Order excursions Online. Acropolis of Greece

In distant, legendary times, when the Achaean kings erected “fortified” palaces made of huge stone blocks, and their squads attacked Crete and the coast Aegean Sea, in Attica, on the Acropolis - a rocky hill 156 m high, located in the center of a plain irrigated by the Ilissus River and its tributary Eridanus - the city of Cecropia, the future world-famous Athens, arose...
The best time to view the ruins of the Acropolis is in the early summer morning or evening. At dawn, the first rays of the sun, sliding along the slopes of the Parneta and Aigaleia mountains, paint the rocks of Salamis pinkish-violet, run along the peaks of the Pnyx and Areopagus and linger for a long time on the Acropolis. The evening sun gilds and ignites the Parthenon; the clear air gives lively movement to the shadows, and it seems that the ruins are as beautiful as the newly built temples were once beautiful. In the middle of the day, the Acropolis is flooded with bright light, lengthening the black shadows of the capitals and ceilings of the columns. At this hour the sun burns like molten metal, blinding the eyes. And on those rare days in Athens, when the sky darkens, as before a storm, the temples on the mountain become dull and gray, like the ashes of bygone centuries...

According to legend, Athens was founded by the legendary king Kekrop. The Greeks attributed to him the establishment of monogamous marriage, the founding of 12 cities, the prohibition of human sacrifices and the establishment of the cult of Zeus the Thunderer, Olympian Zeus. The name of another legendary king, Erichthonius (or Erechtheus, although there is great confusion in the identification of these two names), the son of the blacksmith god Hephaestus and the Earth goddess Gaia, is associated with the establishment of the cult of the goddess Athena in Attica and the renaming of Cecropia in her honor, the beginning of coinage, introduction of chariot racing. A descendant of Erichthonius was King Aegeus, whose son. Theseus killed the Minotaur and freed Athens from heavy tribute to Crete. Theseus, who became king of Athens after his return from Crete, is considered the founder of Athenian democracy.
Legends about how it arose take us to distant legendary times.
...the magnificent city of Athens,
The region of King Erechtheus, whom Mother Earth gave birth to in ancient centuries, was raised by Pallas Athena.
And she brought her to Athens, and installed her in her brilliant temple. Homer. Iliad

Back in the 2nd millennium BC. the territory of the Acropolis coincided with the original territory of Athens and was surrounded by defensive walls. Particularly powerful fortifications were built on the western, flat side of the hill. Enneapylon, the “Nine Gates”, a bastion with nine gates, was erected here. Behind the walls was ancient palace Athenian kings - “Palace of Erechtheus”. Later, the sanctuary of the goddess Athena appeared in this palace, and even later, all the buildings of a secular nature found other places, and the Acropolis turned into the center of the religious life of ancient Athens. The name of the Sacred Rock was assigned to it - there were numerous sanctuaries dedicated to the goddess Athena, the patroness of the city.
Athens, named after the daughter of Zeus Athena, served as the main center of the cult of this goddess. According to Greek mythology, Athena emerged fully armed from the head of Zeus. This was the beloved daughter of the thunder god, whom he could not refuse anything. The eternally virgin goddess of the sky, she, along with Zeus, sent thunder and lightning, but also warmth and light. Athena is a warrior goddess who repels the blows of enemies; patroness of agriculture, national civic assemblies; the embodiment of pure reason, highest wisdom; goddess of science and art. Climbing the hill of the Acropolis, the ancient Hellene seemed to enter the kingdom of this many-faced goddess.

The creation of the majestic ensemble of the Acropolis is associated with the victory of the Greeks in the Greco-Persian wars. Representatives from all Greek cities, meeting in 449 BC, accepted the plan for the development of the Sacred Rock proposed by Pericles. The grandiose architectural and artistic ensemble was supposed to become a worthy monument to the great victory. The wealth of Athens and its dominant position provided Pericles with ample opportunities in the construction he planned. For decoration famous city he drew funds at his own discretion from the temple treasuries, and even from the general treasury of the states of the Athenian Maritime League.
Whole mountains of snow-white marble, mined nearby, were delivered to the foot of the Acropolis. The best Greek architects, sculptors and painters considered it an honor to work for the glory of the generally recognized capital of Hellenic art. Several architects participated in the construction of the Acropolis. But, according to Plutarch, Phidias was in charge of everything. In the entire ensemble one can feel the unity of its concept and a single principle, which left its stamp on the details of all the main monuments.
The hill on which the monuments of the Acropolis were erected is uneven in its outline. The builders did not come into conflict with nature, but, accepting it as it is, they ennobled it with their art, creating an ensemble that was more perfect in its harmony than nature. The harmonious buildings of the Acropolis reign over the shapeless block of rock, as if symbolizing the victory of reason over chaos. On an uneven hill, the ensemble is perceived gradually. Each monument lives its own life in it, each is deeply individual, and its beauty is revealed to the eye in parts, without violating the unity of the impression.

Above the steep slope of the sacred hill, the architect Mnesicles erected the famous white marble buildings of the Propylaea - the ceremonial entrance to the Acropolis, with Doric porticos located at different levels, connected by an Ionic colonnade. Amazing the imagination, the majestic harmony of the Propylaea immediately introduced the visitor to the world of beauty affirmed by human genius. On the other side of the Propylaea stood a giant bronze statue of Athena Promachos, the warrior Athena, sculpted by Phidias, standing on the Acropolis square. The fearless daughter of Zeus personified the military power and glory of her city. From the foot of the statue, vast distances opened up to the eye, and sailors rounding the southern tip of Attica clearly saw the high helmet and spear of the warrior goddess sparkling in the sun.
Beyond the square rose the columns of the Parthenon, the great temple, under the shadow of which once stood another statue of Athena, also sculpted by Phidias: the statue of the Virgin Athena, Athena Parthenos. Like Olympian Zeus, it was a chrysoelephantine statue, that is, made of gold and ivory. About 1200 kg of precious metal were used to make it. Today, only the evidence of ancient authors, a reduced copy that has survived to this day, and coins and medallions with the image of Athena give us an idea of ​​this masterpiece of Phidias.

Over the past centuries, the columns of the Parthenon, which once shone with the whiteness of Pentelicon marble, seem to have been covered with a noble patina. Painted in brownish-golden tones, they stand out in relief against the blue sky. The Parthenon was the temple of Athena Polias (City Guardian) and was usually called simply the "Temple" or "Great Temple".
The Parthenon was built in 447-438. BC. architects Ictinus and Callicrates under the general direction of Phidias. In agreement with Pericles, he wished to embody the idea of ​​triumphant democracy in this most important monument of the Acropolis. The design of the temple was carefully thought out. The book about the work of Ictinus and his assistant Catlicrates is unfortunately lost, but the very fact of its existence indicates a lot of preliminary theoretical work. This largely explains the speed of construction, which, according to Plutarch, bordered on a miracle: the temple was built in just 9 years. Finishing work continued until 432 BC.
The pinnacle of ancient architecture, the Parthenon was already recognized in ancient times as the most remarkable monument of the Doric style. It is almost impossible to notice with the naked eye that in its appearance... there are practically no straight lines. The Parthenon columns (eight on the facades and seventeen on the sides) are slightly inclined inward with a slight convex curvature of the horizontals of the base and ceiling. These subtle deviations from the canon are of decisive importance. Without changing its basic laws, the heavy Doric order here acquires a relaxed grace, which creates a powerful architectural image of impeccable clarity and purity.

