After we got to the parking area at the foot of the hill we started toward the entrance which was actually a fairly monumental set of steps made of marble.
The first thing we did was wait for out tour guide to get our tickets.
Our first view of the Acropolis through the trees. The small building on the right is the Temple of Athena Nike (victory) built in 410 B. C.
These three photos are of the Odeum of Herodes Atticus which was a relatively small covered theatre on the west end of the south slope of the Acropolis. The building was completed in about 174 A.D It would have held over 5000 people for performances and was considered on the most magnificent structures in the Roman Empire.
Here we are heading up through the entrance of the Acropolis through the monumental steps and entry "gates". This entry way was built by Pericles as par of this plans to enhance the site and create a sense of entry to the float topped "sacred rock". The construction was started in 437 B.C. and was funded by tribute levied on the allies of the Delian League. Is is very likely that the project was never complete because funds dried up when the Peloponnesian war broke out in 432 B. C. That actually sounds quite familiar to me.
The Delian League, founded in 478 BC, was an association of Greek city-states, members numbering between 150 to 173, under the leadership of Athens, whose purpose was to continue fighting the Persian Empire after the Greek victory in the Battle of Plataea at the end of the Second Persian invasion of Greece. The League's modern name derives from its official meeting place, the island of Delos, where congresses were held in the temple and where the treasury stood until, in a symbolic gesture, Pericles moved it to Athens in 454 BC.
Shortly after its inception, Athens began to use the League's navy for its own purposes. This behavior would frequently lead to conflict between Athens and the less powerful members of the League. By 431 BC Athens' heavy-handed control of the Delian League would prompt the outbreak of the Peloponnesian War; the League was dissolved upon the war's conclusion in 404 BC. Eventual that heavy handed control stuff ends up killing the golden egg laying goose.
Once up on the top of the rock and before we headed to each of the significant building/ruins I took a couple of shots out over the landscape The views above and below or looking to the west and northwest
The large rock in the middle of the pictures above and below are of Mars Hill the famous site for some of the Apostle Paul's debates with the Athenians. Later on there are some pictures of us up on the rock.
Beyond Mars Hill in the distance is the Temple of Hephaestus the patron god of metal working and craftsmanship. There were several potters and metal workers shops near by. This building is believed to have been started in 449 B.C. but probable not completed for almost thirty years, because funds were diverted to build the Parthenon.
Here are some details of the stone work at the base of the entry-way. It is worth noting that the base level of the structure was on top of leveling courses of local stone. Kind of a balanced cut and fill operation.
The roof structure was pretty beefy. The "rafters" were massive stone beams closely spaced. The narrow rows of columns probably reflected the design capacity of to rafters rather than a practical us of space at the ground plane.
In the photo above the ridged rock is actually ancient worn stair steps. currently they are very smooth and slippery therefore most people walk up toward the monuments on the rough concrete path poured beside the steps.
Above is Erechtheum the temple of Athena, built in 421-405 B.C. it sits more or less on the northwest corner of the Acropolis, and sort of north of the Parthenon. Below is my first view of the Parthenon. We are coming up on the west end of the building and will be heading around to the south side. The lighting at this time of day was not the greatest, by since the ongoing renovation is in front of that end of the building it wasn't like we would be able to get good pictures anyway. Apparently renovation work has been going on for years.
From about the middle of the buildings west end and looking to the north you can see the elaborate steps carve out of the rock (marble). In the photo below you can see where the original rock ended and a man made base was added to level the site for the building.
Here are some detailed shots of the west gable end of the building. There were several of these panels with carved images of various scenes of Greek life at the time.
The photo above is looking back to the west at the entry from which we had come.
These photos are of the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, at the base of the hill southwest of the Parthenon, which we had seen earlier at a lower level.
These tow photos are looking south out over Athens.
Here on the south side of the Parthenon the sun is better for photos.
These two photos show more of the elaborate foundation work that have been done to create a base on which the Parthenon was built.
Above is a section of the south wall of the Parthenon, West end.
Southeast of the Parthenon and looking out below the hill is this ruin of the Theatre of Dionysus Eleuthereus. This was an open air theatre originally built in the 6th century B.C. In 390 B.C. the site was reconstructed out of stone, replacing the original word structure.
