-rise buildings so as not to block the view of Acropolis) it serves as an excellent landmark for moving around the city.

Annually Acropolis of Athens visited by millions of tourists and travelers from all over the world.

Acropolis translated from ancient Greek as a fortified place in the city.
The Acropolis is the oldest populated place Athens. Already during the Archaic period, there were majestic temples and sculptures here, which later generations of Greeks considered the heritage of the Cyclops. IN Mycenaean period(15 -13 century BC) Acropolis was the royal residence.

It was here that the residence of the legendary Theseus(the conqueror of the Minotaur), unless, of course, his personality was mythical.

During the Greco-Persian Wars Acropolis was completely destroyed by the Persians. The inhabitants of Athens swore an oath to restore the shrines only after the victory over the Persians and the expulsion of enemies from Hellas. In 447 BC. under the direction of the famous sculptor Acropolis new construction has begun. , the Temple of Nike, the Erechtheion - these are the masterpieces that we enjoy to this day.

Bule Gate

This gate is named after the French architect Ernest Bühle, who excavated the Acropolis in 1825. This is one of the two Acropolis gates that were built into the fortress walls after the Heruli raid in 267.

Sanctuary of Aphrodite Pandemos

To the right of the Bule Gate are ruins of the temple of Aphrodite. At present, all that remains of the temple is the architrave decorated with garlands and doves.

Sanctuary of Artemis Bravronia

This temple was located in eastern part of the Acropolis, not far from the ruins of the Mycenaean walls. The temple was a Dorian colonnade with two wings in the shape of a “U”. The creation of the temple is attributed to Pisistratus, who came from the region of Brauronia,
Where cult of Artemis was widespread. In the side wings of the temple colonnade were kept two statues of the goddess: the first was an ancient wooden statue depicting the goddess sitting on a throne, and the second, which was a creation sculptor Praxiteles.

Chalkoteca

East of the Temple of Artemis was Chalkoteca, a building that was used to store metal objects related to the cult goddess Athena. The building was built in the mid-5th century BC, and reconstruction of the building was carried out during the Roman period.

On Southern slope Acropolis is the oldest known theater, - Theater of Dionysus(god of winemaking). According to legend, the inhabitants of Athens killed Dionysus when he arrived in Attica and gave wine to people for the first time, thinking that Dionysus was trying to poison them. Then they came to their senses and began to celebrate Dionysia very vigorously - festivals in
the honor of the god they killed. In the end, this all led to the creation of the theater. It was in this theater that masterpieces were first shown Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides and Aristophanes.

In the 6th century BC. ruler of Athens tyrant Peisistratus introduced the cult of Dionysus into Athens and organized the Great Dionysia, which was held during March–April. Around the same time in Athens a poet appeared Thespis, a native of the demos of Ikaria. He introduced the first actor to Dionysia and began to write the texts that he should
was read by the actor and choir members. Before Thespis, these texts were pure improvisation of the choristers. Thespis also began to devote texts not only to life events Dionysus, but also to other heroes of Greek mythology and real historical characters. Acting masks were also invented and introduced, since one and the same
the 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 was reconstructed many times.

The theater has 78 rows of spectators, which are divided by a passage into two zones. The passage is also part of the Peripata - the path that surrounds the sacred rock Acropolis.

The front rows of marble spectators, 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 Eleftheria.

Romans The theater was changed twice. Once during the reign of Emperor Nero, in the 1st century AD, and again 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 the god: seated Zeus, and in front of him Hermes with the baby Dionysus in their arms, along the edges of Kurita they dance a war dance with weapons in their hands. Then depicted Icarus, sacrificing a goat to Dionysus, and
on the right is Dionysus alone with his friend Satyr.

Temple of Augustus

Not far from the eastern entrance to the Parthenon was Temple of Roma andAugusta. The temple was built in 27 BC. when Octavian received the title of Augustus. It was a small round temple with a diameter of 8.50 meters and 9 Ionic columns. At the foot of the columns there was an inscription that said that the temple was dedicated to Roma and
Augustus from the grateful Athenians.

