Acropolis

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Why
the Acropolis
in Athens is special

The 2400-year-old Acropolis is the symbol of the ancient Greek civilization whose art, literature and zeal for democracy still influence our world today.

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Acropolis
tips & insights

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Setting

It is a mammoth, steep-sided rock outcropping crowned by a complex of temples and other monumental buildings.

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Golden Age

The Acropolis was erected around 440 BC during the Golden Age of Greece. It honored Athena, the city's protecting goddess.

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"Poor taste"

The Acropolis was conceived and championed by the 5th century BC Athenian leader Pericles. Interestingly, while the world today widely praises its architecture, some of his contemporaries considered it to be in poor taste.

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Parthenon

The stunning Parthenon (see top-right section of photo) is the chief attraction of the Acropolis complex.

After the fall of ancient Greece, the Parthenon was used for various purposes including church, mosque and military facility.

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Other main Acropolis attractions

The main tourism draws include:

Caryatids
They are a photogenic row of five statues of maidens supporting the porch of the Erechtheion Temple. (They are copies. Four of the originals are in the nearby Acropolis Museum. The other is in the British Museum in London.)

Nike Temple
This small, distinguished temple honors Athena.

Propylaea
The monumental entrance gateway to the Acropolis.

Also don't miss the Dionysus and Atticus theatres carved into the lower slopes of the Acropolis.

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Time has been unkind

The Acropolis has suffered through the centuries.

Explosion
In 1687 (over 2,000 years after the Acropolis was built), a stray cannon shell blew up ammunition being stored inside the Parthenon. The explosion permanently collapsed the roof and seriously damaged the columned walls.

Elgin Marbles
In the early 1800s, priceless marbles (now called the Elgin Marbles) were transferred without Greek approval to the British Museum in London. The Greek government has been demanding their return, without success.

Scaffolding
When I first visited the Parthenon in 1966, it had no scaffolding. Unfortunately, it now bears that visual distraction because of a lengthy reconstruction project.

Air pollution
It is badly eroding the precious historic buildings.

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Name

Acropolis means "high city", referring to a hilltop location. Some communities in Greece have an acropolis, too. The best known of those is the Lindos Acropolis in the Greek Islands. However, the one in Athens is so famous that when you say "Acropolis" by itself, most people assume you are talking about the Athenian version.

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View of Athens

The Acropolis offers stunning views of Athens. One of the best viewpoints is near the Nike Temple.

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Best times

If you're visiting Greece in the summer, I strongly recommend you arrive at the Acropolis when its gates open (8 a.m.) or in the late afternoon. This should significantly enhance your experience. Midday is not only blistering hot, the site crawls with two-legged ants (tourists).

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