In 5th grade we all studied the history of the Ancient World. We remember photographs and drawings of the Acropolis on the pages of our textbooks.
Then we did not 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 town
According to ancient myth the founder was born ancient Greek goddess the land of Gaea, half-man, half-snake - King Kekrop.
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 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”. Every greek city in those days it 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, listed world heritage UNESCO.
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 Lately are 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 a museum under open air. 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. The Acropolis is located on one. Another hill is called Lycabettos, and it is famous for the incredible view of the city from it. 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 very tasty snack. 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. WITH inside there are Ionic columns and pavilions. In ancient times there were located Art Gallery and a library.
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 to 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 in 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 on different levels.
The eastern part was erected in honor of Pallas Athena. It has a separate entrance. It was also where she was kept ancient sculpture, 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 tombstones of the tomb of the snake-man Cecrops.
Portico of the Caryatids
The Portico of the Caryatids is part of architectural ensemble Temple of the Erechtheion, but this 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 antique statues. The originals are distributed to museums around the world. One is in 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.
Price entrance ticket 5 euros. It is open every day except Monday from 8 am to 10 pm.
This is the elevated part or the so-called upper city. Fortifications were built here, where citizens could hide in case of attacks, and, of course, the most important temples were built here. All ancient Greek cities had acropolises, but the most famous is the Acropolis of Athens, rising 150 meters above the main city.
The Acropolis towers over all of Athens, its silhouette shaping the skyline of the city. Rising above the hill in ancient times could be seen from any part of Attica and even from the islands of Salamis and Aegina; The sailors approaching the shore could already see from afar the shine of the spear and helmet of Athena the Warrior.
The Acropolis is one of those places that are said to be magnificent and delightful. It is considered to be a miracle that has survived to this day, even despite the fact that all the buildings are extremely laconic in their form, and the entire Acropolis can be walked in an hour.
The walls of the Acropolis are steep and precipitous. Previously there was great amount valuables, various sculptures. Nowadays only four great structures can be found inside the Acropolis.
History of the Acropolis
Construction of the Acropolis began in the 2nd century BC. But during Greco-Persian wars it was completely destroyed. It stood in a terrible state for almost a century.
By the middle of the 5th century BC, Athens became the most prosperous city in Hellas, economically and cultural center. It reached a particular peak during the reign of Pericles. On his initiative, the city began to be decorated with all kinds of buildings. In 449, the grandiose reconstruction of the Acropolis was completed.
The Athenian Acropolis was built, as they say, on a grand scale. It is impossible to capture it at one glance. Of course, today only a small part has survived from that ancient structure, but even now it is worthy of admiration. First, it’s worth getting acquainted with the Acropolis that existed under the ancient Greeks.
There was only one entrance to the Acropolis, along a narrow road located on the western side. This entrance is through the Propylaea Gate, built by the architect Mnesicles in 437 - 432 BC. The gate was decorated with a wide staircase and two porticoes, one of which faces the hill and the other faces the city. Once upon a time, the ceilings of the Propylaea were painted with golden stars against a blue sky.
The Propylaea is surrounded by the walls of the Temple of the Wingless Nike. A small building with 4 columns. This temple was designed back in 450 BC, but construction could only begin in 427. It was built over 6 years. In ancient times, inside the temple there was a wooden statue of the goddess of victory. Traditionally, Nike was depicted as a girl with a pair of wings, but the ancient Greeks depicted her without wings so that victory would not “fly away” from them.
Entering through the gate, one could immediately see the statue of Athena, erected in 456 - 445 by the sculptor Phidias. Athena was depicted with a shield in her left hand and a spear in her right, and she had a military helmet on her head. The height of the statue was 7 meters, and the spear was even more - 9 meters.
To the left of the statue of Athena was a temple. It was dedicated to Athena, Poseidon and King Erechtheus. It was in this temple that the most valuable things were kept, in particular, a wooden statue of a warrior goddess, which, according to legend, fell from the sky; the sacred peplos, which was woven by the priestesses, the altars of Ifestus and Erechtheus.. The most important rituals were performed in this temple.
The Erichtheion Temple was small in size (23 by 11 meters), but it united several sanctuaries at once. The height of the temple was uneven: the western part of the building was 3 meters lower than the eastern side. This is because the temple was built on an uneven surface.
