Order excursions Online. Temple of the Erechtheion - one of the main temples of the Acropolis of Athens

29.09.2019 Animals

Ancient Greece left to its descendants many ancient buildings and structures ranked among the wonders of the world. One of those not included in the list of wonders ancient world is built on the territory of the Acropolis of Athens.

Erechtheion Temple in Athens: history of creation

The ancient temple was built in 421-406 BC on the territory of the acropolis. History has not preserved the name of the architect.

The Athenians usually dedicated new temple a certain god. Was no exception. It was dedicated to three personalities highly revered in Athens: the goddess Pallas Athena, the patroness of the city, the ruler of the seas Poseidon and the king of Athens Erechtheus. It was in honor of the fact that the last one found peace within its walls that the sanctuary received its name. Moreover, the eastern part of the temple was dedicated to Athena, and the western part to the rest.

According to legend, it was erected on the site of disputes between Poseidon and Pallas Athena for the right to own the city and be its deity. In addition, many of the city’s shrines were kept here:

idol of Athena made of wood;
statue of Hermes;
a golden lamp that burned continuously, although oil was added only once a year.

In the temple itself there was a source of salt water, created by Poseidon, and an olive tree grew nearby - a symbol of the city, which was given to it by Pallas Athena herself. Thanks to this, the Erechtheion takes 2nd place among the most important religious buildings in Hellas (after the Parthenon).

Next to the temple on the territory of the acropolis there were other significant buildings for the city: the temple of Nike Apteros, the Theater of Dionysus and others.

Erechtheion - Athens Acropolis

Unlike the Parthenon, only priests had access here. Here they made their sacrifices and performed rituals. Here gifts were presented to the gods to whom it is dedicated and to Erechtheus.

After the advent of Christianity, a Christian temple was built in its place.

In the 17th century, the temple suffered serious damage caused by the Venetians, who fought with the local population. Then the building was restored a little, but it did not come to complete restoration. In addition, the looters did their best and stole many valuable items from there. Over the past centuries, 2 restorations of the temple were carried out: in 1837-47 and 1902-09.

The rocky rock of the Acropolis, which dominates the center of Athens, is the largest and most majestic ancient Greek shrine, dedicated primarily to the city's patroness, Athena.

The most important events of the ancient Hellenes are associated with this sacred place: the myths of ancient Athens, the largest Religious holidays, the main religious events.
Temples Athens Acropolis blend harmoniously with their natural surroundings and are unique masterpieces of ancient Greek architecture, expressing innovative styles and trends in the correlation of classical art, they have had an indelible influence on the intellectual and artistic creativity people for many centuries.

The Acropolis of the 5th century BC is the most accurate reflection of the splendor, power and wealth of Athens at its highest peak - the "golden age". In the form in which the Acropolis appears before us now, it was erected after its destruction by the Persians in 480 BC. e. Then the Persians were completely defeated and the Athenians vowed to restore their shrines. The reconstruction of the Acropolis begins in 448 BC, after the Battle of Plataea, on the initiative of Pericles.

- Erechtheion Temple

The Myth of Erechtheus: Erechtheus was a beloved and revered king of Athens. Athens was at enmity with the city of Eleusis; during the battle, Erechtheus killed Eumollus, the leader of the Eleusinian army, and also the son of the god of the sea Poseidon himself. For this, the thunderer Zeus killed him with his lightning. The Athenians buried their beloved king and named the constellation Auriga after him. At the same place, the architect Mnesicles erected a temple named after Erichtheus.

This temple was built between 421 and 407 BC and housed the golden lamp of Callimachus. Construction of the Erechtheion did not stop even during the long Peloponnesian War.

The Erechtheion was the most sacred place of worship in Athens. The ancient inhabitants of Athens worshiped Athena, Hephaestus, Poseidon, and Kekropos (the first Athenian king) in this temple.

The entire history of the city was concentrated at this point and therefore the construction of the Erechtheon temple began in this place:

♦ in this place a dispute broke out between Athena and Poseidon over the property of the city

♦ in the northern porch of the Erechtheion temple there is a hole where, according to legend, the sacred serpent Erechtonius lived

♦ here was the grave of Kekrops

The east porch has six Ionic columns, to the north there is a monumental entrance with a decorated gate, on the south side there is a porch with six maidens, known as caryatids, who support the vault of the Erechtheion, now replaced by plaster copies. Five of the caryatids are in the new Acropolis Museum, one is in the British Museum.

