We all studied history in 5th grade Ancient world. We remember photographs and drawings of the Acropolis on the pages of our textbooks.

Then we didn’t think that thousands of years ago in this place people lived and died, made plans and houses, loved and suffered.

The Acropolis of Athens was the cradle of modern European civilization. The greatness of our ancestors is worthy of respect. But you can fully experience this only by seeing with your own eyes the place where legends were born.

Upper city

According to ancient myth The founder was the half-man, half-snake king Kekrop, born of the ancient Greek goddess of the earth Gaia.
Struck by the beauty of the area, he founded an ancient city.

But then cities could not exist without divine participation. Mycenae and Agros were patronized by Hera, Thebes by , and Demeter was supervised by Eleusis.

The daughter of Zeus, Athena, and the ruler of all seas and oceans, Poseidon, fought for the honorary title of patron of the new city. Kekrop organized a competition, the essence of which was that whoever presented the city with the best gift would own the land.

Poseidon was the first to take part in the competition. In hot and dry areas there is no best gift than cool water. Hitting the rock with his trident, he created a waterfall. But its waters were salty and useless for the inhabitants.

Athena gave the city an olive tree, which gives shade, and...
Kekrop considered Athena's gift to be the best, and the gods agreed with him.

Since then, the beloved daughter of Zeus became the patroness of Athens. And in her honor, Kekrop built the first sanctuary. And the city that offended Poseidon still periodically experiences drought.

The city was founded on a 156-meter flat-topped hill. From here there was an amazing view of the sea and surrounding area. Initially, in addition to the sanctuary of the divine patroness, there were buildings of political and economic significance, such as the state treasury, a weapons depot, etc.

The acropolis was inhabited mainly by rulers and nobility. Ordinary people and artisans built their homes at the foot of the hill. In case of danger, the population took refuge behind the fortress walls.

Acropolis, translated from Greek, means “upper city”. Each Greek city in those days had its own acropolis. But it was Athens who gained worldwide fame.

This is not only a symbol of the capital, but also a symbol of the entire country. The building is a complex architectural ensemble and is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

But the buildings that we can see now were not here originally. Throughout history Acropolis of Athens was repeatedly subjected to destructive raids.

Those temples that have survived to this day were built around the middle of the 5th century BC. e. This happened after finally defeating the Persians, the Greek city-states finally united and created the Athenian Maritime Union under the leadership of Athens.
Then it was decided to allocate money for the restoration of the Acropolis destroyed by the Persians.

The temples were burned to the ground, so they were simply rebuilt. The central place was given to the temple of Pallas Athena - the Parthenon.

Also on the territory of the Acropolis are the temple of the Erechtheion with its famous portico of the Caryatids, the Bravronion and many others.

Each of the temples is unique and is of interest not only to specialists and historians, but also to ordinary tourists, for whom history is not just a word. But the Hellenic temples that have passed through millennia have recently been subject to severe destruction.
The reason for this was a change in the atmosphere. Due to exhaust emissions, the sulfur content in the air has increased. Marble slowly turns into limestone. In addition, the iron structures connecting the marble parts, oxidizing, destroy the noble stone.

The Acropolis is undergoing ongoing restoration. Therefore, scaffolding can spoil the impression for tourists. Until scientists find a way to counteract the chemical destruction of stone, some of the sculptures have been replaced with copies. The originals are housed in the Acropolis Museum.

Athens begins with the Acropolis

No matter where you stay in Greece, it is simply unreasonable not to visit the Acropolis of Athens. Greece is not such a big country and getting to Athens is not difficult, and there are a lot of ways to get to the capital.

The Acropolis of Athens is an open-air museum. When examining it, you will have to walk a lot and climb a mountain. Therefore, when going on an excursion, do not forget about comfortable shoes and hats. Keep in mind that the steps and stones are mostly slippery.

You will have to decide for yourself how to organize your excursion. There are a great variety of excursion programs. All usually include a visit to the Acropolis, and several other attractions.

You can buy a tour either in small agencies scattered throughout the city or via the Internet. You can also purchase it from your tour operator. The cost of programs varies in an unimaginable range. It all depends on what the organizers included in the excursion, whether food is included or not, what type of transport, etc.

It will be no less interesting if you organize it yourself. In addition, the feeling of freedom and the fact that you are left to your own devices will add spice and turn an ordinary excursion into a small adventure.

There are two hills in the center of Athens. On one of them is the Acropolis. Another hill is called Lycabettos, and it is famous for its incredible views of the city. At the foot of both hills lies the dense buildings of old Athens. It's impossible to go wrong when looking for the Acropolis.

There is plenty of public transport in Athens, but it is still more convenient to move quickly by using the metro.
The metro station with easy access to the Acropolis is called "Acropolis" and is located on the red line.
From the Thissio and Monastiraki metro stations the archaeological site can also be reached on foot.

Travel tickets should be purchased at metro ticket offices or ticket machines. A one-time ticket worth 1.4 euros will allow you to travel by any type of transport in any direction for 90 minutes. A one-day ticket costs 4 euros.

