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Athens ancient city. Athens is a great city for recreation and entertainment

Athens (Greece) - the most detailed information about the city with a photo. The main attractions of Athens with descriptions, guides and maps.

City of Athens (Greece)


Public transport Athens is represented by metro, suburban trains, trams, trolleybuses and buses. A single ticket is valid for all modes of transport. The metro has three lines: M1 (green) - connects the port and the northern suburbs through the city center, M2 (red) - connects the western and southern Athens, M3 (blue) - connects the southwestern suburbs with the northern suburbs and the airport.

Attractions

The most famous landmark of Athens is the sacred hill - the Acropolis. Here are the amazing ancient ruins of ancient temples, which symbolize the heyday of Greek civilization.


The Acropolis has a height of 156 meters and is visible from almost everywhere. In ancient times, the royal palace, majestic temples to the gods, cult objects and numerous sculptures were located here. Most of the main structures of the Acropolis were built during the reign of Pericles (5th century BC) during the heyday of Athens.


The most famous attraction of the Acropolis is the magnificent Parthenon, which, despite the time, is one of the best preserved ancient Greek structures in Athens. The Parthenon is considered the largest temple of the classical period of Ancient Greece and is dedicated to Aphrodite. It was completed in 438 BC. The temple is famous for its monumental Doric columns and was decorated with numerous sculptures.


Among the ancient ruins of the Acropolis stands out the temple of Nike Apteros, built in 427-424 BC. and dedicated to Athena the Victorious, propylaea (the main entrance formed by columns and porticos), the Erechtheion, a temple built between 421-406 BC. and dedicated to Athena, Poseidon and King Erechtheus.


All buildings and ruins of the Acropolis:

  1. Hecatompedon.
  2. Statue of Athena Promachos.
  3. Propylaea.
  4. Eleusinion.
  5. Bravronion.
  6. Halkoteka.
  7. Pandroseion.
  8. Arrephorion.
  9. Athenian altar.
  10. Sanctuary of Zeus Poliea.
  11. Shrine of Pandion.
  12. Odeon of Herodes Atticus.
  13. Standing Eumenes.
  14. Asklepion.
  15. Odeon of Pericles.
  16. Temenos of Dionysus.
  17. Sanctuary of Aglaura.

300 meters away is the Acropolis Museum, which is one of the most important modern buildings in Athens and is built of steel, glass and concrete. Priceless finds and antiquities that were found here during excavations are stored here.


An archaeological path leads from the Acropolis to the city, where you can see other antiquities of Athens, which belong to different periods and cultures. So, at the foot of the hill, are the ruins of Olympion, a temple dedicated to Zeus. It was the largest building in Ancient Greece. It began to be built in the 6th century BC. and finished only in the 2nd century AD. under the Roman emperor Hadrian. Over a hundred huge marble columns once supported the grandiose sanctuary. Only 15 of them have survived to our time.


The Theater of Dionysus is located on the south side of the Acropolis and is considered the oldest building of its type in Greece. Many of the most famous ancient Greek comedies and tragedies were presented on this stage. The theatre, originally built as a temple, dates back to the 6th century BC. It was dedicated to Dionysus, the god of fun and wine, and could accommodate 17,000 people.


The ancient Agora was the marketplace and center of daily life in ancient Athens. Most of the surviving ruins are from the Roman period and date back to the 1st century AD. The agora was surrounded by colonnades and columns. It also hosted sporting events and theatrical performances. To the east is the 12-meter Wind Tower.

An excellent view of the Agora opens from the northern wall of the Acropolis.


Arch of Hadrian

Hadrian's Arch was built in 131 AD. and symbolizes the entrance to ancient city. Not far from the western slope of the Acropolis is the Pnyx hill. Here the citizens of Athens could exercise their democratic rights. To the southwest of the Athenian Acropolis is Philopappos Hill, which was known as the Hill of the Muses and has preserved several ancient ruins. There is also a tiny 12th century Byzantine chapel with frescoes from the 18th century.


The core of the historical center of Athens is the Plaka area, located on east side Acropolis. This area has been inhabited since ancient times. Now it is a labyrinth of narrow flowering picturesque streets with traditional houses of the 19th century. Plaka is famous for its provincial atmosphere (sometimes you can’t even believe that this is the center of a noisy metropolis), cute restaurants and historic churches.