- one of the significant monuments of Ancient Greek architecture. He is part of the ensemble Athenian temples and is located in the Acropolis. It was built around 400 BC. The architects of Ancient Greece dedicated this majestic structure not only to the goddess Athena, but also to Poseidon, as well as King Erechtheus.

Notable in this structure are the caryatids. These are temple priestesses made of stone. The figures of these women have no analogues in Ancient Greek culture, just as they are not found in any country in the world. But similar sculptures can be observed in other cultures. Later, this style of architecture became widespread throughout Europe.

Literally - “originating from Caria” (a place in Ancient Greece in the Laconia region). The original support beams are draped female sculptures in the classical Greek style. The caryatids lean against the walls and protrude slightly from them.

Caryatids are very similar to columns or vertical supports. The invention of the caryatids is attributed exclusively to Greek architects. The legend says: in the city of Karia, local girls organized unusual dances in honor of the festival of Artemis. To do this, they placed baskets of fruit on their heads. The statues of the Erechtheion Temple also have a similar appearance - girls with baskets on their heads.

This grand monument of the Acropolis is considered the second largest. In Ancient Greek culture it was called the main temple dedicated to Athena. As you know, her cult was revered everywhere in Greece. The most public temple was the Parthenon. The Erechtheion was revered as a temple of the priests of the goddess. It was there that important events were regularly performed. religious ceremonies, which were based on the exclusive worship of Athena.

In one of the sanctuaries of the Erechtheion there was an ancient sculpture of Athena. There was in the temple great amount premises and rooms in which prayer services were held or relics associated with the high priestess were kept.

It is still not known who created the Erechtheion temple. But many researchers talk about Mnesicles. Scientists draw analogies in the layout of the Erechtheion with the famous temple of Propylaea - the brainchild of Mnesicles. But the reliability of this information has not been confirmed. Most researchers are inclined to believe that the temple was created by the Ancient Greek architects Archilochus and Philocles.

There is a legend that says that the construction of the temple was started for a reason. It was on the spot where it stands that Poseidon and Athena once argued. They shared superiority. In one of the temple rooms there is a mark supposedly made by the trident of Poseidon. This is how he expressed his rage in an argument with Athena. Once this trace was in the public domain, but later, when the temple was built, it ended up in one of the premises.

Not far from the Erechtheion there is an entrance to a cave. According to legend, the snake Athena lived in it. The animal was considered sacred. She guarded the town and King Erechtheus. By the way, the temple is named after him. But they didn’t start calling him that right away. Initially, the Greeks called it the temple of Athena, since it was she who patronized the inhabitants. It was also called “the temple in which the ancient statue of the goddess is kept.” It was called Erechtheion in the Roman period. One legend speaks of Erechtheion as the son of King Erechtheus, another says that the ruler himself was called that way and the temple was named in his honor. According to Ancient Greek mythology, Erichthonius is a descendant of the god of fire. He was raised by Athena. She handed over the baby in a closed casket to Gersa and Aglavra, the daughters of the then reigning king. The goddess strictly forbade the girls to look at the baby, but the girls did not listen to her, curiosity overpowered them and, looking at the baby, they lost their minds. In horror, the princesses rushed from the highest mountain and fell to their deaths. And Erichthonius began to reign as soon as he grew up and matured.

Each side of the Erechtheion is framed by a unique stone lace. The ancient Greeks were truly true masters. Perfection set in stone. Every detail is polished and refined. On one side of the building you can distinguish paintings based on scenes from Ancient Greek mythology. They concerned exclusively Erechtheus. The figures were attached to the building after the sculptors had sculpted them. Most of them are made of light marble. Some details were plated with gold.