Sanctuary of Zeus Polyaeus

To the northeast of the Parthenon are ruins of the Temple of Zeus. It consisted of a quadrangular fence, inside of which there was a separate fenced area with a small temple and a hall of gifts. In the temple in honor Zeus The ritual of Diipoly was carried out.

At the entrance to Acropolis There is also the Theater of Herod Attica. Tiberius Claudius Herod Atticus was one of the wealthiest Athenian citizens and also the Roman governor of the province of Asia. Among other things, he was a famous philosopher and a teacher Marcus Aurelius.

In 161 AD. in memory of his wife he built 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 theater's capacity was up to 5,000 people. The roof of the theater was made of cedar wood.

The theater premises were rebuilt and today the theater hosts Athens Festival, where the best theaters in the world present their art to the audience.

Copper statue of Athena

On the territory of the Acropolis there were many gifts and offerings from various cities and ordinary residents. Was especially valuable statueAthens. The statue was installed between Erechtheion and Propylaea and was 9 meters high. According to Pausanias, the spearhead of the statue and the shine of its helmet were visible to ships that sailed from Cape Sounion to Piraeus.

Odeon of Pericles

East of the Theater of Dionysus was the famous Odeon of Pericles, built in 447 BC. and intended for music competitions. The Odeon was destroyed during the storming of the Acropolis by Sulla's legions in 86 BC. and restored by the king of Capadocia, Ariobarzanes II. Finally Pericles Theater was destroyed by the Heruls in 267 BC.

Between the Theater of Dionysus and the Odeon of Herod of Attica there is a colonnade
Euminius II(king of Pergamon), which was built in the 2nd century BC. as a gift to the Athenians. The colonnade had a roof in ancient times and was used by residents as a promenade for walking.

In the 5th century, with the advent of Christianity, it became the Church of Our Lady. After the conquest of Greece by the Turks, the temple was turned into a mosque, and then into an arsenal.

was dismantled.

In 1687, after a cannonball hit a Venetian ship, an explosion destroyed almost the entire central part, and in addition, during an unsuccessful attempt by the Venetians to remove the Parthenon sculptures, several statues were broken. In the 19th century, the friezes and remaining Parthenon statues were taken to England, where they can be seen in.

British Museum

Acropolis Museum Acropolis Museum

was opened in 1878. Initially, the museum building was located in a small room immediately behind the Parthenon. Acropolis.

The museum's collection consists of exhibits that were found during archaeological excavations

Its treasures include surviving parts of the Parthenon friezes as well as sculptures by Greek masters from the 5th century BC. Museum exhibits Acropolis displayed in chronological order. These are pediment sculptures of temples

with images of the battle of gods with giants, scenes of Hercules fighting with various mythical creatures, as well as a sculpture of Moschophoros, or a young man carrying a calf on his shoulders (570 BC) Among the museum's exhibits 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 originals of the Caryatids

from the southern portico of the Erechtheion. The statues are stored in a room with a special temperature regime.

Acropolis Reminder for tourists

Open daily from 8am to 6:30pm.
Acropolis opening hours may vary slightly depending on Acropolis season. On

It is forbidden to bring any bags (they can be left at the entrance to the Acropolis) The entrance ticket costs 12 euros, but with this ticket you can also visit.

Agora and Temple of Zeus

Acropolis on the map of Athens

Acropolis ACROPOLIS -I; m. [Greek akropolis from àkros - up and polis - city]. The central fortified part of an ancient Greek city, usually located on a hill; fortress.

Athensky A.

acropolis (Greek akrópolis), elevated and fortified part ancient Greek city

, the so-called upper city; fortress (shelter in case of war). The most famous is the acropolis in Athens.

