We recently returned from a visit to Athens. I have a new appreciation for the phrase, "It's Greek to me!" We had a great time and saw a lot of historic sites we never imagined seeing in our lifetime.
A visit to Athens must begin at the Acropolis. That's the hilltop that has the Parthenon and other ancient buildings on it. The Propylaea (below) was the building that served as the gateway to the rest of the Acropolis.
The Parthenon has undergone several destructions and rebuilds, the current ruins date back to the 400's BC. It was built as the temple to the Goddess Athena, the protector of the city of Athens.
Another part of the ancient city we toured was the Agora (below). That was the marketplace and city center. I imagined Socrates and Aristotle wandering the streets as we walked the area. The Agora doesn't have as many preserved ruins as the Acropolis, but it does have a the only temple ruins that still has a roof, the Temple of Hephaestus (the god of iron).
This is the Temple of the Olympian Zeus (below). The 13 remaining pillars were part of 104 massive columns. Construction began in the 6th century BC but the temple wasn't completed until the time of the Roman ruler Hadrian (2nd century AD).
Very near the temple, is Hadrian's Arch, which the ruler built to differentiate the ancient city from the Roman city.
A visit to Athens must begin at the Acropolis. That's the hilltop that has the Parthenon and other ancient buildings on it. The Propylaea (below) was the building that served as the gateway to the rest of the Acropolis.
The Parthenon has undergone several destructions and rebuilds, the current ruins date back to the 400's BC. It was built as the temple to the Goddess Athena, the protector of the city of Athens.
Another part of the ancient city we toured was the Agora (below). That was the marketplace and city center. I imagined Socrates and Aristotle wandering the streets as we walked the area. The Agora doesn't have as many preserved ruins as the Acropolis, but it does have a the only temple ruins that still has a roof, the Temple of Hephaestus (the god of iron).
This is the Temple of the Olympian Zeus (below). The 13 remaining pillars were part of 104 massive columns. Construction began in the 6th century BC but the temple wasn't completed until the time of the Roman ruler Hadrian (2nd century AD).
Very near the temple, is Hadrian's Arch, which the ruler built to differentiate the ancient city from the Roman city.
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