the Acropolis! Stroll through the ruins of old temples and travel back in time to the Golden Age of Greece.

Acropolis Tour  | Cultural Places

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Let us take you with us and guide you through the most manifold and overwhelming sight of Athens: the Acropolis! Stroll through the ruins of old temples and travel back in time to the Golden Age of Greece.

We hope you had a great time exploring the magnificent Acropolis. This tour has been designed by the Cultural Places team.

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The monuments built in the 5th century BC on the Acropolis represent the century of power and wealth in Athens, known as the Golden Age of Pericles. In addition to many war damages, during the expansion of Christianity, many reliefs, and sculptures were destroyed. The best-preserved buildings are the Propylea, the temple of Nike, the Erechtheion temple, and the Parthenon temple. The restoration of the Acropolis is an ongoing project today, aiming to return the site to its former glory. The Temple of Athena Nike was built next to Propylea between 426-421 BC and was designed by the architect Callicrates. A frieze by sculptor Agoracritus depicted battle scenes between the Greeks and Persians on three sides and, on the east side, an assembly of the Olympian gods watching these battles.The temple was destroyed in the 17th century and rebuilt in the 19th century after the independence of Greece.

The Temple of Athena Nike

One of the greatest and the most talented Greek architects, Mnesicles, designed the monumental gateway made of marble, the Propylea in 437–432 BC. According to Pausanias, a Greek traveler and geographer the north wing housed an art gallery with paintings by famous artists. The most significant destruction happened in 1640 during the Ottoman rule when a Venetian mortar round hit the temple and ignited a store of gunpowder that the defending Ottomans had placed there.

Propylea

The Athena Promachos was a massive bronze statue of the goddess Athena made in the middle of the 5th century BC by famous sculptor Phidias. The sculpture was ten meters (thirty feet) high, and it took nine years to complete it. Athena Promachos was taken to Constantinople in the 7th century under the Byzantine emperor Justinian’s order. It was destroyed in Constantinople in 1204. Unfortunately, only parts of the base from the Athena Promachos statue remains today.

Athena Promachos

The Parthenon was a temple dedicated to Athena, guardian of the city of Athens, built in 447-438 BC. During the Christian era, the Parthenon became a Byzantine church, and during the Ottoman rule, it was converted into a mosque. There are no straight lines in the Parthenon. This is a deliberate feature of the design used to create the ultimate perfection. In the main room of the Parthenon was the sculpture of the Goddess Athena, the most magnificent and one of the most expensive sculptures of all time created by the sculptor Phidias. Phidias also created the Frieze of the Parthenon, considered one of the best-made low relief sculptures ever. Just above the columns, the Parthenon had 92 metopes (rectangular relief panels) depicting subjects from legendary battles symbolizing the victories of the Athenians against the Persians.

Parthenon

The Old Temple of Athena was dedicated to Athena Polias and was built in Doric style in the 6th century BC. The east part of the temple had three rooms, each dedicated to Poseidon-Erechtheus, Hephaistus, and Boutes. One of the remains of the temple is a pediment, with the central figure of Athena, showing the struggle between the gods and the giants, where the gods came out winning. The pediment is kept in the Acropolis Museum.

Old Temple of Athena

The Erechtheion is a temple dedicated to Athena, Poseidon, and other gods and Greek heroes and was built between 421 and 406 BC. Unlike other temples, it has two porches, a larger one on the north side, and a smaller one facing the Parthenon that is also known for its Caryatids, pillars in the shape of female figures supporting the roof. It was the center of the Greek mythological past. One of the most famous myths is the contest between Athena and Poseidon for possession of Athens.

Erechtheion

The Old Acropolis Museum was built between 1865 and 1874 in the same place as the Sanctuary of Pandion. Architect Panagis Kalkos designed the museum in a modern style. Due to the limitation of the building size, the old museum was closed in 2007, and its antiquities were moved to a new museum opened in June 2009.

Old Acropolis Museum

The first wall was built in the Mycenaean period, around 1200 BC, called the 'Cyclopean' wall. Its remains are still visible. The Persians damaged parts of the wall from the Mycenaean period. The material that remained, including monuments after the destruction by the Persians was later reused for making new walls. Another wall, the Kimonean, was erected in 467 BC. After the Herulian invasion in the third century AD, a new wall was built, making Acropolis a fortress again.