Rising from the metro to the surface, you will see majestic ancient buildings. The Acropolis is so powerful that the modern city is simply lost against its background.

The place of influx of tourists, as elsewhere in the world, attracts traders.

Therefore, there are many eateries, coffee shops and souvenir shops around. A tourist will not be able to stay hungry. But you should still stock up on water in advance, since here it is shamelessly expensive - from 0.5 euros, and the higher you go up the mountain, the higher the price for a bottle of ordinary water.

The archaeological site welcomes tourists in the summer season: on weekdays from 8-00 to 18-30, and on weekends and holidays from 8-30 to 14-30. In July and August, it is better to plan your visit in the morning.

During the day, the impression can be spoiled by the merciless heat. In addition, be prepared for the fact that there will be crowds of tourists there besides you - this cannot be avoided.

If a visit to the Acropolis is not planned as part of an excursion with a Russian-speaking guide (which may be expensive), then download the Mobile Guide program to your gadget in advance, or grab a guidebook.

Otherwise, you will be doomed to contemplate the ruins, knowing absolutely nothing about their rich history. If you're lucky, you can join the excursion in Russian.

At the entrance there is a stand with rules of behavior on the territory of the monument. The main thing is not to touch the stones!

The entrance ticket to the Acropolis of Athens costs 12 euros. The ticket is valid for 4 days.

You can also use it when visiting six more attractions: the Theater of Dionysus, the Roman Agora, the Ancient Greek Agora, the Temple of Zeus, the Library of Hadrian and the ancient cemetery - Ceramics.

Refrain from buying souvenirs on the territory of the monument.

Absolutely the same souvenirs, other trinkets and objects of unknown purpose can be purchased at the foot of the Acropolis, and three times cheaper.

The Greeks are friendly people, their food is delicious, the portions are simply huge.

In addition, any self-respecting establishment at the end of the meal will bring you a compliment from the establishment, in the form of a glass or, and the children - a dessert. Therefore, from this point of view, there is no difference in which tavern to eat.

To combine business with pleasure, also visit the Central Market of Athens. It is located near the Acropolis.

Market open: from Monday to Saturday from 8-00 am to 18-00 pm. It is located just 500 meters from the Monastiraki metro station.

You will not only enjoy the local flavor, but also have a snack at very affordable prices. In taverns you can have a hearty meal for 10-15 euros. And choose cute ones from 1 euro.

Well, now, having received everything valuable advice, heading to the upper city of Athens.

Propylaea

The monumental entrance to the Acropolis, the Propylaea, is located in the western part of the Acropolis.

They were built on a steep slope. Initially, you could get here along a wide path, which the Romans later covered with steps.

The Propylaea consists of two porticoes, one directed towards the Acropolis, and the other towards the city.

The ceilings of the porticos are painted in Blue colour and painted with gold stars. On the inside there are Ionic columns and pavilions. In ancient times, there was an art gallery and a library there.

Temple of Nike Apteros

An elegant marble temple dedicated to the Goddess of Victory, constant companion of the goddess Athena.

Inside there was a statue of Nike, which has not survived. But contemporaries claim that Nika held a helmet in one hand and a pomegranate fruit in the other. It is noteworthy that this image of Nike does not have wings, although it was customary to depict her as winged, which gives reason for some scientists to assume that the statue depicted Athena, and not Nike.
Apteros translated from Greek means “wingless”, and Nika means “victory”.

The ancient Greek writer Pausanias claimed that the goddess was deprived of her wings so that she could not leave the city. The friezes are decorated with relief images of gods. The temple is located to the right of the Propylaea, outside the Acropolis and is well preserved.

The temple was restored for the last time in 2000, and is now visible from anywhere in the city center, and when it gets dark the lights turn on, which gives the building a fantastically beautiful look.

Parthenon

Next to the temple grows that legendary olive tree - Athena’s gift to the city. The temple is dedicated to Athena, Poseidon and the king of Athens - Erechtheus. The temple is named after him.

The architect had to try hard, since the temple was being built on a rather uneven surface. Therefore, the structure is asymmetrical and consists of two rooms at different levels.

The eastern part was erected in honor of Pallas Athena. It has a separate entrance. It also contained her oldest sculpture, which, according to myth, fell from the sky. The priestesses dressed the sculpture in clothes woven by them - “peplos”. And in front of Athena burned an unquenchable golden lamp.
Porticoes of various shapes are built on three sides.

The western room of the temple glorifies Poseidon and King Erechtheus. It also has a separate entrance. The altars are dedicated not only to the gods, but also to mortals Erechtheus and his brother.

In this part of the temple there was a spring of salt water, formed just when Poseidon struck a nearby rock with his trident. The impact trace can still be seen to this day. It is also interesting to see the trace of the lightning of Zeus, with which he struck Erechtheus, and the gravestones of the tomb of the snake-man Cecrops.

Portico of the Caryatids

The Portico of the Caryatid is part of the architectural ensemble of the Erechtheion Temple, but it is such a unique structure that it is designated as a separate attraction.