The Erechtheion is the second most important monument of the Acropolis. In ancient times it was the main temple dedicated to the goddess Athena. And if the Parthenon was assigned the role of a public temple, then the Erechtheion is more of a priestly temple. The main sacraments associated with the worship of Athena were performed here, and an ancient statue of this goddess was kept here.
All the main shrines of Athens were concentrated within the walls of the Erechtheion. The temple itself was built on the site of the legendary dispute between Athena and Poseidon for power over Athens. According to legend, the gods gave the right to resolve this dispute to the elders of Athens. The judges decided to give victory to the god whose gift would be more valuable to the city. Poseidon struck with his trident and a salt spring gushed out of the slopes of the Acropolis. Athena struck with her spear and an olive tree grew on the Acropolis. This gift seemed more useful to the Athenians. Thus, Athena emerged victorious in the dispute, and the olive tree became the symbol of the city.
In one of the halls of the Erechtheion one could see the mark left by Poseidon's trident on the rock during his dispute with Athena. Since this shrine was always supposed to be under open air, holes were made in the ceiling of the portico, which are still preserved. Nearby was the entrance to the cave located under the temple, where the sacred snake of the goddess Athena lived, which was considered the personification of the legendary king and hero, patron of Athens Erechtheus (or Erichthonius - these two mythological heroes are sometimes separated, sometimes identified), after whom the temple received its name.
Under the northern portico of the temple, the tomb of Erechtheus was preserved, and in the western part there was a well with salt water. It was considered the very source that Poseidon created, and... According to legend, it communicated with the sea. In front of the Erechtheion, since ancient times, there has been a sacred olive tree, which grew from the blow of the spear of the goddess Athena, and in the corner of the western facade of the temple was the Kekropion - the grave and sanctuary of the legendary Kekrops, the first king of Attica. Above it today rises the world-famous portico of the caryatids - the architectural symbol of the Erechtheion. There is an assumption that the prototypes of the caryatids of the Erechtheion were the arrephoros - ministers of the cult of Athena, chosen from the best families of Athens. Their functions included making the sacred peplos, which they dressed in every year. ancient statue Athens, kept in the Erechtheion.
The goddess Athena appears on the Acropolis and in another of her incarnations - Athena Nike, the goddess of victory. The first sanctuary of Nike on the Acropolis was destroyed by the Persians during the Greco-Persian Wars. In 448 BC, on the occasion of peace ending the war with the Persians. It was decided to build a new temple of Athena Nike on the Acropolis, or, as it was also called, the temple of “Wingless Victory”: although the goddess of victory Nike was always depicted as winged, Athena the Victorious could not, and should not have had wings.
The nearby Propylaea and the Temple of Athena Nike complemented each other. Their architectural connection created a unique ensemble of the entrance to the sacred rock of the Acropolis. The temple was built by the architect Callicrates in 427-424. BC. This elegant small structure, built of marble, measures 5.6 x 8.3 m. In front of the Temple of Athena Nike there was an open-air altar intended for sacrifices.
During Turkish rule, the Nika Temple was dismantled and used to build fortifications. In the 1830s, after Greece gained independence, the Turkish fortification was carefully dismantled and the Nika Temple was rebuilt. In 1935-1940 it was reconstructed again, and now it appears in all its glory - of course, adjusted for the destructive effects of time. And, as we know, it is inexorable, and today the monuments of the Acropolis, which have survived wars, perestroikas and human vandalism, are exposed to man-made dangers: for several decades, acid rain and toxic smog have been corroding the white marble of ancient temples. There are many plans to save the Acropolis, but so far none of them have been implemented, so restorers will probably not be out of work for a long time.

The Athenian Acropolis, crowned with the ruins of the Parthenon, is one of the archetypal images of world culture. Even the first glance at these ancient ruins over roads filled with cars gives an unusual experience: something unusual and at the same time extremely familiar, almost familiar. The Parthenon is a symbol of the power of the Athenian polis, and as such it was known to everyone Ancient world. But it is unlikely that the creators of the temple foresaw that its ruins would symbolize the emergence and formation of world civilization - not to mention the fact that two and a half thousand years later the Parthenon would attract a huge number of tourists (about two million annually).

The Acropolis of Athens is a rock. Almost none of them are antique greek city could not do without his acropolis (the word itself means upper city), but the Athenian “upper city” is the Acropolis with a capital A, and when mentioning it, there is no need to go into additional explanation. The Acropolis is a block of limestone with steeply plunging slopes and a flat top rising a hundred meters high. The Acropolis was easy to defend, there was never a shortage of drinking water, so the allure of owning the rock was obvious. Even today it remains the heart of the city. On the flat top of the Acropolis, not only the Parthenon was erected, but also the Erechtheion, the temple of Nike Apteros and the Propylaea, the remains of many less significant ancient structures were preserved, and there is the current museum.

All this is surrounded by a fence and forms a single museum complex. The southern slope of the Acropolis, with two large theaters and several smaller temples, is accessed through a different gate and with separate tickets. Now the streets surrounding the Acropolis of Athens are pedestrianized, and you can walk around the hill and the ancient Agora, admiring these monuments. To the west, Thisio has many cafes where you can relax with a cup of coffee on the terrace. At the opposite end is , in the labyrinth of streets of which you can get lost, but the Acropolis can always serve as a guide for you.

You can only get to the top of the Acropolis from the west, from the side where there is a large bus depot at the foot of the hill. The usual pedestrian road to the entrance starts in the northwestern area of ​​Plaka and follows a path that runs above Odos Dioskouros where this street joins Theorios. You can approach the Acropolis from the south, along the pedestrian street Dionisiou-Areopaitou (Acropolis metro), past the Theater of Dionysus and the Theater of Herodes Atticus, or from the north: through the ancient Agora (entrance from Adriano; Monastiraki metro), or a more authentic route, but this pays off with magnificent views of both the Acropolis and the Acropolis - from Thisio, along the traffic-free Apostolou Pavlou Street (Thisio metro).

There are no shops or restaurants on the Acropolis, although there are a couple of counters at the main ticket office selling water and sandwiches, as well as guidebooks, postcards and so on. Opposite the Akropoli metro station (on the corner of Makriyanni and Diakou) there is a cafe of the Everest chain, and there are plenty of other similar establishments nearby. And if you don’t want to have a quick snack, but rather eat properly, then, going in any direction, you will very soon find a cafe or tavern: in Plaka, Monastiraki, Makriyanni or Thissio.

A Brief History of the Acropolis of Athens (Greece)

In the 2nd millennium BC, the Neolithic settlement on the Acropolis gives way to a Bronze Age settlement. It was a fairly significant fortified settlement, reminiscent of Mycenaean centers. The Acropolis was surrounded by a wall, modeled after the Cyclopean walls and. The remains of these walls can still be seen today. On the territory of the Acropolis there was the king's palace - the basileia. The palace, the remains of which have been preserved, is mentioned in the Iliad and Odyssey.

At the foot of the Acropolis, on the territory of the later Agora ( market square), residents of the Mycenaean-era settlement buried their dead. Like all of Mycenaean Greece, it did not escape the turmoil caused by the invasion of the northern Greek tribes of the Dorians, who moved in several waves starting around 1200 BC. The Acropolis at that time was the place of worship of the goddess Athena - the patroness of the city - and the seat of the rulers of Athens, the Eupatrides, who replaced the king, Basileus. Public meetings took place at the Propylaea of ​​the Acropolis. To the west rose the rocky hill of the Areopagus, named after the god of war Ares. Here, on the leveled peak, the Council of Elders of noble families gathered.