The internal space was divided into two parts. On the western side was the sanctuary of the Erechtheion, and on the eastern side was the sanctuary of Pallas Athena. The sculptural decoration of the temple was very rich. Along the entire perimeter there were friezes, the theme of which was myths.
In front of the western facade of the temple there was a sacred olive tree, but it was cut down and the temple itself was destroyed.
In the center of the Acropolis was the Parthenon, also dedicated to the goddess Athena. It was built over a period of 9 years (447 - 438 BC). Its architects were Iktin and Callicrates. The Parthenon was a rectangular building measuring 70 by 31 meters, surrounded on all sides by columns - 17 on the longitudinal sides and 8 columns on the end parts of the temple.
The Parthenon is richly decorated with various sculptural elements created by prominent artists ancient world(Phidias, Alkamenes, Agorakritos, Callimachus). The popular idea that Greek temples always had colors is actually wrong. In ancient times, the Parthenon was very colorful, and according to modern tastes, it was even almost clumsily painted. Of course, over time the paint fades, so the temples that have survived to this day are exclusively white.
The interior of the Parthenon was divided into two parts. The first part is the cella, where the 12-meter statue of Athena, created by Phidias, was located. Athena was wearing a luxurious helmet and festive elegant clothes. Phidias made the goddess's face and hands from ivory, and her clothes were covered with gold plates.
The second room was intended for girls-priestesses who worked on making the sacred vestments of the goddess.
Modern Acropolis
The modern Acropolis bears little resemblance to the one that existed many centuries ago. Modern tourists can get to the site where the Propylaea is located through the Bayle Gate, built in the Roman-Byzantine era. They received their name in honor of the archaeologist Beile, who in 1853 discovered them under the remains of a Turkish fortification. Directly in front of the entrance are the ruins of the Temple of the Wingless Nike, which was destroyed by the Turks when they captured the city. IN mid-19th centuries, when Turkish rule was displaced, they tried to restore the temple, but it was no longer possible to make it the same as before.
A lot of things in the Acropolis were irretrievably destroyed. For example, the statue of Athena the warrior was taken to Constantinople, where it was destroyed in the 13th century.
The Erechtheion Temple suffered repeatedly from robbers, especially during the Greek struggle for independence in 1821-1827. Only in 1906 did they begin to reconstruct the temple, restoring it on the preserved foundation.
The Parthenon was converted into a Christian temple in the 13th century. During Turkish wars The Parthenon was shelled. The main room and colonnade were completely destroyed. Nowadays it has been partially restored, but its former grandeur has already been lost.
Of course, the modern Acropolis is not so majestic, but even today it is one of the most beautiful buildings on our planet. Much has been destroyed, or even completely destroyed. But something has survived and still attracts tourists to Athens.
Acropolis
ACROPOLIS-I; m.[Greek akropolis from àkros - up and polis - city]. The central fortified part of an ancient Greek city, usually located on a hill; fortress. Athensky A.
acropolis(Greek akrópolis), an elevated and fortified part of an ancient Greek city, the so-called upper city; fortress (shelter in case of war). The most famous is the acropolis in Athens.
ACROPOLISACROPOLIS, an elevated and fortified part of the ancient Greek city, the so-called. upper city; fortress (shelter in case of war). The most famous is the Acropolis in Athens, where the main shrines of the city were located. The Acropolis of Athens, which is a 156-meter-high rocky hill with a gentle peak (approx. 300 m long and 170 m wide), is the site of the oldest settlement in Attica. During the Mycenaean period (15-13 centuries BC) it was a fortified royal residence. In the 7th-6th centuries. BC e. There was a lot of construction going on on the Acropolis. Under the tyrant Pisistratus (cm. PISISTRATOUS)(560-527) on the site of the royal palace, the temple of the goddess Athena Hekatompedon was built (that is, a temple one hundred steps long; fragments of pediment sculptures have been preserved, the foundation has been identified). In 480, during the Greco-Persian Wars, the temples of the Acropolis were destroyed by the Persians. The inhabitants of Athens swore an oath to restore the shrines only after the expulsion of enemies from Hellas. In 447 on the initiative of Pericles (cm. PERICLES) new construction began on the Acropolis; the supervision of all work was entrusted to the famous sculptor Phidias (cm. PHIDIAS), who, apparently, was the author of the artistic program that formed the basis of the entire complex, its architectural and sculptural appearance.