The portico is supported by baskets of statues of beautiful girls. They say that these are residents ancient city Kariy, priestess of the goddess Artemis. They were very beautiful and had the custom of dancing in honor of the goddess Artemis with baskets full of flowers or fruits on their heads.

Currently, the portico is supported by six copies of ancient statues. The originals are distributed to museums around the world. One is in the British Museum, the rest in the Acropolis Museum.
The idea of ​​using sculptures of girls instead of columns has survived to this day, and caryatids have become an architectural element.

Acropolis Museum

The Acropolis Museum is 300 meters away. The building itself is already unique. It is unlikely to go unnoticed by tourists.

Compared to the general background, the museum is simply ultra-modern. Built right on the excavation site. The results of archaeologists' work can be seen through the glass floor on the ground floor. The area of ​​the museum is impressive - 226 thousand square meters. m. There is no point in describing the many exhibits. But the collection of antique statues will definitely be remembered.

The cafe is very conveniently located - right on the roof of the museum.

The incomparable taste is in perfect harmony with the incredible view from the roof of the museum.

The entrance ticket costs 5 euros. It is open every day except Monday from 8 am to 10 pm.

The Acropolis is the legendary symbol of the Greek capital, Athens. A piece of history, a shrine that has gained incredible fame throughout the world. On the city hill rises an iconic architectural complex consisting of several fortified ancient Greek buildings - this is the entire Acropolis. It, like an invisible thread, connects ancient civilization with modern Greece. The Acropolis is a most valuable historical and cultural monument that belongs not only to its country, but to the whole world. Millions of tourists and pilgrims from all over the world come every year to admire this grandiose complex.

A little history

The history of the Acropolis dates back to ancient times. When on the territory of the legendary Attica appeared new town. In the 15th century BC, the residence of the Mycenaean kings settled here. During the reign of Peisistratus, a beautiful temple dedicated to the goddess Athena - Hekatompedon - was erected within the city.

In the 5th century BC most of The Acropolis was destroyed by Persian soldiers. The revival of the city began 3 years later under Pericles. In the 15th century Greece was conquered Ottoman Empire. And numerous temples of the ancient complex turned into mosques. After Greece became officially free (19th century), new work began to restore and restore the appearance of the Acropolis.

Buildings of the Acropolis

At the entrance to the territory of the architectural complex, you can see the famous Propylaea Gate - the brainchild of the famous ancient Greek architect Mnesicles. Only a few snow-white columns and part of the roof have survived to this day. The tour of the holy city begins from the southern slope of the hill. The oldest theater in Greece, the Theater of Dionysus, stands here. In the 5th century, famous Greek playwrights - Euripides, Aeschylus, Sophocles and Aristophanes - presented their works on its wooden stages. The seats in the auditorium were also made of wood. The stage and benches made of marble appeared only in the 4th century BC. Currently, tourists can see a huge auditorium in the shape of a semicircle and part of a dilapidated facade. In the 2nd millennium BC, during the reign of Eumenes II, a fortified portico was added to the Theater of Dionysus. In sweltering heat or extreme cold, spectators could take refuge in it. Today it is an oblong stone structure, “shabby” and damaged by time.

The next point of the excursion is the legend of the Acropolis - the sacred temple of the goddess Athena, the Parthenon. At one time it was the most beautiful building of the complex, an unsurpassed masterpiece of architectural art. In the 6th century BC, a small archaic temple was built on the site of the Parthenon. In the 5th century BC, a new, beautiful structure, made of white Pentelic marble, grew on its ruins. The central hall of the temple was decorated with the golden goddess Athena - the creation of the sculptor Phidias. Currently, restoration work is underway on the territory of the Parthenon, so you can only admire the “remains” of Ancient Greece from the outside. Today, only a small part of the temple remains - several elegant antique columns rising on a powerful marble foundation. The walls and roof of the Parthenon have practically not survived.

Erechtheion and Areopagus

Another notable building of the Acropolis is ancient temple The Erechtheion, built in the 5th century BC, is not inferior in beauty even to the Parthenon. Currently, only a few columns, an original portico decorated with sculptures of young girls, and several dilapidated walls remain from the temple.

The Areopagus is the place where the famous ancient court sat in ancient Greece. The first city parliament appeared here. The most interesting thing is that the courthouse was “hewn” out of the sacred rock. At first glance, it seems as if it is part of it, as if it is growing out of the ground. Small “crumbs” of this building have survived to this day, ruins in which the “spirit of justice” still hovers.

The Acropolis Museum is very popular among tourists. Within its walls you can learn a lot of interesting things about ancient civilization, tyrant kings, city history, Greek architecture, etc. The pearls of its exhibition are the Moschophorus, a unique sculpture dating back to the 6th millennium BC. In the center of the composition is a young man bringing a “golden” calf as a gift to the goddess Athena. The Coras are several graceful, sophisticated figures belonging to young girls. The sculptures are made so realistically that you can see their hairstyles, facial features and even folds in national clothes. Frieze slabs are rectangular plates with images of the Olympian gods. On some slabs you can see entire scenes from ancient Greek mythology. Caryatids - statues of ancient priestesses of the Erechtheion temple.

How to get there?