The beginning of the 6th century BC is the time of the reforms of Solon, the wise Athenian legislator. In 594 BC he was elected archon. Solon's reforms laid the foundation for the formation of a democratic city-state in Athens - a polis. In Athens arises new center social and political life in the Agora, located northwest of the Acropolis. Intensive construction in Athens began during the period of tyranny of Pisistratus, who made a lot of efforts to decorate and improve the city. New buildings were erected on the Agora: temples of Apollo and Zeus, an altar of the twelve gods.

On the Acropolis, Peisistratus and his sons also undertook great construction.” The old temple of Athena was surrounded on all sides by a colonnade. New Propylaea were built, and an altar dedicated to Athena Nike was erected. Big number statues brought by Athenian citizens as a gift to the patron goddess of the city adorned the Athenian Acropolis. After some time, the Athenians achieved military superiority, and after the defeat of the Persians, in which they played a significant role, the period of greatest prosperity of the Athenian state began. It was headed by Pericles, whose reign (444/43-429 BC) is rightfully considered the golden age of Athens.

They not only became one of the strongest and most influential states in Greece, but also became the center of cultural and artistic life of the entire ancient world. Athens headed the Maritime League (Delian League), which united many policies of Northern Greece and the islands of the Aegean Sea. The treasury of the union was kept in Athens, which could dispose of it. This circumstance, as well as the rich booty received by the Athenians after their victory over the Persians, made it possible to carry out an extensive construction program in the city. The grandiose plan of creating a new ensemble of the Athenian Acropolis was brought to life.

At the head of this colossal work was the greatest sculptor of Greece, Phidias, who created two statues of Athena - Promachos (Warrior) and Parthenos (Virgin) - to decorate the Acropolis. A whole galaxy of outstanding architects and sculptors worked under the leadership of Phidias. One after another, monuments were erected that became the best examples of classical Greek architecture: the majestic Parthenon, the light and graceful temple of Nike Apteros, the ceremonial Propylaea, the second largest temple of the Athenian Acropolis - the Erechtheion. The Acropolis of Athens fully expressed the greatness of the city, which, according to the testimony of the ancient Greeks, was recognized as the capital of Hellas.

And, indeed, the following centuries, until the Byzantine era, left almost no traces on the Acropolis. The Peloponnesian War lost by Athens put an end to the prosperity of Athens, which lost its primacy among Greek cities in the 4th century BC. The political decline of Athens was completed by the subjugation of Greece to the rule of the Macedonian kings. In the middle of the 2nd century BC, the Roman Republic subjugated Greece. At the beginning of the 1st century BC, Athens tried to overthrow the power of Rome. In 87 BC, the Roman commander Sulla, after a long siege, took the city and brutally plundered it. The first place among his spoils was occupied by works of Greek art.

In 267 AD the city was subjected to a devastating raid by the Goths and Heruli. With the spread of Christianity, Athens increasingly lost its significance as the center of Hellenic culture. Philosophical schools were closed, and in 529, by decree of Emperor Justinian, the last philosophers and rhetoricians were expelled from Athens. Ancient temples have been converted into Christian churches. After this, temples were used for both secular and religious purposes. The interior of these temples has undergone a radical alteration. New stage The history of the city begins with the Crusades. After the Fourth Crusade and the capture of Constantinople, it became part of the Latin Empire.

Athens became the capital of the Duchy of Athens, which over the 250 years of its existence (1205-1456) saw a number of rulers change. The Propylaea was turned into a palace, and in 1456, when Athens was captured by the Turks and the Acropolis became a Turkish fortress, the Propylaea became barracks and a gunpowder magazine. In 1656, an accidental explosion at this warehouse destroyed almost the entire central part of the building. The Parthenon turned from a Greek temple into a Roman one, then from a Byzantine church into a Frankish cathedral, and subsequently existed for several centuries as a Turkish mosque. And the Erechtheion, apparently because it was decorated with female figures, at one time served as a harem.

The Venetian diplomat Hugo Favoli wrote in 1563 that the Acropolis was “rising with glittering golden crescents”, and a tall and thin minaret tower rose in the southwestern part of the Parthenon. But, despite all this, the buildings on the rock still resembled, and probably much more than the current ruins, the original Acropolis: ancient, filled with sculptures painted in bright colors. Sadly, all these magnificent examples of architecture were preserved only in engravings and drawings of the time: the buildings were destroyed during the Venetian siege. The Turks dismantled the temple of Nike Apteros, and used the material to build a bastion.

Later, the Venetians, keeping the Turkish garrison under siege, blew up the Parthenon with a cannonball, which was turned into a gunpowder warehouse. The entire cella of the temple was destroyed, and the fire raged for two days and two nights. The destruction of the Parthenon and the capture of the Acropolis was meaningless: the Venetians soon left Athens, and the Turks returned to the Acropolis. For some time, the period of wars, but not destruction, ended for Athens. Lovers of antiquities who entered here not only admired them, but also tried to steal them.

Top of the Acropolis of Athens (Greece)

Today, like two thousand and a half years ago, only one road leads to the top of the Acropolis. In the time of Pericles, a paved road led to the Acropolis of Athens, climbing its gentle slope. The Propylaea rises above the large platform. A gate framed by two pylons opens onto the site. In 1853 they were discovered by the archaeologist Beile - after his name they are called the Beile Gate. From here the road went up to the Propylaea.

The top of the Acropolis is open to the public daily April-September 8:00-19:30; October-March 8:00-16:30, admission costs 12 €, free on public holidays and Sundays November-March. By purchasing a ticket, you pay for admission to the Theater of Dionysus, the ancient Agora, the Roman Forum, Kerameikos and the Temple of Zeus, and any of these you can visit before the Acropolis, but make sure that you are not sold separate ticket instead of a general ticket (the ticket is valid for 4 days).

Backpacks and large bags are not allowed in - luggage can be checked into a storage room at the main ticket office. The crowds on the Acropolis can be terrifying - don't want to be trampled by the crowd? Get out early in the morning or in the evening; most people are here late in the morning, when there are a lot of buses with tourists who will soon go for lunch.

The Propylaea was built by Mnesicles in 437-432 BC; the proportions of the structure were in harmony with the recently completed Parthenon. The lateral wings are adjacent to the central part of the Propylaea. They were erected from the same Pentelic marble (mined on Mount Pentelikon, northeast of the city) as the temple, and in grandeur and architectural perfection, as well as in the impression they make, the Propylaea is almost comparable to the Parthenon. Mnesicles was the first to combine in one design ordinary Doric columns with columns of the Ionic order, which are taller and more graceful.

The columns, as it were, prepare with their solemn rhythm the reverent mood that was supposed to cover the ancient Athenians who entered the territory of the sanctuary of the goddess - the patroness of the city. The Propylaea became the most revered monument of Athens. The northern wing of the Propylaea consists of an outer portico and a vast rectangular hall behind it. In ancient times, the famous Pinakothek was located here - the first in the world art Gallery. Works by the greatest Greek artists of the classical era, including Polygnotus, were kept here. He worked in the second quarter of the 5th century BC, and six centuries later, already in the Roman era, his works were described by Pausanias in his guidebook “Description of Hellas.” The northern wing of the Propylaea corresponds to the southern one, but it is smaller.