Acropolis Fortification Wall

The Odeon of Herodes Atticus was funded by the wealthy benefactor of Athens Herodes Atticus in memory of his wife Aspasia Regilla. It was made between 160 AD – 174 AD and used for musical performances and competitions with a capacity of 5,000 spectators. The roof 38 m in radius had no traces of internal fixings, a unique construction achievement even today. Today, the Odeon of Herodes Atticus is one of the best places to enjoy the classic theater performances, concerts, and architecture.

Odeon of Herodes Atticus

The Sanctuary of Asclepius was a healing temple. It was dedicated to God of Medicine, Asclepius, and his daughter Hygieia. Asclepius was the first doctor-demigod in Greek mythology. The sanctuary consisted of two stoas and the small temple of Asclepius. The patients who came to seek the cure called it Enkimeterion, or “Sleep temple” because sleeping was a part of the healing process. The sanctuary was destroyed in 267 AD by the barbarian tribe, Heruli.

Sanctuary of Asclepius or Asclepieion

The Choregic Monument of Thrasyllos was built about 320 BC. In the middle of the monument, there was a statue of the god Dionysus. This statue was taken by Lord Elgin and is now exhibited in the British Museum in London. The monument was used for religious purposes in Early-Christian times, and it was dedicated to the Mother of God and was named "Our Lady in the Cave."

Choregic Monument of Thrasyllos

The Stoa of Eumenes was donated by Eumenes II of Pergamon around 160 BC and was 190 meters long. Parts of the stoa was later demolished to build the Odeon of Herodes Atticus. The stoa was then linked to the Odeon and used to protect the theater visitors from the rain and the sun. It was built of marble and had Doric columns on the ground level and Ionian on the upper one. The stoa was entirely destroyed, probably with the Herulian incursion of 267 AD.

Stoa of Eumenes

The magnificent Theater of Dionysus believed to be the birthplace of the drama. It is located at the foot of the Acropolis and was built in the 4th century BC and was dedicated to Dionysus, the god of the wine.It was the place where Sophocles, Euripides, and Aeschylus performed their plays. The capacity of the theater was estimated to be between 17,000 and 19,000 seats. Behind the stage of the Theater of Dionysus was the sanctuary of Dionysus. The sanctuary consisted of a small stoa and the archaic temple of Dionysus, probably from the 6th century BC, replaced with a new temple in 340 BC.

Theater of Dionysus

The Acropolis Museum, built at the foot of the Acropolis, opened its doors to the public in the summer of 2009. This archeological museum is focused on the findings of the archeological site of the Acropolis, and nearly 4,000 objects are exhibited on three floors over an area of 14,000 square meters. It is hard to describe everything wort seeing at the Acropolis museum, so the simple advice is not to miss the opportunity but go there and see it yourself!

Acropolis Museum

If you have already visited the hill and the museum or if you need to take a break, consider exploring the area around Acropolis. <ul><li>Apostolou Pavlou is a pedestrian area with many cafés and restaurants where you can enjoy a coffee or a meal with a view. </li><li>In Monastiraki Square, you can taste the famous Greek souvlaki. </li><li>If you want to buy souvenirs, visit Adrianou street and other narrow streets in Plaka. The Acropolis Museum shop also has exciting gifts. </li></ul>Whatever you choose, we hope you enjoy it!

Take a Break and Discover the Surroundings

Acropolis Tour

Introduction

Fortification Wall

The monuments built in the 5th century BC on the Acropolis represent the century of power and wealth in Athens, known as the Golden Age of Pericles. In addition to many war damages, during the expansion of Christianity, many reliefs, and sculptures were destroyed. The best-preserved buildings are the Propylea, the temple of Nike, the Erechtheion temple, and the Parthenon temple. The restoration of the Acropolis is an ongoing project today, aiming to return the site to its former glory. The Temple of Athena Nike was built next to Propylea between 426-421 BC and was designed by the architect Callicrates. A frieze by sculptor Agoracritus depicted battle scenes between the Greeks and Persians on three sides and, on the east side, an assembly of the Olympian gods watching these battles.The temple was destroyed in the 17th century and rebuilt in the 19th century after the independence of Greece.

Acropolis Tour

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Audioguides

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