I tried and failed, but things actually worked out better

Sunday, November 9th, 2008
Athens, Greece

One of the headless statues you will find in the Ancient Agora.

So I attempted head to Delphi today and even got up nice and early so that I could catch a 0730 bus. However, I missed the stop for the bus station (I knew which one it was but questioned myself when I got there and stayed on the bus….should have trusted my first instinct) and had to ride the bus all the way back around. By the time I got back to the station I had just missed that bus. The next one did not leave until 1030 but that meant by the time I got out there everything would be getting ready to close. So instead I decided to stay in Athens and check out the Acropolis.

They say (and I mean all the tour books) it is best to get there nice and early to avoid the crowds. I was there nice and early and while there were a few tour groups (from the cruise ships), it was not too bad. Once again it is sunday so it was free to visit so it ended up saving me a little money too. I have also learned that pretty much every town has an acropolis. "Acropolis" is the rocks that monuments are on and means the summit or highest point of the city. In many ancient cities this is where you will find temples and theatres and other important buildings. Of course Athens’ acropolis is "The" Acropolis and the one everyone needs to see.

So The Acropolis contains several different parts.

The first part I got to was the Theatre of Dionysos. I got an outside look on it due to the side of the Acropolis I approached from. I think it was the south but don’t quote me on that. They believe it had a capacity of about 17,000 people although it really does not look like it would hold that many. It is one of the most ancient theatres in the world and in the 5th century BC people would have been treated to plays written by Aeschylos, Aristophanes and Sophocles. I couldn’t go inside however to preserve the mosaic that is on the floor.

The entrance to the Acropolis is known as the Propylaia. It was constructed from 432 to 437 BC. It is in the process of under going a lot of restoration right now so was covered with scaffolding so does not look as good as it will in the near future.

The next thing is of course the Parthenon which is also under going some restoration (and as I am told has been for a long time so if you see a photo where there is no scaffolding.....it is very old). The restoration was scheduled to be done by the 2004 Olympics but it appears there is still a lot of work to be done.

The Parthenon is a temple that was dedicated to the Goddess Athena and was built over the remains of an older monument. Of course it is the highlight of the Acropolis and I am very happy to have seen it.

The Erechtheion is considered the most holy site of the Acropolis. Myth says that the Goddess Athena planted an olive tree (her sacred symbol) on this site and that it was destroyed by Persian invaders. The tree is said to have sprouted again when the Persians were expelled.

The maiden figures known as the caryatids support the southern balcony of the temple. These are only copies but you can see the originals inside the Acropolis Museum and the British Museum.

The Temple of Athena Nike is also on the Acropolis. It was built in celebration of the Greeks’ victory against the Persians.

Next I visited Philopappou Hill. Yes, I climbed down from the Acropolis and then back up a different hill, which was just opposite the Acropolis.

The remains of the funerary monument of Philopappou. It is about 12 metres (about 40 feet) tall and is decorated with depictions of Philopappou and his family.

It of course also provided a great view of the Acropolis and Athens below. On the way up I passed the Socrates Prison and the Tombs of Kimon.

The view of the Acropolis from Philopappou Hill.

I then walked back down that hill and made my way to the Ancient Agora, or market. It was once the heart of the ancient city, was an ancient meeting place and first home of the democratic assembly before it was moved.

The Temple of Hephaestus overlooks the entire site. Hephaestus was the patron of blacksmiths and metal workers.

In the centre you will find the Church of the Holy Apostles and at the far end you will find the Stoa of Attalos. The Stoa was actually completely rebuilt from 1953-1956 and is home to a small museum now with items found at the Agora site.

One of the items in the Stoa museum. It was labeled the Protogeometric burial of a girl and was dated around 1000 BC. Very neat to see the possessions she was buried with.

A few more of the ruins in the Agora.

Once my tour of these ancient sites was complete. I made my way back to the parliament buildings. My timing was perfect and I made it there in time to see the Changing of the Guard. This occurs every hour on the hour, 24 hours a day. The Guards stand at the Tomb Of the Unknown Soldier and they wear the traditional uniform right down to the shoes.

Some of the boys arriving.

A video of a small portion of the ceremony.

While in the area I also stopped by the Temple of the Olympian Zeus also known as the Olympieion. Only 15 of the original 104 marble pillars are still standing. It was said to be one the largest temples in the ancient world. It was dedicated in 131 AD, 700 years after work on it started.

A view of those 15 columns. Standing here you really can see how large this temple was. Some say this is (or was) the only temple built that was worthy of the god it was dedicated to.

My last stop of the day was at The Archaeological Museum.

Of course is was also free so it turned out to be a very cheap day. This place is quite amazing. It is full of statues and other artefacts that have been collected in the area. Some of them are in very poor condition but some look very well preserved. All very neat to see.

This is part of a statue that decorated the Temple of the Goddess Mut at Karnak. It was one of 700 statues that decorated the temple.

A couple of random pieces throughout the museum. Gives you an idea of the things you will see if you ever decide to visit.

One of my favourite museum pieces thus far. Kind of creepy. The eyes of this statue were made of a different, unknown material, which has long since disintegrated so the face is all that is left.

Well that was was my very long Sunday. I think I managed to see almost all of Athens. And I feel like this is first time I have sat down all day. Tomorrow will not be any less busy as I plan on making my way to Delphi. Hopefully this time I will make the bus.

Julie