It is believed that Mnesicles deliberately reduced the size of the southern wing because he took into account the presence of the temple of Nike Apteros (Athena the Victorious). One cannot help but be surprised at the skill with which Mnesicles and the author of the temple project, Niki Apteros Kallikrates, solved the difficult task of combining these two buildings in one ensemble. Behind the gates one can see one of the best preserved sections of the Panathenaic Way - the Sacred Road, which was followed by the participants of the Panathenaic festivals held every four years in honor of the divine patroness of the polis (images of these processions adorned the frieze of the Parthenon).

The procession began in the city, at the main cemetery of Keramikos, and, passing through the Propylaea, headed to the Parthenon and then to the Erechtheion. On weekdays, most of the Sacred Way was used as a regular road. In ancient times, processions passed by the ten-meter bronze statue of Athena Promachos, that is, Athena the Warrior, and recently the exact place where the sculpture’s pedestal stood was established. The statue was sculpted by Phidias, who symbolically depicted in the sculpture the resistance of the Athenians to the Persians. In the Byzantine era, the sculpture was transported to Constantinople (present-day), where it was destroyed by an angry crowd who believed in the rumor that the pointing hand of the goddess had guided the Crusaders to the city in 1204.

It was decided to build a simple and elegant temple of Nike Apteros in honor of the victorious end of the war with the Persians in 449 BC. But construction was completed only in 427-424 BC. It stands on a three-step pedestal. Its monolithic columns are similar to the Ionian columns of the Propylaea. Now the temple has reappeared renewed: it was dismantled, and the fragments were taken away to be cleaned and restored. It's funny, but this is not the first time this has happened: the Turks dismantled the building in 1685 to make room for the battery.

Two hundred years later, restorers collected the scattered parts and recreated the original appearance of the temple. No less impressive is the restoration of the reliefs of the frieze of the temple from fragments. You will see the most remarkable example of art, both by ancient artists and restorers of the century before last, in the Acropolis Museum, this is “Nike Trying on Sandals.” The frieze of the temple very realistically depicts the victory of the Athenians over the Persians at the Battle of Plataea.

From the platform of the pyrgos of the temple of Nike Apteros opens beautiful view over the entire city and onto the Saronic Gulf, the waters of which wash the coast of Attica. One of the poetic myths of Ancient Athens, which Pausanias retold, is connected with this. The myth tells the story of King Aegeus, who was waiting for the white sails to appear and mark the return of his son Theseus, who went to kill the Minotaur. Theseus, who was returning victorious, forgot about his promise to change the black sails to white ones. The father, seeing black sails in the distance, decided that his son was dead, in despair he threw himself down onto the rocks and crashed.

It is probably best to look at the temple if you go through the Propylaea and stand a little to the right. From there you can see nearby what remains of the sanctuary of Artemis of Bravrona. Although its purpose is not very clear, it is known that it once housed the Trojan Horse, made in bronze. The section of the Mycenaean rampart (parallel to the Propylaea), included by the architects of Pericles in the general building plan of the classical period, is very striking.

• Antique monument Parthenon in the Acropolis of Athens (Greece)

The Parthenon, dedicated to the goddess Athena-Parthenos (Virgin), was built as part of the Pericles program. The temple was intended as a new sanctuary for Athena. Inside, the temple was divided into two unequal parts. In the main, eastern, there was famous statue Athens, made of gold and ivory. Precious stones were inserted into the eye sockets of the statue, and on the chest in the center of the shell was the deadly head of the Gorgon Medusa, made of ivory. The statue carved by Phidias was installed in the twilight of the hall intended for it - the cella, and it remained there until the 5th century BC. The statue has not survived to this day, but numerous later copies have survived, including a remarkable Roman copy exhibited in.

The Parthenon, like other classical temples, stood on a stylobate, each of the steps of which had a height of 0.55-0.59 meters. But its grandeur does not overwhelm the viewer; this is a feature of Greek architecture, its deep humanism. The Parthenon is a classic example of a Greek temple of the Doric order, but at the same time its architecture is distinguished by a number of unique individual features. The proportions of the columns and entablature, the ratio of the number of columns on the sides of the temple (the number of columns on the longitudinal side is one more than twice the number of columns of the facade, that is, 8 and 17) strictly correspond to the standards developed by classical Greek architecture. Techniques such as slight thickening and inclination of the corner columns towards the center, entasis - swelling of the column trunk, and slight bending of the stylobate step were skillfully used.

All these features were supposed to compensate for errors in visual perception, since absolutely straight lines are perceived at a distance by the human eye as slightly concave. As a result, the Parthenon appears before your eyes as an ideal building with clear, harmonious lines and proportions. The Parthenon once looked festive and elegant with its white marble columns and walls, topped with sculptural friezes and pediments, in which polychrome was widely used: the background of the pediments and markers was painted dark red, the frieze - blue. Against this colored background, the figures stood out especially clearly, retaining the color of marble. Their parts were also painted or gilded. All the sculptural decoration of the Parthenon was subordinated to one goal - glorification hometown, its gods and heroes, its people.

The temple was decorated with a frieze of fine workmanship. The theme of the frieze is the glorification of the Athenian people on the day of the celebration of the Great Panathenaia. The main, eastern pediment of the Parthenon was decorated with a composition depicting the myth of the birth of the goddess Athena. The western pediment depicts an Attic legend - about the dispute between Athena and Poseidon for power over Attica. Most of the pediment, central columns and cella were destroyed in 1687, when the Acropolis of Athens was besieged by the Venetians. The best samples The surviving sculptures are now in the so-called “Elgin Marbles”. Several original sculptures and fragments, along with a model of the temple, can be seen in the Acropolis Museum, and the Acropolis metro station is decorated with very good reproductions of the temple.

• Ancient temple Erechtheion in the Acropolis of Athens (Greece)

North of the Parthenon rises the Erechtheion. The myth tells that when Athena hit the ground with her spear, an olive tree grew from it, and sea water began to flow from the ground. The Olympian gods declared Athena the winner. Pausanias writes that he saw both an olive tree and sea water, and adds: “What is extraordinary about this well is that when the wind blows, the sea seems to splash in it.” The Erechtheion is a completely unique monument. The originality of its asymmetrical plan is explained by the fact that this temple united a number of different sanctuaries. Most of them existed in this place before the construction of the Erechtheion. The construction of the Erechtheion was provided for by the grandiose construction plan on the Acropolis, developed under Pericles.

The Erechtheion was the main place of worship of the goddess Athena, where her ancient statue was kept. The temple was named after one of the most ancient legendary kings and heroes of Athens - Erechtheus. The author of the project of this temple is unknown. Some scientists, finding analogies in the layout of the Erechtheion and the Propylaea, believe that it could be Mnesicles. Once upon a time there was one of the sacred places, where on the rock one could see the mark left by Poseidon’s trident during his dispute with Athena. Kekropion was also located here - the grave and sanctuary of the first legendary king of Attica - Kekron. The famous portico of the caryatids rises above it. On a high plinth there are six statues of girls supporting the ceiling of the portico.

These majestic and strong figures stand calmly. The folds of long Doric peplos falling vertically downward resemble the flutes of columns. Who were these girls portraying? There is a plausible assumption: the number of servants of the cult of Athena included arrephoros, young girls chosen from the best Athenian families for a period of one year. They took part in the production of the sacred peplos, with which the ancient statue of Athena was annually dressed. Time and people have not been kind to the caryatid statues. Five original statues are in the Acropolis Museum. One of them was broken by Lord Elgin. It has been replaced by a copy.