From Plaka, the Athenian streets will lead to Monastiraki Square, which is one of the central squares of old Athens with narrow streets and small buildings. A traditional bazaar (Yousouroum) is held on the square. Monastiraki is a popular shopping area with over 2,000 different shops.

Anafiotika is another atmospheric village quarter of Athens, located north of the Acropolis. Here, tourists can enjoy traditional Greek food and walk through the winding streets in the Cycladic style. Anafiotika was built in the 60s of the 19th century.


The Odeon of Herodes is an ancient Roman theater built in the 2nd century AD. on the steep slopes of the Acropolis by Herodes Atticus in memory of his wife. The theater had a capacity of 6,000 spectators and was restored in the 1950s.


The Olympic Stadium was built in the 19th century for the first modern Olympics. It has a capacity of 50,000 spectators and is the largest sports facility made entirely of marble. The first stadium on this site was built in the 3rd century BC. and rebuilt in 144. In ancient times, the stadium hosted a religious festival dedicated to the goddess Athena every four years.


The Church of Our Lady of Kapnikareia is a magnificent example of 11th century Byzantine architecture. The church is located on one of the central streets of Athens - Ermu.


Church of the Holy Apostles - a religious building of the 10th century on the site of the ancient Agora, built in a typical Byzantine style. Inside the dome is decorated with original frescoes. A significant part of the ancient iconostasis of the 11th century has also been preserved.


Syntagmatos Square is the central square of modern Athens. In front of the building of the Greek Parliament stands the presidential guard in national costumes. The change of the guard takes place in front of the monument to the Unknown Soldier at 11 am daily.

  • The National Archaeological Museum is one of the largest museums in Greece, which has one of the largest expositions of Antiquity in the world. The 8,000 square meter building includes 11,000 exhibits.
  • Byzantine Museum - more than 25,000 exhibits, representing a treasury of religious artifacts of the Byzantine period, as well as works of early Christian, medieval and post-Byzantine art.
  • Museum of Cycladic Art - ancient artifacts found in the Cyclades and Cyprus.

EARLY ATHENS

The Athenian policy, one of the largest in Greece, included the whole of Attica - an area in the eastern part Central Greece. Located on a peninsula, resembling a horn in shape and deeply protruding into the sea, in the north Attica bordered on Boeotia, in the west - on the regions on the isthmus of Isthmus. From the east and south, its lands were washed by the waters of the Aegean Sea. On the territory of Attica, in addition to its "capital" - the city of Athens, known since the Mycenaean era, there were several more small towns (Eleusis, Marathon, Bravron, etc.), as well as many dems- rural settlements. However, the Athenian policy was not always so large. It took shape gradually, through Synoykism. The Athenians themselves attributed the formation of the polis to the legendary king and hero Theseus, who, according to myths, lived even before the Trojan War. However, in reality, this process took several centuries, starting in the Homeric period, and ending at the beginning of the archaic era. When at the beginning of the 7th c. BC e. Eleusis, located on the border with Megara, an important religious center with the famous sanctuary of the goddess Demeter, became part of the policy; the unification of the regions of Attica around Athens was completed.

Athenian Sinoikism, unlike similar processes in other Greek policies, was not accompanied by the resettlement of all the inhabitants of the policy to the main city. In the archaic era, more than half of the citizens of Athens lived in the countryside.

The relief of Attica was quite diverse: low mountain ranges (Hymett, Parnet, Pentelikon) alternated with rocky plains. The natural resources of Attica are neither too abundant nor too scarce. The soils were not very suitable for growing crops, so the Athenians always felt a lack of bread and were forced to import grain. At the same time, the conditions for the cultivation of olive trees were very favorable. Olives (olives) were one of the main wealth of Athens. It is no coincidence that the olive tree was revered as sacred symbol the patroness of the Athenian state - the goddess Athena. By Greek standards, Attica was rich in minerals. In the south of the region, in Lavria, there were large deposits of silver. These mines, when they began to be intensively developed, became one of the main factors in the economic prosperity of Athens in the classical era. Marble and high-quality clay suitable for the production of ceramics were also mined in Attica.

The inhabitants of Attica belonged to the Ionian sub-ethnic group of the Greek ethnos. In the early stages of the history of the state, when the policy was still in the process of formation, the civilian population was divided according to the tribal principle. The most important and largest units were four phyla(i.e. tribes); Every Athenian citizen was a member of one of the phyla. Phil was divided into phratries- associations of a cult nature. The phratry, in turn, was made up of childbirth. However, not all the inhabitants of Attica were members of the clans, but only aristocrats; belonging to any kind was thus a confirmation of the noble origin of the person.

