Acropolis of Athens
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- The Acropolis. Rising up from the center of Athens is the Acropolis, a fortified limestone plateau that is topped with the Parthenon and several other historical monuments.
- The Acropolis Museum. The Acropolis Museum is an archeological museum that houses the artifacts found on the Acropolis and the surrounding slopes. Acropolis Museum | Best Things to Do in Athens.
- Ancient Agora & Temple of Hephaestus. The Ancient Agora is an archaeological site located near the Acropolis. For 5,000 years, this area was used as a marketplace, gathering place, and residential area.
- Roman Agora. Located just a short distance away from the Ancient Agora is the Roman Agora. This market and collection of buildings was built in the first century BC during the rule of Julius and Augustus Caesar.
Website. cityofathens.gr. Athens ( / ˈæθɪnz / ATH-inz) [6] [7] is the capital and largest city of Greece. A major coastal urban area in the Mediterranean, Athens is also the capital of the Attica region and is the southernmost capital on the European mainland.
- 338 m (1,109 ft)
- 10x xx, 11x xx, 120 xx
- 70.1 m (230.0 ft)
- Greece
A journey through time. Welcome to Athens, the historical capital of Europe. Welcome to the birthplace of democracy, arts, science and philosophy of western civilisation. Home of Plato, Socrates, Pericles, Euripides, Sophocles, Aeschylus. Athens is one of the world’s oldest cities.
- Overview
- Character of the city
Athens, historic city and capital of Greece. Many of Classical civilization’s intellectual and artistic ideas originated there, and the city is generally considered to be the birthplace of Western civilization.
Athens lies 5 miles (8 km) from the Bay of Phaleron, an inlet of the Aegean (Aigaíon) Sea where Piraeus (Piraiévs), the port of Athens, is situated, in a mountain-girt arid basin divided north-south by a line of hills. Greater Athens has an area of 165 square miles (427 square km). The Kifisós River, only a trickle in summer, flows through the western half; the Ilisós River, often dry, traverses the eastern half. The surrounding mountains—Párnis, 4,636 feet (1,413 metres); Pentelicus (Pendéli), 3,631 feet; Hymettos (Imittós), 3,365 feet; and Aigáleon, 1,535 feet—add to the impression of barrenness. Yet such considerations are superficial when compared with the fecundity of Athens’s bequests to the world, such as its philosophy, its architecture, its literature, and its political ideals.
Athens, with its tall buildings and contemporary shops, is the first European city when approached from the Middle East. When approached from the west, from elsewhere in Europe, what strikes the visitor is the influence of the East—in the food, music, and clamorous street life—perhaps vestiges of a time when Athens was divorced from European society under the yoke of Ottoman rule. Nevertheless, it is wrong to say that Athens is a mixture of East and West: it is Greek and, more particularly, Athenian. The city, after all, nurtured Western civilization thousands of years ago. Athens remains on the world stage to this day.
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Notably, in 2004 the world came to the city for the Olympic Games, which spurred a dramatic makeover for Athens. In addition to building a raft of new sports venues and facilities (including a stadium designed by Santiago Calatrava), Athens undertook massive transportation infrastructure improvements that included dramatic expansion of public transportation and the construction of a new international airport.
Some three centuries after the death of Pericles (429 bce), Athenians entered upon a period of bondage that lasted almost 2,000 years. The city was freed in 1833, and in the following 170 years it was the scene of more than a dozen revolutions, another brutal foreign occupation, and a civil war of especial savagery. This long history of passion and suffering has had considerable effect on the Athenian character. The core of that character is an implacable will to survive, buttressed by a profound sense of loyalty (especially to the family) and patriotism. The Greek Orthodox Church, which is directed by a synod sitting in Athens, was a main force in keeping alive the Greek language, tradition, and literature when such things were forbidden, and most people still support it.
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Sep 19, 2023 · 18 Best Things to Do in Athens, Greece. By Holly Johnson. |. Reviewed by Ann Henson. |. Last updated on Sep. 19, 2023. Athens offers an endless number of experiences and attractions, from its...
Explore Athens with a Local. Meet an Athenian and discover the city beyond the guide books. The official guide to the city of Athens. Where to eat, drink, and swim, top archaeological sites and museums to visit, plus all the essential tips to help plan your trip.
Nov 11, 2023 · Founded in 508 BCE, Athens is one of the oldest cities in the world and it's regularly touted as one of the Mediterranean’s best capital cities to visit. From… Athens is a traveler-friendly city packed full of amazing sights – here's a local's guide to help you plan your first trip to Greece's capital.