Southern slope of the Acropolis of Athens (Greece)

You can get to the southern slope of the Acropolis (daily summer 8:00-19:00; winter: 8:30-15:00; 2 € or with a single ticket to the Acropolis of Athens) from the place where the main ticket office, or from the pedestrian avenue Leoforos Dyonisiou Areopayitou, - this is where the Acropolis metro station is. Dominates on southern slope Acropolis hill, built in the 2nd century, the Roman theater (odeon) of Herodes Atticus, which was restored and is currently in the period summer festivals is the stage for musical performances and productions of ancient Greek drama. Unfortunately, visitors are only allowed inside for performances; access is closed at other times.

But there is also the Theater of Dionysus, which is also located on the southern slope of the Acropolis. This is one of those places in the city that encourages memories of the past: it was here that the masterpieces of Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides and Aristophanes were first staged. Tragedies were staged here every year - and every Athenian could take part in the production and in the choir. In the 4th century BC, the theater was rebuilt, and it began to accommodate about 17 thousand spectators; 20 of the 64 tiers of the ancient theater have survived to this day. Here you can see large marble chairs in the first row, which were intended for priests and high officials, as evidenced by the inscriptions on the chairs.

In the center there is a chair for the priest of the god Dionysus, next to it is a chair for the representative of the Delphic oracle. The semicircular orchestra of the theater is paved with stone slabs that form a pattern in the center. The orchestra is closed by a low skena, the front side of which is decorated with reliefs depicting various episodes from the myths of Dionysus. In the middle of the frieze there is an expressive figure of Silenus, a companion of the god Dionysus: bent over, he seems to be holding the pavement of the skene floor on his shoulders. There is bustle and construction equipment around the theater - archaeological excavations are underway, promising to yield interesting results.

The rocks of the Acropolis rise above the theater. They are crowned by a powerful defensive wall. Two Corinthian columns are visible near the wall - the remains of a Roman-era structure. Below them the entrance to the chapel in the rock, fenced with ropes, darkens. It was once dedicated to Dionysus, now the chapel of Our Lady is Panagia Spiliotis. To the west of the theater are the ruins of the Asklepion, a sanctuary where the god of healing Asclepius was worshiped, built around a sacred spring. In the Byzantine era, the church of the holy healers Cosmas and Damian was erected, of which only ruins remain. Next to the road stretched the foundations of the Roman Stoa of Eumenes, the rows of columns of which stretched to the theater of Herodes Atticus.

• Museum of the Acropolis of Athens (Greece)

After decades of delays, by the time you read this article, the new Acropolis Museum (opened June 20, 2009) on the southern slope of the Acropolis, Acropolis metro station, will definitely be finally opened. He looks great. Architectural highlights on the top floor, in glass cases and with views straight to the Parthenon. Here, it is hoped, the Parthenon marbles (those currently in the Acropolis Museum and those that may be returned, the Elgin Marbles) will be reunited. To speed up and facilitate the return of these sculptures, the Greeks agree that they should simply be given them for display, or that part of the museum should be the "British Museum at Athens", in which case the owner will not change.

So far, he has ignored all the proposals, but many continue to believe that the complete set of the new museum - with gaps in place of missing exhibits - will finally force the British Museum in London to take steps forward. Among the exhibits from the old collection, most of which you can see in new places, are sculptures that decorated the frieze of the Old Temple of Athena (VII-VI centuries BC), which partially retained their rich coloring. A little further on is the Moschophorus marble statue (570 BC) - one of the earliest marble statues found on the Acropolis. The sculptor sculpted a young man carrying a sacrificial calf on his shoulders. One of the most precious treasures of the museum is also on display - a collection of statues of the Cor.

The statues depicted priestesses of the goddess Athena and stood near her temple. This is also where interesting statue a rider of fine workmanship. Most of the statues date back to the second half of the 6th century BC, when Ionian sculptors worked in Attica. They created new type bark, maybe less expressive, but more elegant. Here you can also see a charming sculpture that the Greeks call Sandalizussa: Athena Nike (Victorious) trying on sandals. Finally, five authentic caryatids from the Erechtheion are on display. On the lowest floor there is a glass mezzanine containing exhibits from early Christian Athens discovered during construction work.

• Areopagus Hill of the Acropolis of Athens (Greece)

Just below the entrance to the Acropolis of Athens you will see tall, awkward rock-cut steps leading to the Areopagus. On this “Hill of Ares”, during the reign of the Basilean kings, the Court of Elders, the highest body of the Athenian state, met. The court tried murder cases. And the first whom they judged were, according to myth, the god Apec, who killed Allirotheus, the son of Poseidon, and Orestes, the son of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra, who, avenging his father, killed his mother. The victory of democracy took away power from the Court of Elders and transferred it to the People's Assembly (which met on the Pnyx).

The Persians, besieging the Acropolis of Athens in 480 BC, set up their camp here, and in Roman times the Apostle Paul preached. Evidence to this day ancient greatness we didn’t get there, the hill is covered with cigarette butts and empty beer cans - both of which are left over from tourists relaxing here after excursions around the Acropolis and enjoying the views along the way. And the views here are good - down to the Agora and forward to the ancient cemetery at Keramikos.

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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. The Acropolis of Athens, which is a 156-meter-high 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 the site of the royal palace, the temple of the goddess Athena Hekatompedon was built (that is, a temple one hundred steps long; fragments of pediment sculptures have been preserved, 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 ERECHTHEION)
(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. (cm. The lightness of its forms, the special sophistication of decorative decoration and the complexity of the composition of the small 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, column height - 10.5 m ; 447 - consecrated in 438; architect Ictinus with the participation of Callicrates), representing a Doric 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. In the pediments there were 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. (

/ Acropolis of Athens

Athens Acropolis

(Greek: Ακρόπολη Αθηνών; English: Acropolis of Athens)

UNESCO site

Opening hours: from 8.30 to 19.00 every day except Monday.

How to get there: nearest metro station Akropolis. The Acropolis of Athens is impossible not to notice; it is located in the very heart of the city and is visible from almost anywhere in Athens. Most of Athens is quite flat, and the city is dominated by only two rocks, one of which is the Acropolis. You can also get to the Acropolis from the city center on foot. To do this, you need to choose, as a landmark, a large pedestrian street - Dionysiou Areopagitou. You need to go straight along it and not turn anywhere, gradually climbing up the mountain, as a result you will come across the most important Greek landmark.

The Acropolis of Athens is not only the oldest cultural monument of Greece, but of the entire world civilization as a whole. The word “Acropolis” consists of two stems: “acro” - “upper” and “polis” - “city”. The "Upper City" is located on a natural limestone cliff 156 m high, with a flat top offering stunning views of Athens, and has steep slopes on all sides except the west. It was a fortified part of ancient Athens, where the main shrines of the city were located. The Acropolis, embodying the architectural and artistic spirit of ancient Athens, covers an area of ​​approximately 3 hectares.

The entire Acropolis was divided into sacred areas, on which temples, sanctuaries and altars were located, dedicated to various gods. It was also the center of the political and military life of the city: first of all, it was the residence of the ruler.
In the middle of the 7th century BC, the first large structure appeared on the Acropolis - the Temple of Polyada, replacing a small sanctuary of the Geometric period in which the city treasury was kept. The dimensions of the building and the pediment frame that appeared for the first time (only on the eastern side) were new. After the victory at Marathon in 490 BC, it was decided to create a new temple dedicated to Pallas Athena on the Acropolis, next to the ancient temple of Polyada. This temple was narrower than the Parthenon and had only 6 columns. However, the buildings were never completed, since the Persians, who captured Athens, completely destroyed the city and all the sanctuaries of the Acropolis.