Not only time, but also people destroyed this temple. It was periodically restored and rebuilt. So, in the Byzantine period there was a Christian church here. But when the Turks captured these lands, there was a harem in the Erechtheion. The Greeks subjected it to serious restoration only in the mid-19th century, and at the beginning of the 20th century. The portico of the caryatids and the entire western part of the Erechtheion were restored.
Statues supporting the ceiling

The base of the Erechtheion building is rectangular. Its length is a little more than 23 meters, width - almost 12. Each side of the temple is unique. Any of the facades looks different. In the western part of the building, where the tomb of the first ruler of Attica is located, the world famous caryatids are located. The almost three-meter plinth holds 6 statues of girls. They are evenly spaced around the perimeter and support the ceiling with their figures. The height of these girls is quite tall - more than 2 meters. The statue, which stands on the left side of the portico, is a mirror image of the girl standing on the right side.

The sculptor’s skill amazes cultural experts around the world. The girls look quite natural and life-affirming. Tall ladies are quite majestic. Their heads are held high. Their beautiful faces are adorned with rich hair.

Caryatids are very calm and contemplative. The beautiful maidens stand in the usual pose for those times - on one leg, with the other slightly bent. But what form the hands of the caryatids were in was not known until some time. As a result of numerous destructions of the temple, even written evidence of what the hands of the virgins originally looked like disappeared.

In the mid-19th century, stone copies of the most ancient caryatids were discovered in one of the Italian villas, or rather in its ruins. Only thanks to this unique find, archaeologists realized that the ladies were holding their clothes with one hand, and in the other there was a jug, which was used in the ritual of sacrifice.

Cultural scientists express the idea that the caryatid girls are representatives of the most noble and highly respected Athenian families. Arrephoros - the so-called servants of the cult of Athena, were elected according to a special principle. Their job was to create the sacred robe of Athena, whose statue (it was kept in the Erechtheion) was dressed up in a new way every year.

In the mid-19th century, the caryatids were subjected to monstrous vandalism. The Englishman, Lord Elgin, wanted to have one of the figures. He broke the stone maiden and took it away forever. Now in its place there is an exact copy, which the Greeks created with great difficulty. The maidens stand on their pedestals without arms, and the figures themselves have been quite damaged by time. Despite this, the caryatids are considered the highest aerobatics of the skills of Ancient Greek sculptors. After many centuries, they have not lost their charm and retained their unique beauty.

The concept of beauty in Ancient Greece

Beauty in Greek. The Greeks translated such a concept as a beautiful body not only into visual images in the form of statues, paintings, drawings, sketches, but also into mathematical meanings

What to bring from Greece

If you are going to spend your holiday in sunny Greece, then, of course, it is better to know in advance what exactly you can bring home as souvenirs. In this article we will tell you about the most popular Greek souvenirs and goods that you will be happy to treat yourself and your loved ones with. And you will also save your precious nerves by knowing in advance about all the intricacies of Greek products and souvenirs.

Sights of the Roman period in Thessaloniki, Rotunda

The Rotunda (also known as the Church of St. George) is a massive round building that was the first Roman mausoleum, a Christian basilica, a mosque, and today is a museum. Its interior is decorated with early Christian mosaics, and outside stands the only surviving minaret in the city. The building was built by order of the Roman Emperor Galerius in 305 AD. e. It was probably intended to be his mausoleum, but was never used as one. The Rotunda of Galerius in Thessaloniki was transformed into Christian Church at the end of the 4th century or in the middle of the 5th. The date of the transformation of the mausoleum into a church is difficult to determine. During this period, many of the city's majestic churches in Thessaloniki were built, and it is therefore logical that it was during this period that the Rotunda was converted into a basilica. However, the classical style and early Christian themes of the mosaics have led other scholars to conclude that the Rotunda was converted into a church, perhaps under the patronage of Emperor Theodosius I (379 AD).

What is a chimera?

The Erechtheion is a temple on, an outstanding work that is rightfully considered the pearl of ancient Greek architecture and one of the main temples of ancient Athens. Erected in 421 - 406. BC e. made of marble and dark limestone. The Erechtheion replaced a more ancient temple that stood on this site and was destroyed during. This is a completely unique monument that has no analogues in ancient Greek architecture.

Story

The Erechtheion Temple is the second most important monument of the Acropolis. In ancient times, it was the central temple dedicated to the cult of the goddess Athena. And if the Parthenon had the role of a public temple, then the Erechtheion, rather, was a priestly temple. The main religious sacraments associated with the worship of this goddess were held there, and the ancient statue of Athena was kept there. This relatively small temple combines a number of different sanctuaries. Most of which existed on this site long before the construction of the Erechtheion.

