post

The Acropolis

athens-acropolis

The Acropolis in Athens is one of the most impressive ancient structures that remain today. As you can see a lot of it still stands today. It consists of a city like structure that sits on the mountain top looking over the city of Athens, Greece. Many structures make up Acropolis which includes: Parthenon, Old Temple of Athena, Erechtheum, Statue of Athena Promachos, Propylaea, Temple of Athena Nike, Eleusinion, Sanctuary of Artemis Brauronia or Brauroneion, Chalkotheke, Pandroseion, Arrephorion, Altar of Athena, Sanctuary of Zeus Polieus Sanctuary of Pandion. The buildings are made of a white stone local to Athens.

This piece was constructed in phases, one building at a time, over a long period of Greek civilization. In the fifth century BC a man named Pericles orchestrated the construction of the Parthenon, the Propylaia, the Erechtheion and the temple of Athena Nike. The Parthenon is known to be the most famous building out of all of them, which is the largest one with the columns in the picture provided. It was a temple dedicated to the Greek goddess of Athena. Athena was chosen to be god of Athens over the Greek god Poseidon, as it was believed. So this corresponds with the idea of the Parthenon being the most noticeable, or important, building in the Acropolis.

The detail and work put into these building were extraordinary showing they had a lot of significant meaning behind the buildings. The Acropolis wasn’t built for people to live in, but for religious and political significance. The fact that it was built on top of the mountain shows a couple things. It holds a higher religious location because it is physically higher and closer to heaven, as it was believed. It also shows a sense of hierarchy. People, being mortal, lived below the Acropolis, which was believed to house the gods. Humanities status of importance compared to the gods were reflected by the Acropolis peering over Athens.

The layout of the Acropolis was even specific to their religious belief. Not everyone was privileged enough to go into the Acropolis just because they were natives to Athens. It was really only for religious and political officials. But annual ceremonies were held in respect to Athena were most were able to walk the path in and out of the Acropolis.

In the 70s a project to restore most of the buildings were put into effect. A lot of the building were destroyed in the 1687 siege by the Venetians in the Morean War when the Parthenon was being used for gunpowder storage and was hit by a cannonball. A lot of official think the structures are vital for Greek and world culture in which they continue their quest to restore as much of it as possible.

 

Speak Your Mind

Skip to toolbar