Athens Acropolis. Photo

At the same time, the territorial division of the policy gradually begins: each phylum was divided into three trittia, and each tritia is four navkraria. There were 48 navcraries in total, and these small districts were the smallest territorial units. Each navkraria was obliged to maintain a warship, which was part of the Athenian fleet, at its own expense.

The capital of the policy - Athens - was located in the central part of Attica, a few kilometers from the coast of the Saronic Gulf, in the valley of a small river Kefis that dried up in summer. The main Athenian hill - Acropolis- was the religious center of the policy and its citadel. It housed temples, houses of rulers, as well as city defensive fortifications, since in the era of the archaic Athens was not surrounded by a wall. On some of the hills adjacent to the Acropolis (Areopagus, Pnyx, etc.) there were also public buildings and sanctuaries. Not far from the foot of the Acropolis was Agora- the main city square, one of the centers of political life.

Athens already existed in the 2nd millennium BC. e., during the Mycenaean era. The growth of the role of Athens was facilitated by the fact that the Dorians, who crushed the Mycenaean civilization, practically bypassed Attica. And therefore, the composition of the population of the region, in fact, did not change, only Achaean refugees appeared who fled from the Dorians in Attica. There were no alien conquerors here, as in Sparta, and there were no dependent people, like helots. The relative absence of conflict (continuity) of Athenian history between the 2nd and 1st millennia BC. e., undoubtedly, played a role in the future, new for Greece of the era of “dark ones to a lesser extent. Period X-VIII centuries. BC e. was for Athens even a time of relative prosperity, especially in economic terms. In particular, geometric-style Attic painted pottery was perhaps the finest in Greece. However, by the seventh century BC e. the development of this policy slows down, and Athens becomes one of the ordinary, albeit large, states of the Greek world.

Athena Promachos. Statuette from the Athenian Acropolis(5th century BC)

An exceptionally important role in all aspects of the life of Athens was played by the aristocracy - Eupatrides(i.e. sons of noble fathers). In terms of the proportion of the nobility in the composition of the population, the Athenian policy almost surpassed all other Greek states. One of the reasons for this was the influx into Attica at the turn of the 2nd-1st millennium BC. e. aristocrats from the Peloponnese who fled from the Dorians. These refugees were welcomed into Athens; one of the noble families that came to Attica from Pylos, even founded the last Athenian royal dynasty Medontides.

Throughout the archaic era, the aristocrats firmly held in their hands all the levers of power in Athens. They gradually achieved a reduction in the powers of the basilei, and then the elimination of their rule. The king's term in power was limited to ten years, and later reduced to one year. The position of the king from hereditary turned into an elective one and became available to representatives not only of the Medontides dynasty, but also of other noble families. To limit the power of the ruler, various government positions were introduced to manage the policy.

At the beginning of the 7th century BC e. the political system of the Athenian polis was formed as aristocratic republic. At the head of the state was a board of nine magistrates- senior officials who held their post during the year. They were called archons, and between them there was a certain differentiation of functions. First Archon - eponym- was considered the highest civil official of the policy; he gave his name to the year in which his reign fell. The second archon basil- was the heir to the ancient royal power, but in the archaic era retained only the powers of the high priest of the policy, the head of the religious life of the community. Third Archon - polemarch- was the supreme commander of the armed forces. The remaining six archons - thesmofetes- controlled the observance of oral law (there were no written laws in Athens yet).

Played an extremely important role in management Council of the Areopagus- the main stronghold of the power of the aristocracy. It included archons whose term of office had expired; they remained members of the Areopagus for life. It was the Areopagus, who enjoyed great authority, who had the right to appoint a citizen to the post of archon. The Areopagus exercised the highest control over the entire life of the state, and was also the supreme judicial instance that dealt with the most important cases.

National assembly in Athens until the VI century. BC e. did not play any significant role. In general, the position of the ordinary demos was rather belittled. He was completely subordinate to the aristocracy and, in addition, was economically dependent on it, which was constantly increasing. In the second half of the 7th c. BC e. debt bondage became widespread; appeared on peasant lands mountains(mortgage stones), which marked the actual transfer of such fields to the disposal of creditors and the transformation of the former owners into disenfranchised tenants. Sometimes insolvent debtors fell into real slavery.