The Sacred Hill of Athens is located in the western part of the capital. You can get to it by metro, using line 2, going to Acropolis station. Or you can get there by trolleybus numbers 15, 5 and 1 or by bus No. 208, No. 106, No. 135, No. E22. Those who decide to travel on foot need to move from the center of the capital along Dionysiou Areopagitou Street, without turning straight anywhere. The Acropolis is open to visitors every day from 8-00 to 18-00. Ticket price is 12 euros.

Address: Athens 105 58, Greece

Telephone:+30 21 0321 4172

Official website

It is no coincidence that the Acropolis in Greece was one of the first to be included in the list of objects World Heritage UNESCO. It is difficult for tourists to resist visiting the Acropolis in Athens, and for first-time visitors it is as inevitable as the sun rising. The Acropolis has become a kind of symbol of ancient grandeur, towering above the modern city filled with bustle. Thanks to this unique structure, everyone who visits the Greek capital will be able to feel the breath of that era and become at least a little familiar with the culture of Ancient Hellas.

How to get to the Acropolis in Athens

“Acropolis” translated from ancient Greek means “upper city”. Being in, it is impossible not to notice it - the Acropolis is located in the very heart of the city and is clearly visible from the entire center of Athens, as well as from the surrounding hills.

Moreover, most of the city is very flat, and it is dominated by only two rocks, on one of which the Acropolis is located.

The Acropolis metro station is located on the red line and is next after Syntagma - the main square of Athens

The easiest way to get to the Acropolis, no matter what part of the city you are in, is by metro (Athens metro map). The station of the same name is located on the red line and is next after Syntagma, the main square of Athens.

You can also get to the Acropolis from the city center on foot. To do this, choose as a landmark the large pedestrian street - Dionysiou Areopagitou.

At the same time, you can walk along it straight and not turn anywhere, gradually climbing up the mountain until you come to the main Greek landmark.

Acropolis on the Map of Athens

To make it easier for you to find your way to the Acropolis, we have prepared a useful map.

A Brief History of the Acropolis

On the site where the current Acropolis of Athens stands, in the Mycenaean period (XV-VIII centuries BC) there was a royal palace. Later, in the 7th-6th centuries. BC, grandiose construction began on this site. Under the tyrant Pisistratus, instead of the royal residence, a temple of the goddess Athena a hundred steps long arose.

The Hellenes themselves called this temple Hekatompedon. But in 480 BC. it was destroyed to the ground by the Persian army, which captured the city. Then the Greeks vowed to rebuild the shrines when they drove the invaders from their land.

View of the Propylaea of ​​the Acropolis from the Areopagus Hill

All the main buildings of the Acropolis, the remains of which have survived to this day, were built under Pericles in the 5th century. BC.

The best architects, sculptors and other craftsmen of that time were involved in the construction of the Complex. Among the decorations of the Complex, everyone especially admired the huge statue of the goddess Athena, whose authorship is attributed to Phidias.

The Parthenon is the main temple of the Acropolis in honor of the goddess Athena

After its construction, the Acropolis survived several millennia and many wars; Christian churches and Muslim mosques were added to it, and individual structures were simply dismantled for materials for other buildings.

The Athens Acropolis even managed to serve as an ammunition depot during the Turkish occupation, the explosion of which caused the greatest damage to the Acropolis.

Archaeological complex of the Acropolis

In total, 21 structures and a majestic statue of Athena the Warrior were erected on the top of the Acropolis in Ancient times. In this article we will mention only the most notable of them, as well as what you can see in the neighborhood.

Standing at the entrance to the Acropolis of Athens - the famous Propylaea, created from white Pentelic and gray Eleusinian marble - you should look to the right - you will see a Hellenistic pedestal and a small temple of Nike Apteros.

This temple is located on a hill from which in clear weather it opens beautiful view to the Saronic Gulf. There was also a large statue of the victorious goddess here, but in 1686 the Turks dismantled the “pagan temple” to build their cannon bastion.

Over time, the Greeks recreated the temple of Nike from the found blocks. In the center of the site is the famous Parthenon - the temple of Athena, erected in honor of the victory of the Greeks over the Persians, and other architectural monuments.

Below the Acropolis is the superbly preserved odeon of Herodes Atticus, and to the south you can see the ruins of an ancient open theater built in honor of the god Dionysus.

The Acropolis Museum is located very close to the sacred hill

Nearby is the Hill of Ares, where meetings of the Areopagus, the supreme power of Ancient Athens, were held.

It is worth special attention New Museum Acropolis, which opened in 2009 and is entirely dedicated to the main attraction of Athens.

Opening hours

The opening hours of the Acropolis in Athens depend on the season and can vary greatly depending on the month. Thus, in the summer season, the Acropolis is open to visitors from 8:00 to 19:30 in the evening, but starting in September, as daylight hours shorten, so do the opening hours.

At the same time, working hours are being reduced gradually. For example, from September 1 to 15, the Acropolis is still open on a summer schedule; from September 16 to September 30 - until 19:00; from 1 to 15 October - until 18:30, and from 16 to 31 October - until 18:00.

