Hiking up the slopes of the Acropolis, we rise up to a place where the Gods once stood, with Athena and the grand Parthenon...
Before you read this, make sure to check out my full blog on GREECE to see what I got up to in Athens before visiting the Acopolis!
It was an early start to the day as we made our way to Areopagus Hill to watch the sunrise behind the Acropolis. From the top of the hill you can see everything including the Temple of Hephaestus, Ancient Agora, Church of the Apostles, and Mount Lycabettus. We were only a 5 minute or so walk away from the entrance to the slopes of the Acropolis, so just before the gates opened we made our way there. Since we were there early and had already bought the Combined Ticket we didn't need to queue up at all and went straight in! Hiking up the slopes of the Acropolis you are met with the Temple of Athena, we knew that the Parthenon was the main attraction and headed there before the crowds of people arrived.
The sacred rock in the city of modern day Athens is one of the most well known archaeological sites in the world, and the most visited attraction in Athens; there are a number of buildings on top of the Acropolis, the most iconic being the Parthenon. The Parthenon is a former temple, dedicated to the goddess Athena whom the people of Athens considered as their patron. Anyway we spent our time up there taking photos, having a look round and before we knew it the tourists were starting to arrive (within just an hour of it opening!) I really would recommend getting there as early as possible! On top of the rock there is not just the Parthenon but also the Temple of Athena, take a look at the following photos to see what else there is to see:
(Left) View of the Acropolis from Areopagus Hill (Centre) Temple of Athena (Right) Walking up the slopes of the Acropolis
Upon the slopes of the Acropolis there are also other Ancient Greek sites, we headed to the next one: the Odeon of Herodes Atticus. Hollowed out of the rocky southern face of the Acropolis Hill, it is one of the world's oldest and finest open-air theatres, holding 4,500 seats! The Odeon of Heroes Atticus is now fully renovated with its marble seats and stage, and work has begun on the next location...
The Odeon of Herodes Atticus
…the next location being the Theatre of Dionysus. The Theatre of Dionysus is a smaller theatre, which back in its time could seat up to 17,000 people - this seems really hard to believe because now in the present day, the Odeon of Herodes Atticus seems much larger. Anyway, the theatre was one of the first to be built in the world, and it was actually dedicated to Dionysus, the Greek god of drama.
The final place to visit upon the slopes of the Acropolis is of course the Acropolis Museum. It is an archaeological museum dedicated solely on the findings of the archaeological site of the Acropolis of Athens. Open from 08:00-16:00 (some days even open until 22:00), the museum costs €10 to enter. The museum is even built on top of the ruins from the Acropolis so make sure you head down below to check it out!
TOP FACTS!
The Acropolis consists of: Its Slopes, the Parthenon, Temple of Athena, Odeon of Herodes Atticus, Theatre of Dionysus and much more!
In front of the Parthenon, there used to be a gold and ivory statue of the Greek Goddess Athena around 40ft (9-11m) high, and nobody knows where it is. Rumours are that it was stolen or destroyed sometime during a fire in the 5th Century.
Now just plain marble with some visible carvings, the Parthenon actually used to be colourfully painted and decorated.
The Acropolis of today is the result of centuries of construction and destruction.
Restoration of the Parthenon started in 1975, over 40 years ago and is still ongoing. Marble from the exact mountain where the original stone was quarried is used, and one block can take up to 3 months to repair.
The Odeon of Herodes Atticus hosts events such as concerts and plays, even musicians such as Frank Sinatra have performed there.
The difference between an Odeon and a Theatre is that an Odeon is a place for concerts of music and poetry and are entirely Greek, whereas a Theatre is a place where shows and plays are performed.
The Acropolis is over 2,460 years, from 447BC.
So as you can see, there are loads of things to see and do within the Slopes of the Acropolis. If you're interested in seeing what else I got up to for the rest of the day and for the rest of my time in Athens, check out my GREECE blog to find out more!
Remember, don't miss out, see you on the other blog! Bye guys!
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