Page 458 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Europe

456  IT AL Y AND GREECE

Exploring the Acropolis figurines, and female protomes
(busts) symbolizing fertility.
Once you are through the Propylaia, the grand entrance to The Archaic Gallery show-
the site, the Parthenon exerts an overwhelming fascination. cases statues of young men,
The other fine temples on “the Rock” include the Erechtheion women, and horses, while the
and the Temple of Athena Nike. Since 1975, access to all the entire top floor is devoted to
a reconstruction of a marble
temple precincts has been banned. However, it is a miracle frieze that once ran around
that anything remains at all. The ravages of war, the removal the top of the Parthenon. The
of treasures, and pollution have all taken their irrevocable original bas-reliefs are combined
toll on the Acropolis. with crude white plaster copies
of the so-called Elgin Marbles,
removed by Lord Elgin in 1801
and now displayed in the British
Museum in London (see p455).
Around the Acropolis
The area around the Acropolis
was the center of public life in
Athens. In addition to the Agora
in the north (see p453), there were
two theaters on the southern
slope, the Theater of Herodes
Atticus and the Theater of
Dionysos. Political life was largely
centered on the Areopagos and
the Pynx Hill to the west of the
Acropolis; the Ekklesia (citizens’
The Parthenon from the southwest assembly) met on the latter,
while the former was the seat
T The Parthenon who worked on the frieze, which of the Supreme Judicial Court.
One of the world’s most famous depicted the people and horses Filopáppos Hill has always played
monuments, the Parthenon was in the Panathenaic procession. an important defensive role in
commissioned by Perikles as Despite much damage and the city’s history – a fort was built
part of his rebuilding plan. Work alterations made to adapt it to here overlooking the strategic
began in 447 BC, when the various uses, which have included Piraeus road in 294 BC. On the
sculptor Pheidias was entrusted a church, a mosque, and even Hill of the Nymphs, the
with supervising the building of an arsenal, the Parthenon 19th-century Danish-designed
a new Doric temple to Athena, remains a majestic sight today. Asteroskopeíon (Observatory)
the patron goddess of the city. occupies the site of a sanctuary
Built on the site of earlier E New Acropolis Museum dedicated to nymphs associated
temples, it was designed Dionysiou Areopagitou 15, with childbirth.
primarily to house the Parthenos, Makrygianni. Tel 210-900 0900. Open
Pheidias’s cult statue of Athena. Apr–Oct: 8am–8pm Tue–Sun (to
Taking just nine years to 10pm Fri); Nov–Mar: 9am–5pm daily
complete, the temple was (to 10pm Fri, to 8pm Sat & Sun).
dedicated to the goddess in the Closed Jan 1, Easter Sun, May 1, Dec
course of the Great Panathenaia 25 & 26. ∑ theacropolismuseum.gr
festival of 438 BC. Designed and
constructed in Pentelic marble Located a short walk from the
by the architects Kallikrates and Acropolis, this ultra-modern glass,
Iktinos, the Parthenon replaces steel, and concrete building,
straight lines with slight curves. designed by the Swiss architect
It is thought that this complex Bernard Tschumi, exhibits finds
architectural style was used to from the Acropolis site.
create an illusion of perfection The ground floor is made
(see pp458–9). of partially reinforced glass,
For the pediments and the which exposes 4th century BC
friezes that ran all the way archaeo logical excavations
around the temple, an army below the building. Cases set
of sculptors and painters was in the walls display finds from
employed. Agorakritos and early sanctuaries on the
Alkamenes, both pupils of Acropolis, including votive The Asteroskopeíon (Observatory) on the
Pheidias, are two of the sculptors offerings such as jewelry, Hill of the Nymphs
For hotels and restaurants see pp484–6 and pp487–9

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