During the winter months, the Acropolis may close at 15:00, so it is better to plan your visit for the first half of the day.

In addition, the Acropolis is usually closed on the following days: January 1, March 25, May 1, Easter (Sunday), December 25 and 26.

Tickets and price

Full price single ticket to the Acropolis- 20 Euros, preferential - 10 Euros. Moreover, the ticket applies not only to the Acropolis itself, but also to attractions located on its slopes.

It is noteworthy that during the period from November 1 to March 31, the discounted price is valid for all categories of visitors.

In addition, in Athens there is a so-called Specail ticket package, which is valid for 5 days and allows you to visit not only the Acropolis, but also other attractions of Athens, including the Ancient Athenian Agora, Roman Agora, Hadrian's Library and others.

The full price of a package ticket is 30 Euros, the reduced price is 15 Euros.

For residents of non-EU countries, the broadest category covered is discount ticket, are university students. To purchase a discounted ticket, you must present your student ID at the box office.

In addition, persons under 18 years of age can visit the Acropolis in Athens for free. To do this, you need to present a document confirming your age.

For other visitors who do not qualify for benefits, there are bonuses in the form days when visiting is free for everyone. These dates are:

• March 6 (in memory of Melina Mercuri)
• April 18 - International Monument Day
• May 18 - International Museum Day
• Last weekend of September – European Heritage Days
• October 28 - Okha Day
• Every first Sunday of the month from November 1 to March 31

Excursions and Audio guide in Athens in Russian

You can visit the Acropolis in Athens as part of an organized individual excursion in Russian together with our familiar guide Kostas. Kostas is a licensed tour guide and has been introducing Athens to Russian-speaking travelers for many years.

The most impressive thing is the Acropolis. Complete immersion into the depths of millennia is possible only here, and even in the arena of the Olympic Stadium. Its deep horseshoe-shaped bowl, built in the 4th century BC in the gorge of a wooded hill, seats 70 thousand spectators. The stadium was completely restored during the revival Olympic Games in 1896. From the echoing arena, only the steep slopes of the marble stands are visible, and in the gap between them is the old city park. In the Athens stadium there is an amazing feeling of space, a desire to move, which happens at the bottom of a crater or on the ice of a sunken lake.

The Acropolis, translated as “upper city,” is a fortified site of temple buildings. In mountainous Hellas they were built on high hills. The modern appearance of the Athenian Acropolis took shape 23 centuries ago. Construction took place after the devastating war with the Persians and was inspired by Pericles. An outstanding orator, while remaining a simple citizen of Athens, ruled the republic for 30 years. On the entrance ticket to the Acropolis there is a portrait of Pericles and Plutarch’s words about him: “He made the city the greatest... rose above the power of kings and tyrants... but did not change his position by a drachma.”

Having liberated their homeland and made Athens the capital in 1833, the Greeks began to build up the city to the north and east of the Acropolis, behind the steep slopes of the hill, and the western approaches became a protected area. Traces of the conquerors were destroyed, and only from books can one learn that the French knights erected a high castle at the entrance to the Acropolis, and the Turks built bastions and turned the temple of Athena into a mosque. Now there are only thousand-year-old walls and pristine groves.

Location

The uniqueness of the Acropolis cannot be felt in isolation from the surrounding area. The hill on which the Acropolis stands is like a miracle in itself. The flat top is surrounded everywhere except on the western slope by cliffs up to 80 meters high. They are made of bluish granite with red splashes. To the west, the granite ledge gives way to a gently contoured slope covered with groves of olive trees, pine trees and cypresses. It descends into the valley and is adjacent to the wooded slopes of the opposite hill.

The Hellenes believed that the gods themselves chose the places for their temples (and they were considered the houses of the gods). Not only was the temple sacred, but no less so was the hill on which it stood. The architects sought to comprehend the “divine” choice of the location of the temple in order to give harmonious completeness to the area by its construction. The walls of the Acropolis merge with the slopes of the rock into a single whole. Due to this, the steepness of the slopes increases, and the walls seem very high. In fact, they hardly protrude above the top of the hill. In the architecture of the walls there is a repetition of the shapes of the rock: uneven ledges, shifted planes, edges of vertical folds. The smooth upper cut of the wall without towers emphasizes the unexpected flatness of the top. On it stands the temple of Athena, which from a distance looks like a lamp, with white sheaves of columns and a light ceiling on top.

Acropolis on the map of Athens

The Acropolis of Athens today

…As soon as you climb the Acropolis, the illusion of meeting ancient Hellas is immediately broken. At the top - crowds of tourists, clicking cameras, restoration work. It is better to wander through the deserted groves on the slope of the Acropolis and climb the opposite Philopalpus hill. Once densely built up, it retains only the ruins of a monument at its summit, a leafy chapel and the remains of a cave - the supposed site of Socrates' imprisonment and death. There is not a soul on the quiet rocky paths. An empty chapel the size of a man, next to it there is a bench and an autumn plane tree burning with gold. From the bench the Acropolis is clearly visible. Here it is, the ancient source of our culture. Its walls saw people whose names make the heart beat faster: Socrates, Aristotle, Alexander the Great... Somewhere on these slopes Socrates wrote the very first and, probably, the most important phrase in the book of science: “Truth is born in dispute.” This debate, carried out according to the rules of logic, was called analysis.