ACROPOLIS ACROPOLIS, an elevated and fortified part of the ancient Greek city, the so-called. upper city; fortress (shelter in case of war). The most famous is the Acropolis in Athens, where the main shrines of the city were located., which is a 156-meter rocky hill with a gentle peak (approx. 300 m long and 170 m wide), is the site of the oldest settlement in Attica. During the Mycenaean period (15-13 centuries BC) it was a fortified royal residence. In the 7th-6th centuries. BC e. There was a lot of construction going on on the Acropolis. Under the tyrant Pisistratus (cm. PISISTRATOUS)(560-527) on site royal palace the temple of the goddess Athena Hekatompedon was built (i.e., a temple one hundred steps long; fragments of pediment sculptures have been preserved, and the foundation has been identified). In 480, during the Greco-Persian Wars, the temples of the Acropolis were destroyed by the Persians. The inhabitants of Athens swore an oath to restore the shrines only after the expulsion of enemies from Hellas. In 447 on the initiative of Pericles (cm. PERICLES) new construction began on the Acropolis; the supervision of all work was entrusted to the famous sculptor Phidias (cm. PHIDIAS), who, apparently, was the author of the artistic program that formed the basis of the entire complex, its architectural and sculptural appearance.
The sacred road along which from the agora (cm. AGORA) moved to the temple of the patron goddess during the main holiday of the Great Panathenaia (cm. PANATHINEA) procession of Athenians leading to the Propylaea (cm. PROPYLEA (in Athens)), having 5 aisles and in ancient times flanked by two equestrian statues of the Dioscuri. (cm. In the left, protruding wing, there was a Pinakothek (a collection of pinak paintings donated to the goddess Athena), in the right there was a storage room for manuscripts and a room for the gatekeeper and guards. To the right of the Propylaea, on a pyrgos (an outcrop of a fortified rock), stands a small, light and graceful Ionic temple dedicated to Athena Nike, known as the Temple of Nike Apteros (Wingless Victory; 443-420, architect Kallicrates).
KALLICRATES) (cm. After the participants of the procession passed the Propylaea and entered the sacred territory, a panorama of the central part of the complex opened before them. In the foreground, just to the left of the road, stood a colossal bronze statue of Athena Promachos (Warrior), cast by Phidias. Behind her the Erechtheion was visible in the distance(architect unknown), temple of Athena and Poseidon on the site of a dispute between these gods for the possession of Attica. The temple has an asymmetrical plan unique in Greek architecture; its three porticos are located at different levels: on the western side there is a portico leading to the temple of Athena Polyada (City), on the northern side there is the entrance to the sanctuary of Poseidon-Erechtheus, at the southern wall of the temple there is the famous portico of the caryatids; the entire building was surrounded by a frieze with overhead white figures (not preserved). In the Erechtheion, the oldest sanctuary of Athens, there was the sacred xoan of Athena (a wooden statue), which according to legend fell from the sky, the altars of Hephaestus and the hero But, the tomb of the legendary Athenian king Kekrops, and the sanctuary of the Attic dew goddess Pandrosa adjoined to the west. In the courtyard of the Erechtheion there grew a sacred olive tree, donated to the city by Athena, and a salt spring flowed, which Poseidon carved with his trident.
The lightness of its forms, the special sophistication of decorative decoration and the complexity of the composition of the small-sized Erechtheion contrasts with the strict and majestic, emphatically monumental Parthenon (Temple of Athena the Virgin; 69.5 m in length and 30.9 m in width, the height of the columns is 10.5 m ; 447 - consecrated in 438; architect Ictinus with the participation of Callicrates), representing a Doric peripter. (cm. PERIPTER). The building is perceived from the Propylaea in three quarters - viewers saw not one of its facades, but the entire volume of the structure, got an idea of its appearance as a whole, and before seeing the main, eastern facade, they had to walk around the temple from the outside.
In the temple itself, in the naos (cm. NAOS), there was a chrysoelephantine statue of Athena Parthenos (Virgin) by Phidias; the sacred money of the goddess and the treasury of the Athenian Maritime League were kept in the opisthodomos. The gables housed sculptural groups, depicting the most significant events in the cult of Athena - her birth and the dispute with the sea god Poseidon for the possession of Attica. Reliefs of metopes (cm. METOPES) Along the perimeter of the building scenes of mythological battles were depicted. Architectural details, sculpture and reliefs were brightly painted. The plan and order of the Parthenon also differ from the traditional ones in a number of features: in front of the naos there was a hall - the maiden's chamber (the Parthenon, which gave the name to the entire temple), along the wall of the naos there was an Ionic frieze depicting the Panathenaic procession.
In front of the Parthenon, on the right side of the Propylaea, there were also the sanctuaries of Artemis Bravronia and Athena Ergana (Craftswoman), and the repository of weapons and sacred armor - Chalkoteka (450). Open area The Acropolis was occupied by numerous altars and gifts to the gods - statues, steles. The temple and theater of Dionysus (6th century BC - rebuilt in 326), the Odeon of Pericles (a covered round building for musical competitions) (2nd half of the 5th century BC) adjoined the northwestern slope of the Acropolis. ), Theater of Herodes Atticus (2nd century AD), Sanctuary of Asclepius, Stoa (Porticus) of Eumenes.
The Acropolis towers over all of Athens, its silhouette shaping the skyline of the city. In ancient times, the Parthenon rising above the hill could be seen from any part of Attica and even from the islands of Salamis and Aegina; The sailors approaching the shore could already see from afar the shine of the spear and helmet of Athena the Warrior. In ancient times, the sanctuary was known not only as a famous cult center, but also as a monument of great art, confirming the glory of Athens as the “school of Hellas” and itself beautiful city. The thoughtful composition of the entire ensemble, perfectly found general proportions, a flexible combination of various orders, the finest modeling of architectural details and their unusually accurate drawing, the close relationship between architecture and sculptural decoration - make the buildings of the Acropolis the highest achievement of ancient Greek architecture and one of the most outstanding monuments of world art.
In the 5th century The Parthenon became the Church of Our Lady, the statue of Athena Parthenos was transported to Constantinople. After the conquest of Greece by the Turks (in the 15th century), the temple was turned into a mosque, to which minarets were added, then into an arsenal; The Erechtheion became the harem of the Turkish pasha, the temple of Nike Apteros was dismantled, and the bastion wall was built from its blocks. In 1687, after a cannonball hit a Venetian ship, an explosion destroyed almost the entire central part of the Temple of Athena the Virgin; during an unsuccessful attempt by the Venetians to remove the Parthenon sculptures, several statues were broken.
At the beginning of the 19th century. The Englishman Lord Elgin tore out a number of metopes, tens of meters of frieze and almost all the surviving sculptures of the Parthenon pediments, and a caryatid from the portico of the Erechtheion.
After the declaration of independence of Greece, during restoration work (mainly in the late 19th century), the ancient appearance of the Acropolis was restored as far as possible: all late buildings on its territory were eliminated, the temple of Nike Apteros was rebuilt, etc. Reliefs and sculptures of the temples of the Acropolis are located in the British Museum (London), the Louvre (Paris) and the Acropolis Museum. The sculptures that remained in the open air have now been replaced by copies.

