ATHENS – The Acropolis – celebrating with the Gods – the journey begins
Thursday – I watched the weather last night and shock horror – it is going to be in the high 20’s low 30’s. Just the perfect weather to go cavorting around the Acropolis. This will have to be an even earlier start than what I planned.
After breakfast it is on the Hoho Bus for my second day ticket – this is more relaxing than walking and being tired when I get there.
Arriving at the designated stop I notice that even as early as I am, there are already lots of tourists. Time to say hello to my friend Rick – but he is not in my bag – I have left him back at the hotel – at least one of us will be cool. Buy my ticket – no drama and now begins the climb to the top. It is not too bad – lots of shady spots – but before I reach the main entrance I veer off the right to look down on the Odeon of Herodes Atticus.
Built in approx 161 AD by the wealthy land owner and public benefactor Herodes Atticus as a memorial to his wife, Aspasia Annia Regilla; the amphitheatre is hollowed out of the rocky southern face of the Acropolis Hill, with a three-story stone front wall and a tile roof made of expensive Lebanese cedar timber.
It was used as a venue for music and theatrical concerts and lasted intact until it was destroyed and left in ruins in 267 AD. The 5,000 seat theatre was fully restored in 1950 and is the primary venue of the annual Athens Festival where performers such as ballerina Margot Fonteyn, diva Maria Callas and singer Liza Minnelli have appeared on this stage.
Continuing my climb – everyone is moving well and behaving themselves until we get to the steps leading up to the Propylaea.
It seems that all the tourist groups have decided to have a breather and they are sitting or standing all over the steps trying to get as much shade as possible while their guides yell out instructions. What a mess – and come to think of it – how inconsiderate of those tour group leaders to do this.
But as we have come to a stop for the time being, on the left I can get a good look at the Monument of Agrippa made of grey marble with yellow veins and built in honour of Eumenees II of Pergamon 178 BC to commemorate his victory in the Panathenaic Games chariot race. At a height of 9 metres, it was the base of a bronze quadriga – a life-size chariot and four horses, probably driven by Eumenes or his brother Attalus II.
Later statues through history included those of Mark Anthony and Cleopatra but the pedestal is named after Agrippa the son-in-law and a general of the Roman Emperor Octavian. Agrippa replaced Anthony and Cleopatra with one of himself driving the four horse chariot.
Looking up to the right is the Temple of Athena Nike. Looks like it also has had some restoration work done – this temple is the most elegant and well-preserved of all the Acropolis buildings. This ancient sanctuary was dedicated to the Goddess Athena as the bringer of Victory (Nike).
Built between 432 – 421 BC after the completion of the Parthenon, the temple features four delicately carved Ionic columns at the north and south ends.
The balustrade that once adorned the temple platform is now on display at the Acropolis Museum along with relief figures of Athena and several representations of Nike (the goddess of Victory).
Moving ever so slowly onward and upward – in front of me is the Propylaea which is the magnificent entrance to The Acropolis. Designed by the Athenian architect Mnesicles, it solved the problem that was posed due to the differences in levels.
What he produced could only be described as magnificent. Where do these people get their imagination? Mine is pretty good but never in a million years would I think up something like this.
The Propylaea consisted of a grand hall, that was flanked on both sides by two Doric porticoes. Six of these Doric columns remain and can be seen today. The ceiling inside the roof, which was supported by two rows of three Ionic columns, was painted to display a heavenly scene, with gold stars on a dark blue background.
The left side of the structure (the north wing), known as the Pinakotheke, was the largest, and was used initially as a banquet hall, and then a gallery for paintings and frescoes. The right side (south wing) was relatively smaller, due to the presence of “Temple of Nike”.
Moving through the Propylaea, a great majority of brain dead tourists keep running their hands over the marble – even though there are signs saying ‘Please do not touch’.
Their actions bring the guides to perform the usual whistling, pointing to the signs and comments. Some people just never learn – because as soon as they move on to a new column – there they are being touchy feely again. I am not too sure what they expect marble feels like? Maybe they just want to say they touched the marble – who knows.
At the end of the Propylaea there were 5 doors. The centre door was the widest and used by the Panathenaea Festival Procession. This was a grand procession through the city to celebrate the birth of the Athena. It started at the city gate and proceeded through the Agora to Mars Hill and then up the steps to the Propylaea and through to the Acropolis. We know what the procession was like because parts of the 160 metre Acropolis frieze that show the procession are now in the British Museum (Elgin Marbles) and the Acropolis Museum.
When the procession passed through these doors, the first sight that would have welcomed you would have been a huge 9 metre bronze statue of “Athena Promachos”. The statue was created by Phideas, and was in commemoration to the Athenian victories over the Persians. The statue of Athena was so tall, that it could actually be seen by sailors around the Cape Sounion area of Attica, which is some 70 km (45 miles) away to the south east. The statute was taken to Constantinople under the orders of Emperor Justinian and subsequently destroyed in a fire.
It is now time to admire the most famous of all The Acropolis occupants – The Parthenon. I turn right and head around the wall – I am in no hurry. A word of warning – if you visit, do not walk on the marble pieces on the pathway as they are very slippery. Walk on the rough rubble instead – it is stable and much more safe.
I will not go into all the details of The Parthenon, it is much easier to google them for yourselves.
The Parthenon was not like it is now. Statues, carvings etc were brightly coloured – I try and imagine that instead of the unpainted building that stands before me.
This is the West End. This end is the classic view that greets everyone – unfortunately for me but fortunately for the Parthenon it is in restoration mode. Statues and carved reliefs that once adorned this end are now mostly eroded or missing. The best ones are in the British Museum. Remember the Elgin Marbles?
On cross beams above the columns were metopes of the Atheneans battling Amazons – the legendary race of female warriors. The triangular pediment above that is now gone. It showed the gods watching Athena with her olive tree competing with Poseidon and his trident. The winner would be Athens patron god. Spoiler Alert – Athena won.
Following the path around the south side of the Parthenon – I look down on the Theatre dedicated to Dionysus – god of plays and wine.
Able to seat 17,000 people, this fourth century BC theatre is the oldest of the three architectural complexes built on the southern slopes of the Acropolis. The great Greek tragedies of Sophocles and Euripides were performed here.
The remains of a restored and redesigned Roman version can still be seen at the site today. On November 24, 2009 the Greek government announced that they would partially restore the Theatre of Dionysus.
I think we may have a break – I am getting hot and tired all over again just writing this.
More of The Parthenon and Acropolis in the next post.