Aristotle was accused of insulting the gods and expelled from Athens immediately after the death of his powerful student Alexander the Great. Aristotle's God is devoid of any resemblance to the gods of Olympus: he is only the abstract beginning of world movement. The Acropolis captures a completely different understanding of the world.

The Parthenon is the main building of the Acropolis

The main building of the Acropolis is the Temple of the Virgin. Dedicated at first to the unwanted, but later beloved daughter of Zeus Athena. Scenes of her birth from the head of Zeus were depicted on the high reliefs of the temple. She is widely known as the patroness of cities. Athena planted an olive tree, which now covers the slopes of the Acropolis, gave state advice, was in charge of fortress walls, political alliances and wars, healing, sciences and crafts, was proud of the art of weaving yarn, but one day, unable to defeat the mortal woman Arachne in a weaving competition, she tore her fabric , beat her rival with a shuttle and, having so disgraced her, turned her into a spider.

The beauty and prestige of Athens served as their protection more than once. When Alexander the Great had to storm the city, he did not dare to raise his sword against it, even if the Athenians refused to fulfill his minimum demands. In already defeated Hellas, Athens remained in a privileged position, and the Romans even continued to decorate the city. For example, they completed the construction of a huge temple of Zeus, the remains of which remain to this day. Athens remained the spiritual center until the 6th century AD, when the Greek (Byzantine) Emperor Justinian banned the teaching of philosophy and rhetoric, and the Parthenon was turned into a temple of the Virgin Mary.

Athens Acropolis in the photo

History of the Acropolis

According to legend, the founder of Athens and the Upper City was the half-man, half-snake Kekrops. It was he who preferred the goddess of wisdom as a patroness and erected the first temples in her honor. In subsequent centuries, more magnificent structures appeared on their ruins, until all the buildings of the Acropolis, with the exception of the fragmentarily surviving temple of Hekatompedon, were destroyed by the Persians in the 5th century. During the time of Pericles and immediately after his death, the hill was decorated best works ancient architecture - the Parthenon and Erechtheion.

During the era of early Hellenism and the subjugation of Greece to Rome, several theaters appeared at the foot of the hill. Christians turned pagan temples into Christian ones, without rebuilding them, but partially changing the interiors. The Turks who came to the Balkans in the 15th century used the buildings of the Athens Acropolis as mosques. Significant changes did not occur on the hill until the Venetians bombarded the city with cannons in the 17th century. Many temples were destroyed, and their reconstruction, requiring enormous costs, has not yet been completed.

In the 19th century, some of the sculptures that decorated the facades of temples were exported to France and Great Britain, and the dispute about their ownership is still ongoing today.

Architectural features of the Athens Acropolis

The hill area was developed gradually, new buildings were erected on the ruins or unfinished foundations of the previous ones. Work was frozen for decades due to lack of funds. In general, even in ancient times the hill was almost always a construction site. The oldest surviving objects of the Athenian Acropolis, such as the Parthenon, were made at the end of the dominance of the strict Doric order with massive columns in architecture. In buildings close to them in time, for example in the Propylaea, along with Doric ones, elements of a more decorative Ionic style are already evident. The later Erechtheion is an example of the Ionic architectural order.

The Parthenon is the most important temple of Ancient Athens

The central, highest point of the panorama of the Acropolis is the Parthenon Temple, dedicated to Athena, the patroness of the city. This is the pinnacle of creativity of the architect Iktin, who acted, however, not alone, but with a team of like-minded people. The material for the temple was white marble mined nearby, which acquired a golden glow in the sunlight. These features of the stone have become noticeable now, and in ancient times the temple and all the statues were painted in bright colors– red, blue, yellow.

All work, from the creation of the project to the decoration of the Parthenon, was carried out under Pericles, from 447 to 432. BC e. According to the architects, the temple on the Acropolis of Athens was supposed to surpass all that existed previously. Formally, this is a rectangular building, resting on three marble steps and surrounded along the perimeter by a colonnade more than 10 m high. People entered the temple through the western entrance with low steps. What tourists see today are steps with columns.

The merit of the architects is that they put the laws of optics at the service of architecture. The columns widen in the center, the corner columns and the floor are located at an angle - all this gives the observer a feeling of strict straightness. In addition, thanks to the architects’ tricks, the Parthenon looks strictly proportional from any point of view – both from the territory of the Lower City and when approaching it.

Sculptures of Phidias

The giant, 13-meter statue of Athena, which has not survived to this day, was prepared for the temple by Phidias, the author of one of the wonders of the world - the statue of Olympian Zeus. The wooden figure of an armed warrior goddess, according to historians, was decorated precious stones, ivory and gold. This is indirectly evidenced by the found records containing builders' reports on the purchased materials - in total, about a ton of metal was spent on the statue. The approximate appearance of the warrior was restored thanks to copies made in ancient times, one of which is kept in National Museum Athens. The goddess in a long robe and helmet rested on a shield with her left hand, and with her right hand extended to the audience she held a figurine of winged Nike.