Thus, in the socio-economic and political evolution of the Athenian polis during the first two centuries of the archaic era, tendencies were manifested that were characteristic of the Greek world as a whole. At the same time, the pace of development of Athens can be defined as average - faster than, say, in the policies of Boeotia and Thessaly, but slower than in such developed states as Corinth, Megara, Chalkis. In particular, the Athenians did not take very Active participation in the Great Greek colonization, because such a large, by Greek standards, policy did not experience "land hunger". Only at the end of the 7th century. BC e. Athens sent the first expedition to the zone of the Black Sea straits and founded the colony of Sigei on the coast of Asia Minor.

In 636 BC. e. in Athens, for the first time, an attempt was made to establish tyranny. A young aristocrat tried to seize power Kilon, shortly before that he won the Olympic Games. Leading a detachment of peers, he occupied the Acropolis. However, the demos did not support Cylon, and his rebellion was relatively easily suppressed by the authorities of the policy; at the same time, however, it was not without mass bloodshed and murders. Representatives of a noble family played an important role in the massacre of the rebels. Alcmeonids, who later was destined to rule in the Athenian state. The failure of the conspirators showed that Athens was not yet ready to accept a tyrannical regime. However, the rebellion of Cylon aggravated the struggle between the aristocratic factions. Murder followed murder, as the old custom of blood feud came into play.

The first Greek code of written laws, created in 621 BC, was called upon to stop internecine strife. e. legislator Dragontom. The most important place in this code was occupied by the laws on murders. Their observance was supposed to, if not completely eliminate blood feuds, then, in any case, put punishment under the control of the state. From now on, the relatives of the murdered were obliged to refer the case of punishment to the Areopagus court, and not to deal with the killer without permission.

So, by the turn of the VI-VI centuries. BC e. in the life of the Athenian policy, two major processes were outlined: the constant struggle of aristocratic families and the growing enslavement of the demos. Both of these processes seriously undermined the stability of the state. To improve the situation, reforms were carried out, which, however, did not help to completely change the situation. But they dramatically accelerated the development of Athens, turning this policy into one of the most significant in Hellas, which eventually allowed it to become the political, economic and cultural center of the Greek world.

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    Subtitles

The formation of the Athenian state

Hellenistic era

During the Hellenistic period, when Greece became the arena of struggle between the major Hellenistic states, the position of Athens repeatedly changed. There were brief periods when they managed to achieve relative independence, in other cases Macedonian garrisons were introduced into Athens. In 146 BC. e. , having shared the fate of all Greece, Athens fell under the rule of Rome; being in the position of an ally city (lat. civitas foederata), they enjoyed only fictitious freedom. In 88 BC. e. Athens joined the anti-Roman movement, raised by the Pontic king Mithridates VI Eupator. In 86 BC. e. The army of Lucius Cornelius Sulla took the city by storm and sacked it. Out of respect for the mighty past of Athens, Sulla kept them a fictitious freedom. In 27 BC. e. after the formation of the Roman province of Achaia, Athens became part of it. In the 3rd century A.D. e, when the Balkan Greece began to be subjected to barbarian invasions, Athens fell into complete decline.

Planning and architecture

hills

  • Hill Acropolis.
  • Areopagus, that is, the hill of Ares - west of the Acropolis, gave its name to the highest judicial and government council of Ancient Athens, which held its meetings on the hillside.
  • Nympheion, that is, the hill of nymphs, is southwest of the Areopagus.
  • Pnyx - a semicircular hill southwest of the Areopagus; it originally hosted ecclesia meetings, which were later moved to the theater of Dionysus.
  • Museion, that is, the Hill of Musaeus or Muses, now known as the Hill of Philopappou - south of Pnyx and the Areopagus.

Acropolis

Initially, the city occupied only the upper area of ​​the steep hill of the Acropolis, accessible only from the west, which served simultaneously as a fortress, political and religious center, the core of the whole city. According to legend, the Pelasgians leveled the top of the hill, surrounded it with walls and built an outer fortification on the western side with 9 gates located one after another. Inside the castle lived the ancient kings of Attica with their wives. Here towered ancient temple, dedicated to Pallas Athena, along with which Poseidon and Erechtheus were also revered (hence the temple dedicated to him was called the Erechtheion).