The sacred road along which from the agora (cm. AGORA) moved to the temple of the patron goddess during the main holiday of the Great Panathenaia (cm. PANATHINEA) procession of Athenians leading to the Propylaea (cm. PROPYLEA (in Athens)), having 5 aisles and in ancient times flanked by two equestrian statues of the Dioscuri. In the left, protruding wing, there was a Pinakothek (a collection of pinak paintings donated to the goddess Athena), in the right there was a storage room for manuscripts and a room for the gatekeeper and guards. To the right of the Propylaea, on a pyrgos (an outcrop of a fortified rock), stands a small, light and graceful Ionic temple dedicated to Athena Nike, known as the Temple of Nike Apteros (Wingless Victory; 443-420, architect Kallicrates (cm. KALLICRATES)).
After the participants of the procession passed the Propylaea and entered the sacred territory, a panorama of the central part of the complex opened before them. In the foreground, just to the left of the road, stood a colossal bronze statue of Athena Promachos (Warrior), cast by Phidias. Behind her the Erechtheion was visible in the distance (cm. ERECHTHEION)(architect unknown), temple of Athena and Poseidon on the site of a dispute between these gods for the possession of Attica. The temple has a unique Greek architecture asymmetrical plan; its three porticos are located at different levels: on the western side there is a portico leading to the temple of Athena Polyada (City), on the northern side there is the entrance to the sanctuary of Poseidon-Erechtheus, at the southern wall of the temple there is the famous portico of the caryatids; the entire building was surrounded by a frieze with overhead white figures (not preserved). In the Erechtheion, the oldest sanctuary of Athens, there was the sacred xoan of Athena (a wooden statue), which according to legend fell from the sky, the altars of Hephaestus and the hero But, the tomb of the legendary Athenian king Kekrops, and the sanctuary of the Attic dew goddess Pandrosa adjoined to the west. In the courtyard of the Erechtheion there grew a sacred olive tree, donated to the city by Athena, and a salt spring flowed, which Poseidon carved with his trident.
The lightness of its forms, the special sophistication of decorative decoration and the complexity of the composition of the small-sized Erechtheion contrasts with the strict and majestic, emphatically monumental Parthenon (Temple of Athena the Virgin; 69.5 m in length and 30.9 m in width, the height of the columns is 10.5 m ; 447 - consecrated in 438; architect Ictinus with the participation of Callicrates), representing a Doric peripter. (cm. PERIPTER). The building is perceived from the Propylaea in three quarters - viewers saw not one of its facades, but the entire volume of the structure, got an idea of its appearance as a whole, and before seeing the main, eastern facade, they had to walk around the temple from the outside.
In the temple itself, in the naos (cm. NAOS), there was a chrysoelephantine statue of Athena Parthenos (Virgin) by Phidias; the sacred money of the goddess and the treasury of the Athenian Maritime League were kept in the opisthodomos. In the pediments there were sculptural groups depicting the most significant events in the cult of Athena - her birth and dispute with sea god Poseidon for the possession of Attica. Reliefs of metopes (cm. METOPES) Along the perimeter of the building scenes of mythological battles were depicted. Architectural details, sculpture and reliefs were brightly painted. The plan and order of the Parthenon also differ from the traditional ones in a number of features: in front of the naos there was a hall - the maiden's chamber (the Parthenon, which gave the name to the entire temple), along the wall of the naos there was an Ionic frieze depicting the Panathenaic procession.
In front of the Parthenon, by right side from the Propylaea, there were also sanctuaries of Artemis Bravronia and Athena Ergana (Craftswoman), a repository of weapons and sacred armor - Chalkoteka (450). The open area of the Acropolis was occupied by numerous altars and gifts to the gods - statues, steles. The temple and theater of Dionysus (6th century BC - rebuilt in 326), the Odeon of Pericles (a covered round building for musical competitions) (2nd half of the 5th century BC) adjoined the northwestern slope of the Acropolis. ), Theater of Herodes Atticus (2nd century AD), Sanctuary of Asclepius, Stoa (Porticus) of Eumenes.
The Acropolis towers over all of Athens, its silhouette shaping the skyline of the city. In ancient times, the Parthenon rising above the hill could be seen from any part of Attica and even from the islands of Salamis and Aegina; The sailors approaching the shore could already see from afar the shine of the spear and helmet of Athena the Warrior. In ancient times, the sanctuary was known not only as a famous cult center, but also as a monument of great art, confirming the glory of Athens as the “school of Hellas” and the most beautiful city. The thoughtful composition of the entire ensemble, perfectly found general proportions, a flexible combination of various orders, the finest modeling of architectural details and their unusually accurate drawing, the close relationship between architecture and sculptural decoration - make the buildings of the Acropolis the highest achievement of ancient Greek architecture and one of the most outstanding monuments of world art.