Map of the Acropolis of Athens

In 450 BC, under Pericles, who proclaimed the unification of everything Greek world under the leadership of Athens, work begins on creating an ensemble on the Athenian Acropolis, according to a single plan: Parthenon - the temple of Athena Parthenos (447 - 438 BC), Propylaea - the ceremonial gate, entrance to the Acropolis (437 - 432 BC), Temple of Nike Apteros (Wingless Victory, between 449 - 420 BC), Temple of Erechtheion (421 - 406 BC). The planning and construction of the Acropolis was carried out under the direction of Phidias.

Phidias - Athenian sculptor (about 490 - about 430 BC), an outstanding representative of the era of classical art Ancient Greece. He supervised all the work on the Acropolis, the construction of the Parthenon; according to his sketches, and often with his own hands, 92 metopes and a 159-meter frieze with the Panathenaic procession, sculptures of the Parthenon pediments, and a statue of Athena Parthenos (Virgin) were created. He was put on trial for allegedly misappropriating precious materials and atheism during the construction of the Acropolis, and was forced to leave Athens and move to the Peloponnese, where he created a number of other famous creations.

In the following centuries, the Acropolis suffered greatly from various wars and the turbulent history unfolding in this area. In 1205, the Franks (crusaders) captured Athens, and the Dukes of Delaroche established their residence in the Propylaea and Pinakothek. The Parthenon at this time becomes cathedral Notre Dame d "Athenes. In 1456, Athens was conquered by the Ottoman army of Omar Turakhan, commander of Muhammad the Conqueror. The Parthenon turns into a mosque, the Erechtheion into the harem of the Turkish commandant. In 1687, after a cannonball hit from a Venetian ship, the explosion destroyed almost the entire central part of the Parthenon , and when the Venetians failed to remove the sculptures from the temple, several statues were broken. But despite the fact that the works of art of the Acropolis survived many natural disasters, they could not withstand the acts of vandalism of Lord Elgin, the British ambassador to Constantinople. He plundered almost all of it. a collection of statues, vases, monuments and priceless artifacts and exported from Greece.

Today, the cultural values ​​of the Acropolis are carefully preserved and protected, and, perhaps, the main enemy of this world treasure is air pollution, which negatively affects the marble. As a result of emissions of exhaust gases into the atmosphere, there was an increase in the sulfur content in the air, which led to the transformation of marble into limestone. The iron structures that were used to connect and strengthen the marble pieces, and which were adjacent to it, destroyed the stone. To prevent destruction, some of the iron structures were removed and replaced with brass ones. But it is not possible to counteract chemical destruction, so some of the Acropolis sculptures were replaced with copies, and the originals are kept in the Acropolis Museum.

A wide zigzag road runs from the bottom of the hill to the only entrance. These are famous Propylaea– the main entrance to the Acropolis, which is a deep through portico with a colonnade; at the same time, the side passages were intended for pedestrian citizens, and along the middle passage horsemen and chariots passed, and sacrificial animals were escorted. They were built by the architect Mnesicles in 437 - 432 BC. Like other structures of the Acropolis, the Propylaea gate was destroyed by the Persians and restored during the era of Pericles, although the construction was never completed due to the threat of the Peloponnesian War.

Adjacent to the Propylaea on the left is the building of the Pinakothek, an art gallery where portraits of the heroes of Attica were displayed. In the Pinakothek there were carpets hung on which people who were tired after climbing the hill could rest.

Adjacent to the southwestern wing of the Propylaea is an unusually elegant marble temple - Temple of Nike Apteros , built by the architect Callicrates. Its construction was carried out in 427 - 421 BC. Standing on a three-stage pedestal, the temple was surrounded on all sides by a sculptural ribbon frieze, which depicted episodes of the struggle of the Greeks with the Persians, as well as the Olympian gods (Athena, Zeus, Poseidon).

The main attraction of the entire ensemble was and remains Parthenon- the biggest and famous building in this ensemble, which is called both the “hymn” of Ancient Greece and the “beauty of simplicity.”

The Parthenon (from the Greek parthenos - maiden) is the temple of the goddess Athena Parthenos (Virgin) - the greatest monument of ancient Greek art. It was erected by order of Pericles in 447 - 438 BC, on the site of an unfinished temple destroyed by the Persians. The Parthenon is a marble Doric peripterus with 17 columns on the long sides and 8 on the ends.

Not far from the northwestern wall of the Acropolis was located royal palace, and after its destruction, almost in the same place, the Hekatompedon temple was erected, dedicated to the patroness of the city, Athena. The Greeks revered this goddess so highly that they set free all the slaves who participated in the construction of this temple. But during the Greco-Persian Wars (480 - 479 BC), Hekatompedon was plundered and burned by order of the Persian king Xerxes.

The northern side of the Athens Acropolis is decorated with a beautiful marble temple Erechtheion, which is a most beautiful creation of classical art. It was built on the site of the palace of the rulers of Mycenae in 421 - 406 BC, and became a place of worship for the Athenians. The Ionian temple, located near the Parthenon, is dedicated to Athena, Poseidon and the legendary king of Athens, Erechtheus, who gave the temple its name.

The greatest interest in the Erechtheion is the Portico of the Daughters, consisting of six sculptures of the most beautiful girls, which, acting as columns, support the roof of the temple. In Byzantine times they were called Caryatids - women from a small town called Caria who were famous for their exceptional beauty. The Turks, who at one time captured Athens and, according to their Muslim beliefs, did not allow images of humans, did not destroy these statues, however. They limited themselves to cutting off the girls’ faces.

On top of the flagpole located on the very high point hill, stands the Greek national flag. During the 2nd World War, when the Germans captured Greece and Athens, Konstantinos Koukidis, the Evzone guarding the flag, was ordered to take it down. Konstantinos obeyed, took off the flag, and, wrapping himself in it, threw himself down the cliff and fell to his death. And on the night of May 31, 1941, a couple of eighteen-year-old Athenians, Manolis Glezos and Apostolis Santas, made their way to the top of the Athenian Acropolis and tore down the flag with the German swastika hanging there. Nowadays, every day, at 6:30 in the morning, a special detachment of Greek soldiers raises the flag over the Acropolis of Athens, and at sunset another detachment of infantrymen climbs the hill and lowers the flag for the night.

At the foot of the Acropolis of Athens stands an ancient multi-level theater, in which, every summer and autumn evening, the sounds of singing and musical instruments are heard, as at this time there are performances of classical dramas, symphony orchestras, dance programs and operas. Odeon of Herod Atticus , better known as the Herodeion, was made in the shape of a semicircle, the radius of which is 80 meters, and its capacity is so high that up to 5 thousand people can fit there.

Colonnade of Eumenes was one of the largest structures located on the southern slope of the Athenian Acropolis. Its length was 162 meters. This structure was erected by the powerful king of Pergamum - Eumenes II (198 - 160 BC). The colonnade was built from stacked stones brought from the island of Poros, as well as from Pergamon and Hymettan marble. It extends from the beautiful Theater of Dionysus, and today reaches the Odeon of Herod Atticus.

On the southern slope of the Acropolis is located the oldest known theater today - Theater of Dionysus . Legend has it that the Athenians killed Dionysus when he first arrived in Attica and treated local residents wine. Initially, the theater was wooden, but a century later, the steps for spectators to sit were replaced with stone ones, and a permanent stage was built.