The temple was built on the site of the legendary dispute between Athena and Poseidon for power over Athens. In one of the halls of the Erechtheion there is a mark left by Poseidon's trident on a rock during his dispute with Athena. Nearby is the entrance to the cave located under the temple, where the sacred snake of the goddess Athena lived, which was considered the personification of the legendary Athenian king, hero and patron of the city - Erechtheus. Tradition also connects the name of the temple with his name.

The Erechtheion was originally called the temple of Athena Polyada (the patroness of Athens), or the temple “guarding the ancient statue.” Only in Roman times did the name of one of its parts, the Erechtheion, spread to the entire building.

Construction of the Erechtheion

The construction of the Erechtheion is associated with the beginning of the most ambitious construction on the Acropolis, conceived and carried out during the time of Pericles. It was necessary to build a temple for the ancient statue of Athena - the main city shrine, according to legend, which fell from the sky. This statue was kept for a long time in ancient temple, located in the center of the Acropolis. When the Persian army invaded Attica and captured Athens, the temple of Athena was burned, but the Greeks prudently took the shrine to the island of Salamis. In 421 BC. e. Construction of the Erechtheion began. Work continued intermittently until 406. Soon after its completion, the temple was damaged by fire and restored in 394.

Description of the Erechtheion

Portico of the Caryatids

The layout of the building is based on a rectangle measuring 23.5 -11.6 m. The facades of the temple are unusually diverse; on each side the Erechtheion appears in a completely new way. In the western corner is the Kekropion, the tomb and sanctuary of the legendary Kekropos, the first king of Attica. Above it rises the world-famous portico of the caryatids - the main attraction of the Erechtheion.

On a high (2.6 m) plinth there are 6 statues of girls that support the ceiling of the portico. Their figures are 2.3 m tall. The left and right caryatids are mirror images of each other. The statues are crafted with consummate skill, they are natural and full of life. Their hands were not preserved, and until relatively recently it was not known exactly what the composition might have looked like in its original version. 1952 - in Italy, in the ruins of the villa of Emperor Hadrian, archaeologists discovered stone figurines - copies of the caryatids of the Erechtheion. Thanks to this find, it became clear that with their left hand they lightly held the edge of their clothing, and in their right hand they held a vial - a vessel for libations during sacrifice.

Presumably, the prototypes of the caryatids of the Erechtheion were the arrephors - servants of the cult of Athena, who were chosen from best families Athens. Their duties included making the sacred peplos, which was used every year to decorate the ancient statue of Athena, kept in the Erechtheion.

Time has not been kind to the portico of the caryatids, as well as the entire ensemble of the Acropolis in Athens. One of the statues in early XIX century was broken out and taken to England by the famous “connoisseur of antiquities” Lord Elgin. It has now been replaced by a copy. But even in our time, with lost hands and damaged faces, the caryatids of the Erechtheion retain their charm and are the best examples of ancient Greek sculptural art.

What did the temple look like?

A staircase of 14 steps leads from the eastern portico of the Erechtheion to a small courtyard below, which closes the six-columned northern portico of the Erechtheion. This portico once served as the main entrance to the western half of the temple. Its columns are 7.6 m high. Four of them are located on the facade, two on the sides of the portico.

In front of the western facade of the Erechtheion on the western side, from time immemorial, the sacred olive tree of the goddess Athena grew. Therefore, the western facade of the Erechtheion looks very unusual for an ancient Greek temple - it was impossible to build the same entrance portico as on the eastern side, and then the 4 columns forming the western portico were raised to a base about 4 meters high, and the gaps between the columns were blocked bronze lattice. A silver-green olive tree grows against a background of marble columns. The current one was planted in the 20s of the 20th century in the same place where, according to the description of ancient authors, a sacred tree grew, which grew from the blow of Athena’s spear.