In the 5th century The Parthenon became the Church of Our Lady, the statue of Athena Parthenos was transported to Constantinople. After the conquest of Greece by the Turks (in the 15th century), the temple was turned into a mosque, to which minarets were added, then into an arsenal; The Erechtheion became the harem of the Turkish pasha, the temple of Nike Apteros was dismantled, and the bastion wall was built from its blocks. In 1687, after a cannonball hit a Venetian ship, the explosion destroyed almost the entire central part of the Temple of Athena the Virgin, with unsuccessful attempt The Venetians removed the Parthenon sculptures; several statues were broken.
At the beginning of the 19th century. The Englishman Lord Elgin tore out a number of metopes, tens of meters of frieze and almost all the surviving sculptures of the Parthenon pediments, and a caryatid from the portico of the Erechtheion.
After the declaration of independence of Greece, during restoration work (mainly in the late 19th century), the ancient appearance of the Acropolis was restored as far as possible: all late buildings on its territory were eliminated, the temple of Nike Apteros was rebuilt, etc. Reliefs and sculptures of the temples of the Acropolis are located in the British Museum (London), the Louvre (Paris) and the Acropolis Museum. The sculptures that remained in the open air have now been replaced by copies.
encyclopedic Dictionary. 2009 .
Synonyms:See what “acropolis” is in other dictionaries:
- (Greek akrupolis, from bkros upper and pulis city), an elevated and fortified part of an ancient Greek city, the so-called upper city, fortress (shelter in case of war). On the acropolis there were usually temples of divine patrons... ... Art encyclopedia
- (Greek akropolis) an elevated and fortified part of an ancient Greek city, the so-called. upper city; fortress (shelter in case of war). The most famous is the Acropolis in Athens. ACROPOLIS in Athens is a fortified part of ancient Athens, where the main... ... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary Hotel catalog
Acropolis- (Feodosia, Crimea) Hotel category: Address: Peschanaya Street 1 A, 98100 Feodosia, Crimea ... Hotel catalog
Acropolis- in Athens. AKROPOLIS (Greek akropolis upper city), an elevated and fortified part of an ancient Greek city, the so-called upper city; fortress (shelter in case of war). On the acropolis there were usually temples of the patron deities of a given... ... Illustrated encyclopedic Dictionary
- (Greek akropolis upper city), an elevated and fortified part of an ancient Greek city, the so-called upper city; fortress (shelter in case of war). Temples of patron deities were usually located on the acropolis of this city. Most... ... Modern encyclopedia
ACROPOLIS, acropolis. husband. (Greek akropolis) (historical). In ancient Greek cities, the central fortified part, the Kremlin. Athens Acropolis. Dictionary Ushakova. D.N. Ushakov. 1935 1940 … Ushakov's Explanatory Dictionary
- (Acropolis, Αχρόπολις). In general, the upper city, the citadel, the Kremlin. The Athenian Acropolis, which served as the city’s treasury, is usually called by this name. (
The Acropolis of Athens, which is a 156-meter-high rocky hill with a gentle peak (approx. 300 m long and 170 m wide), is the site of the oldest settlement in Attica. During the Mycenaean period (15-13 centuries BC) it was a fortified royal residence. In the 7th-6th centuries. BC e. There was a lot of construction going on on the Acropolis. Under the tyrant Pisistratus (560-527), on the site of the royal palace, the temple of the goddess Athena Hekatompedon was built (that is, a temple one hundred steps long; fragments of pediment sculptures have been preserved, and the foundation has been identified). In 480, during the Greco-Persian Wars, the temples of the Acropolis were destroyed by the Persians. The inhabitants of Athens swore an oath to restore the shrines only after the expulsion of enemies from Hellas. In 447, at the initiative of Pericles, new construction began on the Acropolis; the management of all the work was entrusted to the famous sculptor Phidias, who, apparently, was the author of the artistic program that formed the basis of the entire complex, its architectural and sculptural appearance.