The golden age of Pericles was also a golden age for the Acropolis of Athens. First of all, Pericles instructed the architect Iktin on the site of the old Hecatompedon (Temple of the Chaste Athena) destroyed by the Persians to build a new, more magnificent Temple of Athena the Virgin - Parthenon. Its magnificence was enhanced by the numerous statues with which, under the direction of Phidias, the temple was decorated, both outside and inside. Immediately after the completion of the construction of the Parthenon, which served as the treasury of the gods and for the celebration of the Panathenaic, in 438 BC. e. Pericles commissioned the architect Mnesicles to build a magnificent new gate at the entrance to the acropolis - the Propylaea (437-432 BC). A staircase made of marble slabs, meandering, led along the western slope of the hill to the portico, which consisted of 6 Doric columns, the gaps between which decreased symmetrically on both sides.

Agora

Part of the population, subject to the owners of the fortress (acropolis), eventually settled at the foot of the hill, mainly on its southern and southeastern side. This is where they were ancient sanctuaries cities, in particular dedicated to Olympian Zeus, Apollo, Dionysus. Then there were settlements on the slopes that stretch west of the Acropolis. The lower city expanded even more when, as a result of the unification of various parts, into which ancient times Attica was divided into one political entity (tradition attributes this to Theseus), Athens became the capital of the united state. Gradually, over the following centuries, the city was also populated from the north side of the Acropolis. Craftsmen mainly settled here, namely members of the respected and numerous class of potters in Athens, therefore, a significant quarter of the city to the east of the Acropolis was called Keramik (that is, the quarter of potters).

Finally, in the era of Peisistratus and his sons, an altar to 12 gods was built in the southern part of the new Agora (market), which was located at the northwestern foot of the Acropolis. Moreover, from the Agora, the distances of all areas connected by roads with the city were measured. Peisistratus also began construction in the lower city of the colossal Temple of Olympian Zeus to the east of the Acropolis, and on the high point hill Acropolis - Temple of Athena the chaste (Hekatompedon).

Gates

Among the main entrance gates of Athens were:

  • in the west: Dipylon gate leading from the center of the Keramik district to the Academy. The gates were considered sacred, since the sacred Elefsinsky Way began from them. Knight's Gate were located between the Hill of the Nymphs and the Pnyx. Piraeus gate- between Pnyx and Mouseion, led to a road between long walls, which in turn led to Piraeus. The Miletus gates are so named because they led to the Deme Miletus within Athens (not to be confused with the policy of Miletus).
  • in the south: the gates of the dead were near the hill Museion. The road to Faliron began from the Itonia Gate on the banks of the Ilissos River.
  • in the east: the gate of Diohara led to the Lyceum. The Diomean Gate got its name because it led to the deme Diomei, as well as the hill of Kinosargu.
  • in the north: the Acarni gate led to the Deme Akarney.
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ANCIENT ATHENS


"ANCIENT ATHENS"

Oliva is a tree sacred to the Greeks, the tree of life. Without it, it is impossible to imagine the Greek valleys, sandwiched between mountains and the sea, and even the rocky slopes of the mountains themselves, where olive groves alternate with vineyards. Olives climb almost to the very peaks, they also dominate the plains, brightening up the yellowish soil with their juicy greenery. They surround the villages in a tight ring and line up along the city streets. Unpretentious and lively, olives are rooted not only in the stony soil of Greece, but also in the bizarre world of its myths and legends.

Place of birth sacred tree the Acropolis is considered - a hill around which the Greek capital is spread. The cities of the ancient world usually appeared near a high rock, and a citadel (acropolis) was also erected on it, so that the inhabitants had somewhere to hide when attacked by enemies.

The beginning of Athens is lost in fabulous times. The first king of Attica, Kekrop, who arrived in the country in 1825 BC, built a fortress with a royal palace on the Acropolis. Under Kekrop, a well-known dispute took place between the god Poseidon and the goddess Athena for the possession of Attica. The Olympian gods, led by Zeus, acted as judges in this dispute when Athena and Poseidon brought their gifts to the city. With a blow of a trident, Poseidon cut the rock, and a salty spring hit from the stone. Athena plunged her spear deep into the ground, and an olive tree grew in this place. All the gods supported Poseidon, and the goddesses and King Kekrop supported Athena. According to another legend, Poseidon produced a horse, but it was also considered less useful for the inhabitants of Attica than an olive tree. Enraged by the loss, the god sent huge waves to the plain around the city, from which one could hide only on the Acropolis. The Thunderer Zeus interceded for the inhabitants, and the townspeople themselves propitiated Poseidon, promising to erect a temple in his honor on Cape Souniyon, which they subsequently did.