encyclopedic Dictionary. 2009 .

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- (Greek akrupolis, from bkros upper and pulis city), an elevated and fortified part of an ancient Greek city, the so-called upper city, fortress (shelter in case of war). On the acropolis there were usually temples of divine patrons... ... Art encyclopedia

- (Greek akropolis) an elevated and fortified part of an ancient Greek city, the so-called. upper city; fortress (shelter in case of war). The most famous is the Acropolis in Athens. ACROPOLIS in Athens is a fortified part of ancient Athens, where the main... ... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary Hotel catalog

Acropolis- (Feodosia, Crimea) Hotel category: Address: Peschanaya Street 1 A, 98100 Feodosia, Crimea ... Hotel catalog

Acropolis- in Athens. AKROPOLIS (Greek akropolis upper city), an elevated and fortified part of an ancient Greek city, the so-called upper city; fortress (shelter in case of war). On the acropolis there were usually temples of the patron deities of a given... ... Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary

- (Greek akropolis upper city), an elevated and fortified part of an ancient Greek city, the so-called upper city; fortress (shelter in case of war). On the acropolis there were usually temples to the patron deities of a given city. Most... ... Modern encyclopedia

ACROPOLIS, acropolis. husband. (Greek akropolis) (historical). In ancient Greek cities, the central fortified part, the Kremlin. Athens Acropolis. Ushakov's explanatory dictionary. D.N. Ushakov. 1935 1940 ... Ushakov's Explanatory Dictionary

- (Acropolis, Αχρόπολις). In general, the upper city, the citadel, the Kremlin. The Athenian Acropolis, which served as the city’s treasury, is usually called by this name. (

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