The Erechtheion stands out among other temples of ancient Greece for its unique sculptural decoration. Real marble lace frames the door portals and runs in a continuous ribbon along the top of the walls and porticoes of the temple. The skill of ancient sculptors captivates with the perfection and refinement of forms. Once upon a time, the facade of the Erechtheion ended with a relief frieze that stretched along the perimeter of the entire building. It depicted various episodes from the myths about Erechtheus and other Athenian heroes. Made from white marble, the figures were made separately and then attached to a background of bluish-black limestone. This peculiar technique created a rather impressive effect, and to enhance it, the details of the sculptures were covered with gilding. The capitals of the columns were also covered with gilding and painting. Fragments of this amazing frieze that have survived to this day are kept in the Acropolis Museum.

We know about the interior of the temple only from the writings of ancient authors. A blank wall divided the interior into two almost equal parts. In the east was the sanctuary of Athena Polyada. It was possible to enter this room by passing through a light six-column portico, the height of the columns of which reached 6.5 meters. Now only 5 columns have survived.

Destruction of the temple. Restoration

Like other structures of the Acropolis in Athens, the Erechtheion was destroyed and rebuilt several times. In Byzantine times, a Christian church was built in it. After the conquest of the city by the Turks, the Erechtheion was turned into the harem of the Turkish ruler of Athens.

The first restoration of the temple was done immediately after Greece gained independence, in 1837–1847. The temple was restored again in 1902–1909. The portico of the caryatids, the northern and southern walls, and the western facade of the temple were restored.

Greece is not only an amazingly beautiful country, whose inhabitants all year round warms the warm gentle sun, but also the cradle of ancient ancient civilization. It is the birthplace of democracy, olympic games, Greek gods and many classical genres of art.

In fact, this is where Western civilization was born, thousands of years before the advent of Christianity.

But the most striking attraction of the city is the Acropolis, rising in the heart of Greece - Athens.

Among all the buildings of the Acropolis special attention deserves the Eirechtheon. It is considered one of the strangest antique buildings ever erected. More details about it below, but for now let’s talk briefly about the Acropolis.

There were acropolises in all ancient cities. This was the name of a high fortified point, decorated with temples erected in honor of the Greek gods.

But it was the Athenian Acropolis that, since ancient times, has been considered a classic example of an urban fortress in the Hellenic world.

The entire complex of Acropolis structures is located on a rock with a flat top, 156 meters high. People first settled here about 6 thousand years ago. In the 13th century. BC e.

The Acropolis was fortified with thick stone walls, the creation of which, according to ancient Greek legends, is attributed to supernatural creatures called the Cyclopes.

At first, the ruler lived on the top of the rock and a number of government institutions were located. In 480 BC. The Acropolis was destroyed by the Persians. And after the victory over them, the Greeks, under the leadership of the greatest ruler of that time, Pericles, began its restoration. All the temples and statues were rebuilt, surpassing the previous ones in majesty and perfection.

It was from this moment that the Acropolis acquired an exclusively cult function. With the development of Christianity appearance The complex has undergone changes, but overall has not lost its original appearance.

Eirechtheon

Even today, the Acropolis represents the wisdom of the ancients, which was embodied in stone. The main buildings of the Acropolis are: the temple of the goddess Athena, the Temple of the goddess Nike and the palace in honor of Athena and Poseidon (Eirechtheon). The latter deserves special attention due to its versatility and unusual design.

The Erechtheion is considered one of the strangest ancient buildings ever erected. The architect of this building is still unknown.

It is with the Erechtheion that the legend about the famous dispute between the goddess of war and victory, Athena, and the god of the seas, Poseidon, is connected.

According to legend, they argued about who would be the patron of the new city - Athens, created by the mythical creature - Kekropos (who was the progenitor of all the inhabitants of Attica). It is believed that he is buried at the foot of the temple.

Athena won this dispute. It was she who gave the new city a gift - an olive tree, which to this day is a symbol of the city. Poseidon gave Athens a spring, the water of which turned out to be salty and undrinkable.

Kekrop, according to legend, had an adopted grandson, Erechtheus, who was given in a box to his daughters. They were told not to open the box. But curiosity won. A divine baby appeared before their gaze, guarded by two divine snakes.

The girls went crazy from what they saw and rushed down the cliff. It is in honor of Erechtheus that this unusual temple is named.

In fact, the entire temple is dedicated to legends about the divine origin of Athens and the choice of its patron.