For almost 60 years, excavations were carried out at the Odeon of Pericles, revealing to the world a beautiful large building with a huge amount columns of the Athens Acropolis. Work in this place was carried out by Kastriotis (1914 - 1927) and Orlandos (1928 - 1931), and the result of these excavations was the appearance of the northern part of the building and five columns that were located on the southeast corner.

Restoring the unique values ​​of the Athens Acropolis and interfering with the structure of their material requires the highest responsibility. This requires experience in field work, very deep knowledge of the field, knowledge of the basics of conservation and restoration, constant attention in carrying out technical work with architectural objects, and the ability to properly demonstrate one’s finds on museum grounds. Many more years will pass until all the work is completed, but it is then that the Acropolis of Athens, with all its ancient monuments, will appear before our descendants in all its Hellenic beauty.

The Acropolis has become accessible to people with physical disabilities! In accordance with the requirements of the International Olympic Acropolis Committee and the European Union, permits from the Greek Ministry of Culture, Central Council According to archeology and the order of the minister, you can climb the hill using an elevator built above the Kanellopoulos Museum, on the northern slope. To the north of the main entrance there is a special entrance through which a person in a wheelchair and his companion can access the elevator. A special moving platform lifts you from the sidewalk to the elevator level.

The Acropolis towers over all of Athens, rising above the hill, the Parthenon, in ancient times, could be seen from any part of Attica, and even from the islands of Salamis and Aegina. The Acropolis was known as a famous cult center, and as a monument of great art, confirming the glory of Athens as the most beautiful city on earth. The thoughtful composition of the entire ensemble, perfectly found general proportions, 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.

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ACROPOLIS (GREECE)

Today we will take an excursion to the Acropolis of Athens.

Translated from Greek as “upper city”. In the ancient Greek city-polises, the acropolis was the name given to the elevated and fortified part. This fortified part of the city, located on an elevated place, served as protection in times of danger. Therefore, it was on the acropolis that temples were erected to the gods, the patrons of the city, and the treasury and weapons of the city were stored. There were such acropolises in many ancient cities. For example, the oldest acropolises in Mycenae and Tiryns are known. But the most famous is, of course, the Acropolis of Athens!

This harmonious ensemble of outstanding works of architecture and sculpture is considered a masterpiece not only of Greek, but also of world art, a kind of symbol of the greatness of classical Greece. The Acropolis of Athens is listed World Heritage. Therefore, it is probably unnecessary to say that, having arrived in Athens even for a very short term, you must definitely visit the Acropolis and see, as they say, with your own eyes all this splendor.

In this regard, we decided today to invite you on a fascinating walk through the majestic and ancient Acropolis. This miracle of antiquity is located on a cliff 156 meters above sea level. This rock is of natural origin and has a flat top. It is noteworthy that the entire complex architectural and spatial complex of the Athens Acropolis takes into account the surrounding nature as much as possible. Let's take a walk around this ancient fortress.

Approaching the Acropolis, in the area of ​​the southern wall we will see that the rock on which the Acropolis is built is fortified with stone walls. These walls are huge, their thickness is five meters! Such walls were around the entire complex, but only a fragment of them has survived to this day, which we see.

These are very ancient walls! They were erected in the 13th century BC. e. According to legend, these majestic walls were erected by creatures of supernatural strength - the Cyclops. The ancient Greeks believed this. And today, looking even at a fragment of these gigantic walls, we are also ready to believe that walls of such dimensions could only be built by mythical strong creatures!

In general, it should be noted that the first fortifications on the rocky spur of this rock appeared long before the onset of the classical period. In those distant times, the Acropolis was the center of the political and military life of the city: first of all, it was the residence of the ruler. But at the end of the second millennium BC, the Acropolis acquired exclusively cult significance!

According to myths, the wooden image of the goddess Athena, the patroness of the forces of the earth and the warlike defender of the city, was cast down to Earth by Zeus and fell straight onto the Acropolis! Therefore, it was here that temples were erected in honor of the goddess! But, unfortunately, almost all of them were destroyed by the Persian king Xerxes, who captured Athens in 480 - 479 BC. e. The “father of history” Herodotus himself even testifies to this in his notes.

The Acropolis was rebuilt only during the so-called golden age of Pericles. This Athenian strategist, having concluded a truce with Sparta, had the opportunity to begin developing the capital. Under the leadership of the greatest of Greek sculptors, Phidias, by the end of the 5th century BC. The Acropolis was rebuilt. Moreover, the new Acropolis was incredibly beautiful and grandiose!

Let's come closer. The Propylaea appears before us from the western part of the complex.

This is the main, ceremonial entrance to the Acropolis! This gate was built in 437-432 BC. Let's mentally transport ourselves to the distant 5th century BC. and let’s see what the Propylaea was like at that time, and at the same time we’ll see what happened here. So, we are in the distant past! In front of us, the Athenians are slowly ascending the wide stone stairs to the Propylaea. Look, citizens on foot are walking along the side aisles, and horsemen and chariots are passing along the central one! The sacrificial animals are also brought in.

Pay attention to the Propylaea itself! They are made of Pentelicon marble. You see what a beautiful material this is. Today this marble does not look the same. But nothing can be done, time takes its toll. And in those days the gates simply amazed with their magnificence! You will notice that the Propylaea consists of two Doric porticos, one of which faces the city, the other faces the top of the Acropolis. Raise your head and look at the ceilings of the porticos. See those square indentations? These are caissons! They are painted with gold stars on a blue background! Very beautiful, isn't it! And you see, where the hillside rises sharply, a transverse wall with five passages has been built. So the central one of these passages is intended only for ceremonial processions! During normal times it is closed by bronze gates. By the way, these gates are the boundaries of the sanctuary. It’s a pity that much has not survived to this day!

Yes, the Propylaea is simply magnificent! Have you forgotten that we are in the distant past? Do you remember? Then look to the left. Do you see this rather large building that adjoins the Propylaea? This is the Pinakothek Art Gallery. Portraits of the heroes of Attica are exhibited here! Now look to the right. Do you see a ledge on the rock? You know, this is the same ledge from which, according to legend, the Athenian king Aegeus back in the 13th century BC. rushed down when he saw the ship of his son Theseus entering the harbor with black sails, symbolizing the failure of his voyage to the island of Crete! Remember the legend? And remember that this was a mistake, and Theseus was actually alive! Yes, fate sometimes plays cruel jokes on people! On the ledge is a small rectangular temple of Nike Apteros, dedicated to the goddess of victory Nike. Translated, its name sounds like “Wingless Victory.”

Do you know why “Wingless Victory”? The fact is that, under the conditions of a truce in the protracted Peloponnesian War, the Athenians thereby expressed the hope that victory would not “fly away” from them now! Just look at what an unusually elegant marble temple this is! Standing on a three-stage pedestal, this temple is surrounded on all sides by a sculptural ribbon frieze, which depicted episodes of the struggle between the Greeks and the Persians, and the Olympian gods (Athena, Zeus, Poseidon). But we can only see this sculptural ribbon of the frieze when we are transported in our imagination to those distant times. As you understand, it has not survived to this day. If we, all in the same past, go inside the temple, we will see a beautiful sculpture of Athena Nike! The majestic goddess holds a helmet in one hand, and in the other - a pomegranate fruit, a symbol of victorious peace! It’s a pity, but today this magnificent statue can no longer be seen. Unfortunately, it was also destroyed.