The theatre was dedicated to Dionysus, the god of wine and the patron of drama; wine and drama, an interesting combination. This site was the center of the Dionysia festival. There were "musical competitions held here as a part of the festival. I suppose this we sort of an early Greek band contest. Actually there were some pretty famous dudes who competed in the drama competitions of the classical era whose works have survived: Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripedies, Aristophanes and Menander. The advent of tragedy, in particular, is credited to the Athenians with festivals staged during specific times of year. These dramatic festivals were competitive among playwrights and involved the production of four plays, three tragedies and one satyr play featuring lighter themes.
The photo below is what is left of the Odeum of Pericles. This was a public building built by Pericles in 445 B.C. Originally built to house musical contests during the yearly festival of the Panathenaea. Later it was used for a variety of purposes.
here we are at the southeast corner of the Parthenon. We were told that the rows of columns were surprisingly well aligned. and that they tilted in just a bit for dramatic effect.
There is not as much of the gable at this end of the building, but you can see that there was quite a bit of detailed sculpting that would have been tucked in under the over hang.
The Parthenon was a temple dedicated to the maiden goddess Athena, whom the people of Athens considered their Patron. Our guide held up this black and white photo of what some believe what the original gold statue of Athena may have looked like. The building was substantially complete in 432 B.C. Funding was most likely drawn form the treasury of the Delian League. So you can see that the economic drama of Greece is not new. This is a actually the second attempt to build a sanctuary for Athena Parthenos. The first attempt was in 490-488 B.C. shortly after the battle of Marathon. It was constructed a little bit north of the the current site and it was at that time that the site was leveled on the south part of the hill which later accommodated the structure what we see today. The original was still under construction in 480 B.C with the Persians sacked the city of Athens and destroyed all the structures on the Acropolis.
After 2500 years of sacking, bombing, earthquakes, weather, excavations, looting, renovations, economic drama and such there are still a lot of the puzzle that have not been completed. The pictures above and below are of an area east of the Parthenon, sort of an outdoor bone yard of piece parts.
Wandering out through the warehouse/yard to the east end there is another high hill in the distance. There are several of the hill withing Athens. For the most part they are still covered with vegetation and are not developed, probably because they are considered sacred sites.
Looking back to the west the photo above on the would be to my left is the east end of the Parthenon and the photo below is to the right and is the Erechtheum. In between these two building was where the original Parthenon was constructed before the Persians kicked it over.
Heading over to the next significant structure call Erechtheus. The name, of popular origin, is derived from this shrine dedicated to the Greek hero Erichthonius. It is believed by some that the temple was erected in honour of the legendary king Erechtheus. The architect was probably Mnesicles. The temple’s Ionic capitals are the most beautiful that Greece produced, and its distinctive porch, supported by carhatid which is in classical architecture, draped female figures used instead of a columns. The building is said to be unequaled in classical architecture.
These stone women are holding up the roof over a porch on the south side of the main building.
Apparently when stone female figures stand in place holding up a building for 2500 years their noses fall off.
The photo below is looking back to the west over the site of the original Parthenon at the entry gate.
We headed around the east side of the building and looked down into a plaza on the north side of the building. Off to the right of the photo above was a narrow steep set of stairs that led from the upper east elevation to the lower north plaza. Several details of the porch in the middle of the photo are below.
Above is another example of stone rafter roof structure. Below is the base of one of the columns Note the fine details int the stone carving.
The hole in the roof in the photo above is supposed to line up with the hole in the floor of the porch in the photo below. are there in homage to a lightning bolt that was thrown from one of the Greek gods to take out one of the combatants that were fighting over the rights to name the city. Rumor has it that Athena and Poseidon we the ones in the conflict of the city. Apparently Athena won by default or lightning strike.
The elaborate entry door from the main part of the temple out to this north porch is actually a very well designed element.
The "sacred olive tree" sprouted when Athena struck the ground with her spear in her successful defeat of Poseidon.
In the photo above we have move around to the west side of the building and are looking south. You can see the Parthenon beyond the stone retaining wall that separates this lower plaza on the north on west sides of the building from the upper levels on the south and east. I can't read Greek very well but my guess is that it says stay off of the grass. The sign didn't work too well.
Moving off to the west out away from the building up a ramp that would take up back to entrance/exit is this view of the west side of the Erechtheion
We are around on the south east corner of the building and getting a couple we were here pictures.