The sacred road, along which the procession of Athenians moved from the agora to the temple of the patron goddess during the main festival of the Great Panathenaia, leads to the Propylaea, which has 5 passages and in ancient times was flanked by two equestrian statues of the Dioscuri. In the left, protruding wing, there was a Pinakothek (a collection of pinak paintings donated to the goddess Athena), in the right there was a storage room for manuscripts and a room for the gatekeeper and guards. To the right of the Propylaea, on a pyrgos (an outcrop of a fortified rock), stands a small, light and graceful Ionic temple dedicated to Athena Nike, known as the Temple of Nike Apteros (Wingless Victory; 443-420, architect Kallicrates).
After the participants of the procession passed the Propylaea and entered the sacred territory, a panorama of the central part of the complex opened before them. In the foreground, just to the left of the road, stood a colossal bronze statue of Athena Promachos (Warrior), cast by Phidias. Behind it in the distance was the Erechtheion (architect unknown), the temple of Athena and Poseidon at the site of the dispute between these gods for the possession of Attica. The temple has an asymmetrical plan unique in Greek architecture; its three porticos are located at different levels: on the western side there is a portico leading to the temple of Athena Polyada (City), on the northern side there is the entrance to the sanctuary of Poseidon-Erechtheus, at the southern wall of the temple there is the famous portico of the caryatids; the entire building was surrounded by a frieze with overhead white figures (not preserved). In the Erechtheion, the oldest sanctuary of Athens, there was the sacred xoan of Athena (a wooden statue), which according to legend fell from the sky, the altars of Hephaestus and the hero But, the tomb of the legendary Athenian king Kekrops, and the sanctuary of the Attic dew goddess Pandrosa adjoined to the west. In the courtyard of the Erechtheion there grew a sacred olive tree, donated to the city by Athena, and a salt spring flowed, which Poseidon carved with his trident.
The lightness of its forms, the special sophistication of decorative decoration and the complexity of the composition of the small-sized Erechtheion contrasts with the strict and majestic, emphatically monumental Parthenon (Temple of the Virgin Athena; 69.5 m in length and 30.9 m in width, the height of the columns is 10.5 m ; built in 447 - consecrated in 438; architect Ictinus with the participation of Callicrates), representing a Doric peripter. The building is perceived from the Propylaea in three quarters - viewers saw not one of its facades, but the entire volume of the structure, got an idea of its appearance as a whole, and before seeing the main, eastern facade, they had to walk around the temple from the outside.
In the temple itself, in the naos, there was a chrysoelephantine statue of Athena Parthenos (Virgin) by Phidias; the sacred money of the goddess and the treasury of the Athenian Maritime League were kept in the opisthodome. In the pediments there were sculptural groups depicting the most significant events in the cult of Athena - her birth and the dispute with the sea god Poseidon for the possession of Attica. The metope reliefs along the perimeter of the building depicted scenes of mythological battles. Architectural details, sculpture and reliefs were brightly painted. The plan and order of the Parthenon also differ from the traditional ones in a number of features: in front of the naos there was a hall - the maiden's chamber (the Parthenon, which gave the name to the entire temple), along the wall of the naos there was an Ionic frieze depicting the Panathenaic procession.
In front of the Parthenon, on the right side of the Propylaea, there were also the sanctuaries of Artemis Bravronia and Athena Ergana (Craftswoman), and the repository of weapons and sacred armor - Chalkoteka (450). The open area of the Acropolis was occupied by numerous altars and gifts to the gods - statues, steles. Adjacent to the northwestern slope of the Acropolis was the temple and theater of Dionysus (6th century BC - rebuilt in 326), the Odeon of Pericles (a covered round building for musical competitions) (2nd half of the 5th century BC) .), Theater of Herodes Atticus (2nd century AD), Sanctuary of Asclepius, Stoa (Porticus) of Eumenes.
Parthenon
In ancient times, the Parthenon rising above the hill could be seen from any part of Attica and even from the islands of Salamis and Aegina; The sailors approaching the shore could already see from afar the shine of the spear and helmet of Athena the Warrior. In ancient times, the sanctuary was known not only as a cult center, but also as a monument of art, confirming the glory of Athens as the “school of Hellas” and the most beautiful city. The thoughtful composition of the entire ensemble, perfectly found general proportions, a flexible combination of various orders, the finest modeling of architectural details and their unusually accurate drawing, the close relationship between architecture and sculptural decoration - make the buildings of the Acropolis the highest achievement of ancient Greek architecture and one of the most outstanding monuments of world art.
