Page 288 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Greek Islands

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ACROPOLIS

 B5 ⌂ Dionysíou Areopagítou (main entrance), Pláka
£ Acropoli @ 230, X80 # May–Oct: 8am–8pm daily;
Nov–Apr: 8am–3pm daily ¢ 1 Jan, 25 Mar, Easter Sun, 1 May,
EXPERIENCE Athens One of the most famous archaeological sites in the world, the
25 & 26 Dec ∑ odysseus.culture.gr
Acropolis and its temples stands as a monument to the political
and cultural achievements of Greece. The Acropolis overlooks the
city from a plateau that has been in use for 5,000 years.

In the mid-5th century BC, after the Athenians had defeated
the invading Persian Empire, Athenian leader Perikles INSIDER TIP
persuaded Athens’ citizens to begin a grand programme of Early Bird
building work in the city, sparking a new golden age. This work, Your best chance to
constructed by Athens’ leading architects, sculptors and catch the Acropolis
painters, transformed the Acropolis with three contrasting before the large crowds
temples, two dedicated to Athena and one shared between descend in summer is
Athena and Poseidon, and a monumental gateway called the at 8am, immediately
Propylaia. The most well-known temple is the Parthenon, a after the complex opens
massive temple to the city’s patron goddess Athena, which is to visitors.
being restored. The Theatre of Dionysos on the south slope
was developed further in the 4th century BC, and the Odeon
of Herodes Atticus was added in the 2nd century AD.

THE ACROPOLIS MUSEUM
Located in the historic Makrigiánni
district at the foot of the Acropolis, this
€130 million showpiece was designed
by Bernard Tschumi and constructed
over excavations of an early Christian
settlement; a glass walkway hovers
over the ruins. The collection has been
installed in chronological order and
begins with finds from the slopes of the
Acropolis, including statues and reliefs
from the Shrine of Asklepios. The skylit
Parthenon Gallery on the top floor is the
highlight, showcasing the parts of the
Parthenon frieze that remain in Greece,
displayed in their original order. The awe-inspiring columns
of the Parthenon, with
restoration underway
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