The temple amazes with its splendor and unusual construction. It was built on two levels of rock and for this reason the building is completely asymmetrical.

Another uniqueness of the building lies in its four facades, unlike each other, each of which has its own separate purpose. It is from the Erechtheion that many ideas of European architecture are taken. Even more than from the Parthenon. The main value for Europeans was the asymmetry of the building.

The Erechtheion was not built all at once, but in the period from 421 to 406 BC. Such a long period of construction is associated with the Greco-Persian War. The building has two entrances, which are decorated with giant portals of doors from Greek times. Accordingly, each input has its own function.

North side of the Erechtheion

On the north side is the temple of Athena Polyada (Athena the City Ruler). Inside this part of the building was kept a wooden statue of the goddess Athena, carved from the sacred olive tree.

The ancient Hellenes believed that the gods themselves made the statue for them, so during pagan holidays it was dressed in a sacred mantle (peplos), made by the priestesses of the temple. The most important events were held here mysterious rituals, dedicated to the patroness of the city.

West side of the Erechtheion

On the western side there is another entrance to the building. It is represented by semi-columns that do not extend from the ground itself.

And if in the Parthenon the columns really support the roof, here they have a purely decorative function. Thanks to them, throughout the entire building, if you observe it ten meters away, there is a very strange, but at the same time fascinating difference in levels.

It is here that the legendary imprint of the trident of Poseidon, who extracted a source of water for Athens, is located, and the imprint of the lightning strike of Zeus, who resolved the dispute between the gods.

In the inner part of the temple, next to the altar of Poseidon, there was a sanctuary of Erechtheus. And a little further away are the altars of Hephaestus and Buta. Booth was the god of crafts and the brother of Erechtheus. Hephaestus was the patron of blacksmithing.

South side of the Erechtheion

The southern side of the Erechtheion has an interesting solution, which is a blank wall with a small side portico.

Instead of traditional columns, the roof of the portico is supported by female figures. If you look closely, you can note that the left and right caryatids (these statues received this name already in Byzantine times in honor of the unusual beautiful women city of Kariya), are a mirror image of each other.

The statues are simply a masterpiece of architectural art. It seems that the girls are ready to step off their pedestal, they are so vividly and realistically executed.

The hands of the caryatids have not been preserved. And up to mid-19th For centuries, scientists did not know what the original appearance of these magnificent maidens looked like.

But in 1852, miniature copies of them were found in England, thanks to which it turned out that in one hand there was a vessel for sacrifice, and with the other the girls were holding the hem of their clothes.

Scientists suggest that the prototypes of the caryatids were the priestesses of the temple of the goddess Athena. The faces of the virgins are turned towards the road along which religious processions dedicated to the patroness of the city took place.

East side of the Erechtheion

The eastern side is also very unusual in its design.

On the eastern side, the temple is decorated with long thin columns with light decorative belts in the upper part, characteristic only of the Erechtheion. They create a striking contrast with the columns of the nearby Parthenon, which are much lower and more massive.

Therefore, we have a completely different sense of grace when visiting the Erechtheion.

The medieval veil of secrecy is revealed - this magnificent palace complex in Vienna is rightfully included in the top ten places where you want to return again and again.

Unfortunately, the interior decoration of the Erechtheion has not survived to this day, since in the 7th century they tried to transform it into a Christian temple, and therefore most of pagan buildings were destroyed or taken away.

Thus, this small structure united several sanctuaries dedicated to the ancient ancient gods and heroes of the Greek epic.

Useful information for tourists

All buildings of the Acropolis, including the Erechtheion, have magnificent evening lighting. Therefore, if you visit this attraction in the evening, you will have a great opportunity to take very impressive photos.

Today, some of the elements of the Erechtheion, including the caryatids, have been replaced by copies. You can see the originals in the Acropolis Museum.

How to get to the Erechtheion

The easiest way to get to the Acropolis is by metro. This can be done from almost any part of the city. The station is located on the red line and bears the same name. To make it easier to navigate, keep in mind that this is the next station after Syntagma.

If you have enough time and are in the center of Athens, take a walk. If you go straight and don’t turn anywhere along the large pedestrian street called Dionysiou Areopagitou, you will inevitably come straight to the Acropolis.