The ruins of Acropolis in Athens, Greece

*WS 137: the ruins of Acropolis in Athens, Greece*

Athens has an old history. By the 5th century BC, the city state was the centre of Ancient Greek and laid the foundation of Western civilisation. The ruins of Acropolis is often taken to be the key symbol of the legacy and the glory of Classical Greece. The Acropolis is a recital on a flattish top of a rock raising 150 m above sea level, with an area of about 3 hectares. It contains several ancient buildings with great architectural and historical significance, most of them built or initiated around the early 400s BC when General Pericles was in power. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

We visited this place in 2012 on a free-n-easy adventure. Shown a shot from the south-west from below the recital and a distant night scene from the north. The place is on various restoration programs since 1975, cranes are everywhere. Shown an archaeologist at work and a huge tourist crowd at the entrance. 

The 5th is a photo shoot in front of the monumental gateway called the Propylaea. The 6th and 7th photos show the remains of the elegant marble temple of Erechtheion. It is dedicated to the Goddess Athena and Poseidon, the God of the Sea. On the south side of the temple is the “Porch of the Maidens” with 6 female figures as columns. 

The most important temple is the Parthenon, dedicated to the Goddess Athena the Virgin, the city patron. The base of the platform is 69 m by 31 m, with 46 outer columns and 23 inner columns. It is considered the finest example of Greek architecture. Unfortunately it was extensively damaged in 1687 in a war between the attacking Venetians and the defending Ottoman Turks, when gunpowder hid within the building (used as a store) exploded when hit by a mortar. 

The most characteristic feature in the architecture and decoration of the temple is the bas-relief frieze running around the exterior of the walls as shown in the 9th photo. The columns are of the simple Doric order, with simple capitals. Each column has 20 flutes or shallow grooves running vertically down, 10th photo. 

Other notable ruins include 2 theatres. The Theatre of Dionysious was built around 342 BC and later enlarged by the Romans for gladiator fights. The Theatre of Herod Atticus was built by the Romans in 161 AD and was renovated in 1950 for use today for classical concerts, etc.