In addition to the Athena Parthenos, the master, together with his students, made relief metope slabs for the Parthenon frieze. Some of them were taken to Great Britain by Lord Elgin in the 19th century and are now exhibited in the British Museum, in a huge separate room, decorating the marble walls at eye level of visitors. Quite recently, a visiting exhibition of the collection took place in the St. Petersburg Hermitage - an unprecedented case, since until now the Parthenon sculptures had not been exported anywhere. Greece is suing Great Britain in the hope of returning the artifacts to their homeland, since permission to export them was given not by the Greeks themselves, but by the Turks, under whose yoke the country was. However, there is also something to see in Greece: more than 40 original slabs have been preserved here. The pediment sculptures, unlike the reliefs, almost did not survive and have survived to this day only in fragments.

Further history of the Parthenon

The temple was partially damaged by fire back in antiquity, then, in the 6th century, after the final decline of Athens, it became Christian Church, dedicated to the Virgin Maria. When altered for the needs of the cult, the statues and interior of the Parthenon were damaged, and wall paintings appeared in place of the previous decor. Under the Turks, starting from the 15th century, the building served as a mosque. All this time the temple was in relative safety, until in 1687 the Venetians, in another conflict with the Turks, fired at it, provoking destruction. Decorative details were partially exported outside the country. IN late XIX century, restoration work began, which has not been completed to this day.

Erechtheion - memory of the legendary king

Temples were built not only in honor of the gods, but in memory of mortals. This honor was given to King Erechtheus, who, according to legend, was buried in these places. According to another opinion, it was at this point of the Athenian Acropolis, where in 421-406. BC e. The Erechtheion appeared, Athena and Poseidon argued for supremacy in the region. As you know, Athena whitewashed it, but the temple was dedicated to both, just in case. Erechtheus, who ruled Athens, was also no stranger to the gods: he died at the behest of the angry Poseidon. The picturesque multi-level ruins of the Erechtheion are located north of the Parthenon. The building is made of several types of marble - snow-white Parian, golden-white Pentelic and grayish Eleusinian.

Unlike the outwardly straightforward, the majestic Parthenon The Erechtheion consists of parts of different heights. The reason lies in the unevenness of the soil - the architect had to overcome the features of the relief. Mnesicles took up the matter: earlier he had already justified the trust of Pericles by building the entrance gate to the Acropolis - the Propylaea. In order not to offend the gods, the architect wisely divided the space of the temple: Athena got the eastern part, Poseidon and Erechtheus - the western. The southern portico of the Erechtheion is supported by caryatids - figures of women that replaced columns. Today, copies of the statues are installed at the site of the work of ancient sculptors; the originals are kept in the Acropolis Museum and the British Museum.

The history of the Erechtheion follows the path of the Parthenon: the building survived Christianization and the invasion of the Turks, but was destroyed in the fight against the Venetians. Subsequently, the Italians tried to put the parts together like a construction set, so that the general outlines of the temple were restored, but the impression of devastation still remained.

Propylaea – the main gate of the complex

Tourists enter the Acropolis of Athens through the western gate, the Propylaea. The six massive Doric columns of the central part of the entrance are reminiscent of the Parthenon, the main part of which was completed at the time of construction. The side Ionic columns, lighter and more decorative, relieve the feeling of tension. There was once an art gallery and library adjacent to the gate - archaeologists managed to find traces of them and recreate their outlines in three-dimensional models. Now the general gate complex has been largely restored, the destroyed columns have been replaced with copies.

Temple of Nike Apteros

In front of the main gate there is a small temple with four Ionic columns with spiral scrolls at the top, along the edges of the porticoes. The sanctuary was designed to guard the entrance to the Acropolis. There once stood a statue of Athena inside, whose usual companion was Nike, the goddess of victory. Usually she was depicted as winged, but this temple is an exception; it is no coincidence that its patroness received the name Apteros - “wingless”. The reason for this deviation from the canons, according to legend, is considered to be a small cunning of the Athenians. They deprived Victory of its wings so that it would never fly out of the city.

The temple was erected during the Peloponnesian War, so the building was decorated with reliefs depicting the victories of the inhabitants of Attica over the Persians and Spartans for further inspiration. The Turks dismantled the temple Construction Materials to build fortifications against the Venetians. Today's temple was restored much later; the original sculptures were given to the New Museum. The active phase of work has not been completed, so the Nika Temple is often closed to visitors.

Destroyed objects

Several other objects have been preserved in the Acropolis in the form of remnants of foundations or shapeless ruins. In the eastern part of the complex is the sanctuary of Pandion, presumably named after the legendary king of Attica. Between the Parthenon and the Erechtheion is the Hekatompedon, the most ancient temple of the Athenian Acropolis. A hundred years before the appearance of the Parthenon, it was the main sanctuary of the patroness of the city, Athens. What remained of it were the bases of columns discovered during excavations and limestone sculptures that preserved remnants of paint. To the right of the Propylaea are the modest ruins of the sanctuary of Artemis and a weapons depot. Behind the Erechtheion was the sanctuary of Pandrosa with the altar of Zeus and an olive tree planted by Athena herself. Nearby was a tiny building in which noble girls worked, weaving peplos, women's outer clothing, for the statue of Athena for the Panathenaic Games, the largest competition in Attica.