Initially, the whole city consisted only of a fortress. Only then people began to settle around the Acropolis, flocking here from all over Greece as a place safe from the invasions of nomadic tribes. Gradually, groups of houses formed here, which were then united together with the fortress into a single city. The tradition, followed by Greek historians, indicates that this happened in 1350 BC, and attributes the unification of the city to the folk hero Thezeus.


"ANCIENT ATHENS"

Athens then lay in a small valley surrounded by a chain of rocky hills.

The tyrant-ruler Pisistratus was the first to turn the Acropolis from a fortress into a sanctuary. But he was smart person- having come to power, he ordered all idlers to be brought to his palace and asked them why they did not work. If it turned out that this was a poor man who did not have an ox or seeds to plow and sow the field, then Pisistratus gave him everything. He believed that idleness was fraught with the threat of a conspiracy against his power. In an effort to provide the population of Athens with work, Peisistratus launched a large construction project in the city. With him in place royal palace Kekrop was erected Hekatompedon, dedicated to the goddess Athena. The Greeks revered their patroness so highly that they set free all the slaves who participated in the construction of this temple.

The center of Athens was the Agora - the market square, where not only trading shops were located; it was the heart public life Athens, there were halls for public, military and judicial meetings, temples, altars and theaters. During the time of Peisistratus, the temples of Apollo and Zeus Agoraus, the nine-jet Enneakrunos fountain and the altar of the Twelve Gods, which served as a refuge for wanderers, were erected on the Agora.

The construction of the temple of Olympian Zeus, begun under Pisistratus, was then suspended for many reasons (military, economic, political). According to legend, since ancient times this place was the center where they worshiped Olympian Zeus and the Earth. The first temple here was built by Deucalion - the Greek Noah, later they pointed out the tomb of Deucalion and the crack into which water flowed after the flood. Every year, on the new moon in February, the inhabitants of Athens threw wheat flour mixed with honey there as an offering to the dead.

The temple of Olympian Zeus began to be built in the Doric order, but neither Peisistratus nor his sons had time to finish it. Prepared for the temple Construction Materials in the 5th century BC, they began to be used to build a city wall. They resumed the construction of the temple (already in the Corinthian order) under the Syrian king Antiochus IV Epiphanes in 175 BC. Then the sanctuary and the colonnade were built, but because of the death of the king, this time the construction of the temple was not completed.

The destruction of the unfinished temple was started by the Roman conqueror Sulla, who captured and sacked Athens in 86 BC.


"ANCIENT ATHENS"

He took some columns to Rome, where they decorated the Capitol. Only during the reign of Emperor Hadrian was the construction of this temple completed - one of the largest structures in ancient Greece, which was equal in size to a football field.

In the open sanctuary of the temple stood a colossal statue of Zeus, made of gold and ivory. Behind the temple were four statues of Emperor Hadrian, in addition, many statues of the emperor stood in the fence of the temple. During the earthquake of 1852, one of the columns of the temple of Olympian Zeus collapsed, and now it lies, disintegrating into its constituent drums. To date, only fifteen of the 104 columns, which were the largest in Europe, remain.

Scientists suggest that Peisistratus (or under Peisistratus) founded the famous Parthenon, which was subsequently destroyed by the Persians. In the time of Pericles, this temple was rebuilt on a foundation twice as large as before. The Parthenon was erected in 447-432 BC by the architects Iktin and Kallikrates. On four sides it was surrounded by slender colonnades, and between their white marble trunks one could see gaps of the blue sky. All permeated with light, the Parthenon seems light and airy. On its white columns there are no bright designs, such as are found in Egyptian temples. Only longitudinal grooves (flutes) cover them from top to bottom, which makes the temple seem taller and even more slender.

The most famous Greek masters participated in the sculptural decoration of the Parthenon, and Phidias, one of the greatest sculptors of all time, was the artistic inspiration. He owns the overall composition and development of the entire sculptural decoration, part of which he made himself. And in the depths of the temple, surrounded on three sides by two-tiered columns, proudly stood the famous statue of the virgin Athena, created by the famous Phidias. Her clothes, helmet and shield were made of pure gold, and her face and hands shone with the whiteness of ivory. The creation of Phidias was so perfect that the rulers of Athens and foreign rulers did not dare to build other structures on the Acropolis, so as not to disturb the general harmony. Even today, the Parthenon amazes with the amazing perfection of its lines and proportions: it looks like a ship sailing through millennia, and you can endlessly look at its colonnade filled with light and air.

