A trip to Athens would be
nothing without seeing some of the ancient architecture we've all learned about
from school textbooks and would-be historian friends and relatives. Greece
was a mighty power in the ancient world, and many of its accomplishments still
stand to remind us of their power. There are too many pieces of ancient Greece
to see in one visit, but some of the major symbols of the Greek Empire are not
to be missed.
Perhaps you are traveling to Athens
expressly to see the Parthenon. Well, you are far from
the only one! Countless numbers of people have perused these imposing
columns since the beginning of its construction in the 400's B.C., when it
was dedicated to the goddess Athena Parthenos. This is a Doric temple
(Doric and Ionic are kinds of sculptured columns) and in the early days of
its existence, it would most likely have been painted, in contrast to the
white skeletal pillars of today. Like the Eiffel
Tower and the Coliseum, the
Parthenon represents its country and the age of its Golden Empire. Be sure
to look down over the Acropolis while standing in the midst of this
ancient temple. The view will merit quite a few rolls of film.
The Acropolis is the ancient
part of the city and is home to the Parthenon. The Acropolis was known as Athens’
"Sacred Rock," pillar of Greek civilization. Many temples and
other public sites could be found here in the ancient days. Although not
as well-known as the Parthenon, other beautiful temple ruins can be found
in the Acropolis. The Temple of Athena
Nike, also from the 400s B.C., is an
well-preserved representation of pagan Greek temples. The Acropolis'
entranceway was headed by the Propylaea, an impressive building with the
same stunning architecture and graceful columns as the first two
structures
In ancient times, when the
Roman soldiers arrived to seek out new territory, Emperor Hadrian decided
to show Athens that he had
arrived by building Hadrian's Arch. This monument was built in 131 A.D.
and separated the city of the philosophers of ancient days from the newer
Roman quarters.