The Parthenon & the Acropolis

100 Places to See Before You Die!

The Parthenon & The Acropolis

Athens, Greece

The Parthenon in Athens is certainly the most important symbol of Ancient Greece, and continues to be the symbol of present day Greece today.  It sits atop the Acropolis which literally means "top of the city" or "high city", a very appropriate description.

 

The Parthenon was built between 447 and 438 B.C. as a temple to the goddess Athena.  It's actually named for her, as Parthenon means "dwelling of the maiden".  The site itself had been used for over a thousand years prior for temples and monuments to honor the gods.  It's original purpose was to house a 40-foot gold and ivory statue of Athena.  Over the years it's been used as a church by the Byzantines, a cathedral by the Catholics, and a mosque by the Turks.

I know what you're thinking...."Greek Gods still hang out at the Parthenon"! :-)  OK, well maybe just Buddha.

Unfortunately, the Turks also used it as a munitions storehouse, and in 1687 during fighting between the Venetians and the Turks, this was its undoing.  The Venetians were lobbing shells from a nearby hill at the Turks bunkered down in what was then a solid structure with a roof.  A shell found its way to the munitions stores - BOOM!

A decent guide book will provide all the history you need and sort of bring the site to life.

Getting to the Acropolis is pretty simple because you can see it from just about anywhere in the city.  If in doubt, just head towards it and climb.  When you visit the Parthenon you won't be able to go inside, but that's nothing new.  Even in ancient times only priests and VERY important visitors were allowed to enter the temple.  It's constantly undergoing some form of renovation and the cranes and scaffolding do deter from the view a bit.  If you want to see, enter, and even touch a perfect Parthenon, just head to downtown Nashville. 

If you keep heading "up" you'll eventually get there - in this case through the Ancient Agora.

There's more than just the Parthenon to see when you visit the Acropolis.  There's Beule Gate - built by the Romans, the Propylaia - the original and impressive entrance dating back to the 5th Century B.C., Herodes Atticus Theater, and the Erechtheion to name a few.

Branelle beneath Herodes Atticus Theater and the Parthenon.  The theater is partially restored so that it can be used.

Perhaps the most impressive thing about the Acropolis aside from the Parthenon are the views of Athens and the surrounding area.  In fact, as you look over the sides of the Acropolis at the Ancient Agora and the houses in the Plaka district, you're basically looking at the same layout of the ancient city that Greeks viewed thousands of years prior to your arrival. 

At first glance, massive Athens is striking.  Unfortunately, a closer look reveals a dirty, run-down, overcrowded disappointment.

While the spectacular Acropolis may be beautiful and peaceful, the majority of Athens is not.  If I'm being honest, Athens is not one of my favorite European cities.  For one thing, it's huge!  I believe it's the 4th most populated city in Europe.  It's also dirty and run down.  It may be one of the oldest cities in recorded history (and there are odd ruins dating back thousands of years in some strange places), but the issue is how old and run down the "modern" parts of Athens have become.  Graffiti and trash seem to cover everything and no one bothers to do anything about it.  The country is broke and the city is overpopulated and, quite frankly, poorly planned.  That said, hosting the Olympics in 2004 has vastly improved some areas (as is often the case).  A wonderful set of tree-lined, pedestrian only walkways along some of the ancient city's important areas built for the Olympics has transformed the tourist areas from a traffic-ridden horror to a clean(ish) and convenient delight.

The many pedestrian-only streets near the Acropolis left over from the 2004 Olympics are a much needed addition.

If you're a traveler, you HAVE to visit Athens at some point to see the Parthenon and the Acropolis - it's the cradle of Western civilization for goodness sakes!  If you get the chance, see it at night - it's spectacular lit up.  While I wouldn't recommend spending a week here, take your time and hit the touristy sites like the Acropolis, the Athens Museum, and the Plaka District.  A lot of travelers (Rick Steves for example) love to tell you to "avoid tourist areas and see the REAL parts of a country for the culture".  Don't do that here!  Just follow the tourist guides, get in and get out, and check the Parthenon and the Acropolis off of your "100 Places to See Before You Die" list.