On the Acropolis there was also the Erechtheion temple ensemble with the world-famous portico of caryatids: on the south side of the temple, at the edge of the wall, six girls carved from marble supported the ceiling.


"ANCIENT ATHENS"

Portico figures are, in fact, supports that replace a pillar or column, but they perfectly convey the lightness and flexibility of girlish figures. The Turks, who once captured Athens and did not allow images of a person according to their Islamic laws, did not destroy the caryatids, however. They limited themselves only to the fact that they cut down the faces of the girls.

The only entrance to the Acropolis is the famous Propylaea - a monumental gate with Doric columns and a wide staircase. According to legend, however, there is a secret entrance to the Acropolis - underground. It begins in one of the old grottoes, and 2500 years ago, the sacred snake crawled out of the Acropolis when the army of the Persian king Xerxes attacked Greece.

In ancient Greece, the Propylaea (literal translation - "standing in front of the gate") was called the solemnly decorated entrance to the square, to the sanctuary or fortress. The Propylaea of ​​the Athenian Acropolis, built by the architect Mnesicles in 437-432 BC, are considered the most perfect, most original and at the same time the most typical building of this kind of architecture. In ancient times, in everyday speech, the Propylaea was called the "Palace of Themistocles", later - the "Arsenal of Lycurgus". After the conquest of Athens by the Turks, an arsenal with a powder magazine was indeed arranged in the Propylaea.

On the high pedestal of the bastion, which once guarded the entrance to the Acropolis, rises a small graceful temple of the goddess of victory, Nike Apteros, decorated with low bas-reliefs depicting the themes of the Greco-Persian wars. Inside the temple, a gilded statue of the goddess was installed, which the Greeks liked so much that they innocently begged the sculptor not to make wings for her so that she could not leave beautiful Athens. Victory is fickle and flies from one opponent to another, which is why the Athenians portrayed her wingless so that the goddess would not leave the city that won great victory over the Persians.

After the Propylaea, the Athenians went to main square Acropolis, where they were met by a 9-meter statue of Athena Promachos (Warrior), also created by the sculptor Phidias. It was cast from captured Persian weapons captured at the Battle of Marathon. The pedestal was high, and the gilded spearhead of the goddess, sparkling in the sun and visible far from the sea, served as a kind of beacon for sailors.

When the Byzantine Empire separated from the Roman Empire in 395, Greece became part of it, and until 1453 Athens was part of Byzantium.


"ANCIENT ATHENS"

The great temples of the Parthenon, Erechtheion and others were turned into christian churches. At first, this pleased and even helped the Athenians, newly converted Christians, as it allowed them to perform new religious rituals in a familiar and familiar environment. But by the 10th century, the greatly reduced population of the city began to feel uncomfortable in the huge majestic buildings of past times, and christian religion demanded a different artistic and aesthetic design of temples. Therefore, in Athens they began to build much smaller Christian churches, moreover, completely different in artistic principles. The oldest Byzantine-style church in Athens is the Church of St. Nicodemus, built on the ruins of Roman baths.

In Athens, the closeness of the East is constantly felt, although it is difficult to say right away what exactly gives the city an oriental flavor. Perhaps these are mules and donkeys harnessed to carts, such as are found on the streets of Istanbul, Baghdad and Cairo? Or are the minarets of mosques preserved in some places - mute witnesses of the former dominion of the Great Porte? Or maybe the outfit of the guardsmen standing guard at the royal residence - bright red fezzes, skirts above the knees and felt shoes with upturned toes? And of course this oldest part modern Athens - the area of ​​​​Plaka, dating back to the times of Turkish domination. This area was preserved in the form in which it existed before 1833: narrow, not similar friend other streets with small houses of old architecture; stairs connecting the streets, churches ... And above them rise the majestic gray rocks of the Acropolis, crowned with a powerful fortress wall and overgrown with rare trees.

Behind the small houses are the Roman Agora and the so-called Tower of the Winds, which was presented to Athens by the wealthy Syrian merchant Andronicus in the 1st century BC. The Tower of the Winds is an octagonal structure a little over 12 meters high, its faces are strictly oriented to the cardinal points. The sculptural frieze of the Tower depicts winds blowing each from its own side.

The tower was built of white marble, and at the top of it stood a brass Den with a rod in his hands: turning in the direction of the wind, he pointed with a rod to one of the eight sides of the Tower, where eight winds were depicted in bas-reliefs.