Since I have spent almost my entire career in construction and maintenance I couldn't help taking a shot of the fork lift. and construction shack.
We are now west of the site of the original Parthenon looking to the northeast is the Erechtheion and to the southeast the Parthenon. We have made a complete circuit of the Acropolis and are heading for the exit.
In the photo above you can see the though the exit a view out over Athens to the west. The photo below is looking to the south as we are just heading to the exit.
Here are some interesting shot of construction details of the entry/exit gate way.
In these photos you can see that some of the spaces above and between the roof structure are still in place. They appear to be some kind of panels that span between the rafter/beams and that quite interesting coffered details on the underside.
One final shot of the Temple of Athena Nike
More foundation and base details.
Now we are out on the west side of the Acropolis and in the photo below turning to the north we are heading for Mars Hill.
Karen and John's mom had had way too much fun trudging around on the Acropolis and decided to find something cold to drink.
As you can see in the photo above it is a bit warm. To the left of where I am standing is the original steps that lead up to the top of Mars Hill. You can see that some repair work has been done. I can also say the these steps were pretty treacherous. they were worn and slippery as was most of the surface on the top of the hill. Hence the term it a slippery slope you are taking.
Clarice and I traded we were here pictures of us standing on Mars Hill with the Acropolis in the background.
Here are photos of Jon and Me looking out to the northwest.
We headed back to the bus and headed to the Olympic Stadium and the "historic shopping district of Athens".
Along the we passed by the Odeon of Pericles (above) and the Acropolis (below)
The "modern" Olympic Stadium actually was constructed in 1896 as a site for the modern Olympics after several hundred years of not occurring. Note that later on in the trip we will visit the original Olympic stadium but it is not in Athens.
We did not have time nor was it on our agenda to actually tour the stadium but we did get up close enough to get a couple of photos from the entry plaza. The stadium seating would accommodate about 50,000 spectators and they used a more or less conventional oval track. More on this subject later.
Since I have been a runner and have some experience with competition I was quite interested is see the facility as best as I could.
Of course you need some I was there pictures.
On our way from the stadium we passed by the Acropolis again.
Most of us have seen in the news over the past year or so some of the marches and "riots" in Athens as a result of austerity measures and economic troubles. The building above is the government building (Parliament) in front of which the rioters and marchers have been active. We are actually in a bus driving right down the street where a couple of weeks later this scene was back in the news with marchers. The little white building with the blue roof is a place with the Presidential Guard marches back and forth.
Since we were on a bus it was a bit difficult to get good pictures but these two sort of show the idea. The uniform for these guys is a bit odd. They wear white leggings and knee high socks, a blousy tunic sort of top thing and the most interesting element is that they wear shoes that have a huge pom pom on the toe. The slow motion strut that they use involves this really awkward move (see below) and exaggerated march steps.
Above and below is evidence that there is quite a bit of dissatisfaction with the conditions in Greece.
The buildings above and below are quite unusual in the design. I have no idea where they got the idea to use big columns like this.
We got dropped off at the historic old town area to get some lunch and to do some site seeing and shopping.
We found a nice little restaurant with an open air dining area.
We sat under a grape arbor and had a really nice lunch.
We walked around for a while in the among the shops and eventually headed back to the bus.
On the way back to the bus we saw this interesting entry gate and this vendor that looked like he was getting ready to set up shop for the evening traffic. It looked like the cart had a couple of grills on it, but it was hard to say what he would be selling.
Back at the ship we got up onto the upper deck to watch the sail away process.
The tug boat appears to be like a harbor master that watches as our ship spun around and headed out to sea.
Looking back at Athens there was not really any note worthy building element that would have distinguished the skyline of the city other that the sacred hills the acropolis and such.
A couple of the Churches had unique architectural style, but for the most part most of the buildings in Athens were not all that interesting.
As we headed out of the harbor we could see a huge clod bank swelling up in the distance.
The wind really picked up and if we had been back in Indiana I would have thought we were in for a big storm. As it turned out there was not storm and I don't recall any bad weather at all.
Here are a couple of more churches that we saw from the deck as we headed out.
In the photo above is where their coast guard station is head quartered. Below is an interesting boat hydroplaning along at a fairly high rate of speed.
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