In the 5th century, the Parthenon became the Church of Our Lady, and the statue of Athena Parthenos was transported to Constantinople. After the conquest of Greece by the Turks (in the 15th century), the temple was turned into a mosque, to which minarets were added, then into an arsenal; The Erechtheion became the harem of the Turkish pasha, the temple of Nike Apteros was dismantled, and the bastion wall was built from its blocks. In 1687, after a cannonball hit a Venetian ship, an explosion destroyed almost the entire central part of the Temple of Athena the Virgin; during an unsuccessful attempt by the Venetians to remove the Parthenon sculptures, several statues were broken. At the beginning of the 19th century, the Englishman Lord Elgin tore out a number of metopes, tens of meters of frieze and almost all the surviving sculptures of the Parthenon pediments, and a caryatid from the portico of the Erechtheion.
After the declaration of Greek independence, during restoration work (mainly at the end of the 19th century), the ancient appearance of the Acropolis was restored as much as possible: all late buildings on its territory were eliminated, and the Temple of Nike Apteros was rebuilt. Reliefs and sculptures of the Acropolis temples are in the British Museum (London), the Louvre (Paris) and the Acropolis Museum. The sculptures that remained in the open air have now been replaced by copies.
The Acropolis in Athens is business card Greece, tourists from all over the world come here. In terms of ticket sales and attendance, it is not inferior to the Colosseum in Rome.
Despite past wars and natural disasters, it stood for two thousand years (and will stand for the same amount of time) and still amazes the imagination with its majesty and perfection of forms.
Similar structures were built not only in, but also on the territory of Asia Minor (), in and Ancient Rome. The Acropolis is the elevated part of the city (built on a hill). It served as a refuge for the nobility in case of war. Palaces, government buildings, and temples of patron deities were built on its territory. Despite the cataclysms suffered, the Athenian Acropolis has been preserved better than any of those currently existing. To this day, active work is underway on its restoration.
Story
Back in archaic times, the first temples were founded. In VII-VI BC. active development of the hill began. It served as the royal residence. In 447 BC. reconstruction of the complex began famous sculptor of that time by Phidias. The complex got the one architectural appearance, which is known to us now. Gradually greatest monument culture decayed, Athens turned into a provincial city of the Roman Empire.
A panoramic walk along the street near the Acropolis is many times more interesting than the ruins themselves (:
During the Byzantine period, the temple of the goddess Athena, the patroness of the city (Parthenon), became a Christian church. With the onset of the Turks in the 15th century, the entire temple complex was converted into a mosque and then into an ammunition depot and arsenal. In the 19th century, Greece became an independent country, and from that moment the ancient appearance of the Acropolis began to be actively restored. The construction carried out on the territory in the Middle Ages and Modern Times was eliminated.
All sculptures that are located on the territory of the Acropolis in Athens have been replaced with copies, the originals are kept in the Acropolis Museum.
What does the Acropolis look like?
Unfortunately, at the moment it is ruins. Yes, major work is underway to restore its individual objects, but the work is very far from being completed.
The height of the hill on which the monument is built is 300 meters. Climbing onto it, you will have a beautiful view of Athens. The Acropolis consists of 21 elements that are interconnected into one architectural ensemble.
Parthenon Temple in Athens
The Parthenon, the key temple of the Acropolis, is the best preserved. Made from white marble, it turned yellow over time. It is considered the oldest building in the world, because it is two thousand years old! Its history is the history and culture of all Greece.
Until recently, the Theater of Dionysus staged ancient Greek comedies and tragedies, but now it is partially closed for reconstruction (due to be completed in 2015).
The architecture of the Erechtheion Temple has an unusual asymmetrical layout, and a lot of relics were found in it, which are kept in museums around the world.
Photos
Helpful information
Arrive at opening time or a few hours before closing to avoid standing in a long line for a ticket and walk around the complex without extreme heat. Stock up on water; you will have to climb a 300-meter hill. On the way up you will find a fairly steep staircase, so be careful.
The entrance ticket costs 12 euros and can be purchased on site. Discounts for students and pensioners. The queue is long, but it moves very quickly. The ticket is valid for four days. If you don’t have the strength to watch everything at once, you can always come back. During winter, admission is free on Sundays.
Opening hours: from 8:00 to 20:00, closed on Monday.
The fastest way to get there is by metro. Get to the Acropolis station, from there follow the signs at every step.
Acropolis on the map
Acropolis of Athens, Athens 105 58, Greece