Tourist routes around the Acropolis

It is difficult for a tourist not experienced in archeology and architecture to understand the ancient Greek ruins: at first glance, all the ruins are similar to each other, periods and styles are mixed. To avoid getting lost, you can choose simple landmarks. The main gate from the west is the Propylaea, the modest temple in front of it is the Sanctuary of Nike. The largest rectangular cluster of columns visible in all directions is the Parthenon. A smaller building, harmoniously combining columns of different heights and porticos decorated with female figures, is the Erechtheion. You can walk along the Athens Acropolis even at night - objects are illuminated by powerful spotlights.

New Acropolis Museum

The Athens Acropolis Museum, which housed decorative fragments of buildings in the Upper City, was opened in 1874. Over time, the collection grew so large that the existing rooms and storerooms were not enough to store objects. The new building, significantly larger in size than the old one, had to be located near the Acropolis. Misadventures with the project began in the 70s of the twentieth century and lasted until the end of the century: either the Greek authorities could not find suitable architects, or land plot couldn't stand any criticism. Finally, builders began digging the ground for the foundation and discovered new archaeological finds. Work in this place was frozen until the architects proposed a project that did not affect the ground layer.

The three-level complex was opened in 2009, 300 m south of the complex, next to the Acropolis metro station. Its ground floor is supported by a hundred columns, and the glass floor allows visitors to admire the excavations underfoot. The glass walls offer a fantastic view of the Acropolis. There is a cafe on the ground floor, a souvenir shop and a bookstore on two levels. IN tourist season The museum is waiting for guests from 8 am to 8 pm, on Friday - until 10 pm, on Monday - until 4 o'clock, in winter it works on a reduced schedule. Ticket price for adults is 5 euros.

Tourist information

The largest number of tourists come to Athens from April to October, although the Acropolis welcomes visitors all year round. Inspecting the complex will take about two hours; you need to plan it early in the morning, around 8, until the marble warms up under the sun. In the evening it is still hot until 6 o’clock; the main flow of organized tourists leaves before 15 o’clock. Be sure to take it with you drinking water, choose non-slip shoes, without heels.

A ticket to view the Athens Acropolis with theaters lying on the slopes of the hill and the nearby Agora and the Temple of Zeus costs 12 euros. It is difficult to see all the sights at once, so a ticket for one visit to each site is valid for 4 days. There is usually a queue near the ticket office of the Acropolis; you can avoid it if you buy a ticket near another historical monument from the list. On Museum Night in May and European Heritage Days in September, admission to the complex is free.

How to get there

There are several public transport stops near the Acropolis. The most convenient way to get off is at the metro station of the same name on the M2 line, next to which there is an interchange hub for trams and buses. A little further to the south there is a tram stop 1, 5, 15. From the south there is bus number 230. An electric train takes guests from the metro and from the Acropolis Museum to the ticket office.

Holidays and festivals at the Acropolis

A spectacular summer and part of the autumn, the Athens Festival chose as one of its main venues the Odeon of Herodes, a perfectly preserved theater built in 165 AD. e. Permanent access to it is closed; visitors get inside only during concert events with tickets. The theater's capacity is about 5,000 spectators.

The same fate awaits the Theater of Dionysus, located on the eastern side of the southern slope of the Acropolis. During the heyday of Attica, competitions between comedians and tragedies were held here; under the Romans, gladiators fought there. During the reconstruction process, it is planned to strengthen the remaining stone tiers and add several more rows of spectators to them.

Hotels in the vicinity of the Acropolis

Hotels in the Acropolis area are expensive, but you need to book rooms well in advance of your trip due to high demand. Next to the New Museum is the 4-star Herodion, and to the southeast is The Athens Gate Hotel, which has earned excellent reviews from guests. The 4-star apart-hotel AVA Hotel and Suites to the east of the hill will cost tourists about one and a half times more than a hotel with rooms.

Restaurants and cafes near the Acropolis

In addition to the museum cafe, you can grab a bite to eat at several restaurants along the perimeter of the hill. To the southwest of the Propylaea, at the foot of the semi-wild Hill of the Muses park, next to bus route 230 stop, the Dionysos restaurant is located with magnificent views of the Acropolis from the summer veranda. A little to the east is the national cuisine restaurant “Strofi”. On the north side of the hill is the Stamatopoulos tavern, opened in 1882. The cramped Clepsydra cafe is located on a narrow street with graffiti on the walls. Not far from it is “Anafiotika” with live music.

Attractions in the vicinity of the Acropolis

The main historical attractions of Athens are concentrated in the Acropolis area. In the east are the ruins of the Temple of Olympian Zeus, or rather, one corner of it, the perfectly preserved Temple of Hephaestus and the remains of the masonry of the market square-agora in the north-west. To the west is the Areopagus, a rocky hill where the authorities of Athens met.