But let's continue our journey back in time to the Acropolis. Let's follow the Athenians into the Propylaea. Having passed them, we found ourselves at the very top of the rock. Look, right in front of us rises a huge bronze statue of Athena Promachos, that is, Athena the Warrior. Do you see the gilded tip of her spear? The Athenians are sure that on clear days it serves as a landmark for ships approaching the city. Immediately behind the statue, please note, in the open area there is an altar, and on the left there is a small temple where priests perform rites of worship to the patroness of the city - the goddess Athena. If we approach one of the residents and ask about this place, they will tell us an ancient myth about the dispute between Athena and the god Poseidon for ownership of the largest of the Greek city policies.

We learn that, according to myth, the winner in this dispute was supposed to be the one whose gift would be of greater importance to the city. Then Poseidon threw his trident at the Acropolis and at the place of his impact began to beat a source of sea water. He also promised the Athenians success in maritime trade. But Athena still won this dispute! She struck with a spear, and in this place an olive tree grew, which became the symbol of Athens. Therefore, this is where the altar is located. By the way, please note that one of the parts of the temple is dedicated to the legendary king of Athens Erechtheus. This part is called the Erechtheion. Don't be surprised that it's only part of the temple. Then there was only a part, but later this name passed to the entire temple. And today we know this structure as the Erechtheion.

The greatest interest in the Erechtheion is the Portico of the Daughters - six sculptures of the most beautiful girls support the roof of the temple extension instead of columns. In Byzantine times, they began to be called Caryatids, which meant women from the small town of Caria, famous for their exceptional beauty. At the beginning of the 19th century, one of the Caryatids (along with the friezes and pediments of the Parthenon) was taken to England by the ambassador of that country in Constantinople, Lord Elgin, with permission from the Turkish government. Elgin's act so excited the Athenians that a legend was soon born about the sounds heard in the night - the crying of the five Daughters remaining on the temple for their kidnapped sister. And Lord Byron “dedicated” his poem “The Curse of Athens” to the robber of these immortal treasures. The famous Elga marbles are still in the British Museum, and the statue on the temple has been replaced by a copy.

Look at the Erechtheion carefully. A special feature of the temple is its unusual asymmetrical layout, taking into account the unevenness of the soil. Such an interior, marble relief friezes, original porticoes, the most famous of which is the portico of the caryatids, can only be seen in the past, since they have not survived to this day: the marble relief friezes are completely destroyed, and the porticoes are very damaged. But, you must admit that even today, even with damaged porticoes, the Erechtheion is still beautiful! This is a pearl of ancient Greek architecture!

The temple consists of two rooms located on different levels. East End of the temple, is located higher than the western one. By the way, remember the legend told to us by the inhabitants of Athens about the dispute between Athena and Poseidon?

According to legend, two powerful deities - Poseidon and Athena - fought for the right to patronize the city and its inhabitants. To resolve this dispute, the Olympian gods suggested that the rivals make a gift to the city. Poseidon hit the rock with his trident and sea water poured out of it - a symbol of the sea power of the city, which was given to him by the god of the sea, and from the place where Athena struck with her spear, an olive tree sprang up. The gods recognized Athena's gift as much more valuable and placed the people under her protection, and the city was named after her.

Now look at the floor in the temple, do you see these irregularities? These are traces of a blow from Poseidon's trident! Do you see the well inside the temple? This well contains salty sea water. This is the source that, according to legend, Poseidon gave to the city! Yes, after everything you have seen, you are now unlikely to say that myths are fiction! On the western side, close to the Erechtheion, is the sanctuary of the nymph Pandrosa. It is there, inside the open courtyard, that you can see the sacred olive tree, the same one that Athena, according to legend, gave to the inhabitants of the city.

We hope you haven't forgotten that we are still in the past? Then we will continue our journey around the Acropolis. Do you see the solemn procession heading towards the most majestic temple of the Acropolis, the Parthenon?

This is the holiday of the Great Pan-finya! The climax of this celebration takes place at the altar in front of the eastern facade of the Parthenon, where the priests are given new clothes for the statue of Athena. Yes, the Parthenon is the most important and most iconic place in the Acropolis. This temple is also dedicated to the goddess Athena. But this time she performed in the guise of Athena Parthenos or Athena the Virgin. Hence the name of the temple.

Look how beautiful this temple is!

It has amazing harmony! Its steps, external colonnade, pediments, friezes and metopes are all immaculate and magnificent! The entire building was constructed from local white marble. The Parthenon is a masterpiece of ancient Greek architecture and a symbol of the Greek genius! Let's climb its marble steps. By the way, pay attention to the columns of the temple. You see, the columns taper towards the top. This is not an optical illusion, it really is. This architectural technique helps to visually increase the height of the columns, and it seems that they rush high into the sky and almost touch the heavens!

As we said, all the structural elements of the Parthenon, including the roof tiles and steps, were hewn from local Pentelic marble, almost white, but over time acquiring a warm yellowish tint. Therefore, today the Parthenon no longer looks snow-white. But, nevertheless, even today it is called the “hymn” of Ancient Greece and the “beauty of simplicity”!

Let's enter the Parthenon. Look, in the space limited by the inner colonnade, there is a colossal, gold and ivory cult statue of Athena! Today it has not survived, but in the past we can see it. You see, the goddess's clothes and helmet are made of pure gold, and her hair and shield are made of gold plates. Look at her eyes! They are made from precious sapphires! On Athena’s right hand she holds the figure of the goddess of victory Nike, and at her left shoulder is a spear. Luxurious robes, a helmet, a shield and an aegis decorated with the mask of the Gorgon Medusa give the statue a majestic solemnity. Yes, this is a real goddess! Here she is - the great patroness of the great city!

Athena Parthenos statue

Sculptural groups the deeds of this goddess are depicted on the pediments of the temple. In the east - the birth of Athena, who, fully armed, jumped out of the head of Zeus after the blacksmith god Hephaestus cut his head with an ax. In the west, there is a dispute between Athena and Poseidon, already known to us, when the olive tree donated by the goddess was considered a more valuable gift than the source of salt water discovered in the rock by Poseidon. Yes, unfortunately, not everything that was created by the ancient masters, and that the Athenians of distant times could see, has survived to this day. Let's now return from our time travel. Let's look at the great Acropolis today. Agree that anyway, what remains and has been preserved is also simply magnificent! Yes, the Acropolis is truly a standard of harmony, naturalness and beauty!

Here are a couple more photos from the Acropolis:

At the entrance to the Acropolis there is also 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 was the teacher of Marcus Aurelius.
In 161 AD. in memory of his wife, he built the 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 the Athens Festival, where the best theaters in the world present their art to the audience.

In the 6th century BC. The tyrant Pisistratus, who ruled in Athens, instilled the cult of Dionysus in Athens and organized the Great Dionysia, which was held during March - April. Around the same time, the poet Thespis, a native of the demos of Icarius, appeared in Athens. He introduced the first actor to Dionysia and began to write the texts himself, which the actor and the choir members had to read. Before Thespis, these texts were pure improvisation of the choristers. Thespis also began to devote texts not only to events from the life of Dionysus, but also to other heroes of Greek mythology and real historical characters. Acting masks were also invented and introduced, since the same 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 of the 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, Dionysus Eleftherius.

The Romans changed the theater 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 a god: a seated Zeus, and in front of him Hermes with the baby Dionysus in his arms, along the edges of the Kurita they dance a battle dance with weapons in their hands. Then Icarus is shown sacrificing a goat to Dionysus, and on the right is Dionysus alone with his friend Satyr.

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

 

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