For example, Boreas (the north wind) was depicted as an old man in warm clothes and half boots, he holds a shell in his hands, which serves him instead of a pipe. Zephyr (western spring wind) appears as a barefoot young man who scatters flowers from the hem of his fluttering mantle. Under the bas-reliefs depicting the winds, on each side of the Tower are placed sundial, which show not only the time of day, but also both rotations of the sun and the equinox. And so that you can find out the time in cloudy weather, inside the Tower there is a clepsydra - a water clock.

During the Turkish occupation, for some reason it was believed that the philosopher Socrates was buried in the Tower of the Winds. Where Socrates died and where exactly the tomb of the ancient Greek thinker is located - you cannot read about this in ancient writers. However, a legend has been preserved among the people, pointing to one of the caves, which consists of three chambers - partly natural, partly specially carved into the rock. One of the extreme chambers also has a special internal compartment - like a low round casemate with a hole at the top, which is closed with a stone slab...

It is impossible to tell about all the sights of Athens in one article, because every stone here breathes history, every centimeter of the land of the ancient city, which is impossible to enter without awe, is sacred ... No wonder the Greeks said: "If you have not seen Athens, then you are a mule; and if you saw and were not admired, then you are a stump!

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Athens is a city named after Pallas Athena, goddess of wisdom and just war. Geographic location: Central Greece, Attica peninsula. Modern Athens is the cultural and economic administrative center of Greece, with more than 750,000 inhabitants (2003).

Even in ancient times, Athens was the largest city-state in Attica, whose heritage is of great importance in the modern world. Ancient Athens is the birthplace of democracy, various areas of philosophy and the art of theater. According to historians, the first records date back to 1600-1200. before. AD (Mycenaean era). Archaeological research of Athens began in the 30s of the 19th century and was of an inconsistent nature, and only in the 70-80s. excavations took a systematic approach. During the research, many historical values ​​​​were discovered.

Sights of Athens

Acropolis and Parthenon

The main attractions of Athens are the Acropolis and the Parthenon, which are located on a 156-meter rocky hill. In ancient times, these places were used for the construction of temples dedicated to the great Greek gods, and also confirmed the status of Athens as the most beautiful city. , center of culture and art. Today, the Acropolis and the Parthenon are a must-visit destination for millions of tourists who come to Athens.

Theater of Dionysus

The orchestra of the Theater of Dionysus premiered works by Aristophanes, Sophocles, Aeschylus and Euripides. Finding this ancient building is not at all difficult: the theater is located on the southeastern slope of the Acropolis hill.

Temple of Zeus

The Temple of Olympian Zeus (Olympion) is located in the heart of Athens. In ancient Greece, it was the largest temple. Due to its location, Olympion is perfectly visible from the Acropolis.
Working hours: Tue - Sun: 8:30 - 15:00. Mon: day off

National Archaeological Museum

National Archaeological Museum, gathered within its walls huge collection exhibits, located in the center of Athens. The exposition is so extensive that it will take several hours to view it. For the convenience of visitors, the halls in the museum are located in chronological order: from the Mycenaean period and the Cycladic culture, covering ancient period, to the present day.
Working hours:
Summer: Mon: 12.30 – 19.00; Tue - Fri: 8.00 - 19.00; Sat, Sun: 8.30 – 15.00
Winter: Mon: 10.30-17.00; Tue - Fri: 8.00 - 19.00; Sat, Sun: 8.30 – 15.00

One of the most fascinating places when visiting Athens is the Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion, which in ancient times was a landmark for navigators. Cape Sounion is known for beautiful sunsets that turn the sky an amazing bright red. You can get to this place by renting a car, or by intercity bus Athens-Sounion. And do not forget to make a wish at sunset at the foot of the temple, they say that it will definitely come true.

Resting in Greece, numerous tourists tend to Athens to enjoy a wide range excursion programs. The tour can be booked directly with the tour operator or you can find a private guide. Some of the most attractive excursions are a visit to the Acropolis and the old city, a sightseeing tour of Athens, an excursion to Argolis from Athens, night Athens. A huge number of excursions will not leave indifferent even the most fastidious tourist - everyone will find the most interesting and informative for themselves.

Athens Hotels

Like any other metropolis, Athens has a huge number of hotels of various price categories. Can be found as a budget option for living, and to choose a luxurious five-star hotel for relaxation in Athens, located right on the seashore. Moreover, according to research portal Hotels.com, recognized as the most affordable in Europe. average cost accommodation is no more than 2500 rubles per day per person.

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