Plaka and Monastiraki - Wandering around

Day 4

After the museum, spent lazy afternoon strolling, eating and shopping around Plaka and Monastiraki.

B had to try all the Greek beer

Delicious! Souvlaki - meat on skewer. Similar to satay without the peanut sauce.

grilled corn - sweet and delicious!

Don't miss the Greek frozen yoghurt.

Happy Train ride around Athens. Good idea to take ride around Athens and then explore on own.

a few minutes of distraction during rest time

waiting to see how the cat would get off the tree

Acropolis of Athens - A Monumental Wonder

The Parthenon, the most perfect Doric temple built

Day 4

Last stop on half day city tour - Acropolis and the museum. Very hot day. Very crowded at the Acropolis. Good to visit Acropolis early in morning when it's not too hot.

Acro in Greek means 'edge' and polis means 'city.' An acropolis is the high point of a city where a shrine to a city's most important god might be placed.

The magnificent buildings of the Acropolis were erected by Pericles around the 5th century BC - Parthenon, the Erechtheion, and the Temple of Nike. The Propylaea, the monumental entrance to the sacred area was also constructed in the same period.

The Acropolis is a UNESCO World Heritage site. 

The Propylaea literally means that which is before the gate.  It has come to mean gate building.

The Propylaea, grand entrance to Acropolis

 

Crowds at the Propylaea

Propylaea

On right of Propylaea is the Temple of Athena Nike, goddess of victory in war. Earliest fully ionic temple on the Acropolis.

Aeropagus, Rock of Ares. In classical times, site of courts. St Paul preached on this rock.

Awakenings of democracy on this site across the Acropolis

Erechtion sits on site where Poseidon and Athena had contest over who would be the Patron of Athens

Maidens of Karyatides at the Erechtions

Parthenon

Parthenon, temple to patron goddess, Athena

View from the Acropolis

Model of Parthenon at the New Acropolis museum

Acropolis museum  houses the artefacts of archaeological site of the Acropolis

museum built above the ruins of ancient Roman and Byzantine town.

Combined ticket price of 12 euro is valid for 4 days for following sites in Athens -
 - Acropolis & Acropolis Museum
- Ancient Agora & Agora Museum
- Kerameikos & Kerameikos Museum
- Temple of Olymian Zeus
- Roman Agora & Tower of the Winds

Should visit the Acropolis at the start of holiday in Athens. 

I visited the Acropolis towards the end of my stay in Athens. Did not have time to see the above sites. After museum, wandered around Plaka and Monastiraki, had lunch and by the time I went to the Ancient Agora at 3.30pm, it was closed for the day. Very disappointed. Closed at 3pm!

Ancient Agora

Athens - City of the Goddess Athena

 

  Day 4 : 4 Aug 2012

Half day city tour today with G.O. Same guide as Delphi tour.

1) Hadrian's Arch & Temple of the Olympian Zeus

Drove past Hadrian's Arch and Temple of Zeus. 

Arch was built to celebrate arrival of Roman emperor Hadrian. Guide said that Athen was his favourite city. Entire arch is made from Pentelic marble. 

Hadrian's Arch

Zeus is King of Olympian Gods. Temple originally had 104 Corinthian columns. Now, only 15 remain. Largest temple in Athens.

2) Panathenaic Stadium

This is the birthplace of the modern Olympic Games. The Stadium hosted the 1st modern Olympic games in 1896. Reconstructed from an ancient Greek stadium, it is the only stadium made entirely of white marble. Can accommodate about 69,000 spectators. This is the finish line for the annual Athens Marathon held in November.

In 490 BC a giant Persian army invaded the small town of Marathon near the coast of Greece. The route for the modern marathon is based on the legend of  a messenger named Pheidippides who ran 42 km from the battlefield to the capital. He died affter he announced his joyous message that the Greeks had defeated the Persians. 

Stadium

3) Parliament, Syntagma
300 MPs elected every 4 years. Changing of guards occurs every hour in front of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Was lucky as witnessed the changing of guards, the Evzones, at 9am. Interesting way of marching with legs swung high. Distinctive traditional uniform worn - kilt-like garment and pompom on shoes.

Hellenic Parliament

Evzones

Tomb of Unknown Soldier

4) Acropolis
Last stop, the Acropolis.