Acropolis, Athens

I've literally just got back from a trip to Athens with a group of other students who were also studying Ancient History and Ciivlisations with me, including my boyfriend luckily. As such I thought I would review different aspects of Athens and the goods I bought, and what better place to start then Athens' most famous tourist destination, the Acropolis.

The word Acropolis means roughly peak of the city and can be used to describe numerous other locations throughout Greece but because of its celebrity status, it is simply referred to as 'THE' Acropolis. It can be seen throughout the city in a huge number of places, including luckily for me, from my hotel roof terrace. At night time it is lit and glows a gentle yellow-amber colour, which looks great in front of the flashing city colours of its nightlife.

We didn't have to pay to enter the Acropolis because we were all students, but for adults it was 12euros to enter the sanctuary. To reach the paypoint you must first scale the first part of the hill which isn't too taxing, but very slippery as much of the floor is made from a marble material, so be prepared for this. When you reach the first peak point, you'll see to your left a small hut where a few women tend to sit out front in deck chairs offering tours and even further left a drinks kiosk which offered great iced drinks, the equivalent of a slush puppy. Beside this is where you pay and from here still you can make out the Athene Nike temple.

When you have paid you go through a small terminal where you scan your ticket and then you climb a little further up a hill. There are amazing panoramic views of the city from here, and it is well worth you take a decent camera with you. You are not allowed to take drinks in with you (I learnt this the hard way and had to sit outside finishing off mine while my group went in) presumably to prevent any damage to the buildings.

The first building you will see will either be the Propylaea or the Athene Nike which is set a little off to its right. The Propylaea was once the entrance hall where the procession which travelled to the top of the mountain to celebrate the Panathanaic Procession in honour of the goddess Athene. It is opened up and partially restored so that you still get the general feel of its grandeur and scale. You simply walk through the middle on a ramp which would have once been used to escort livestock through. This building was a gateway and also housed a gallery and a sculpture room and would have once been very grand indeed.

The building to the right of this which I mentioned previously is the Athene Nike temple. This is a small Ionic temple which once functioned as a treasury. It is the smallest structure and also the best preserved on the Acropolis. Once the interior housed three sides of a frieze which had images of wars betweens Athenians against the Amazons, Spartans and Persians respectively.

Once you have walked through the Propylaea to your right again is the awe-inspiring Parthenon. This is a building of amazing grandeur dedicated to Athene, Athens' patron goddess. The name stems from the word Parthenoi which means virgin and references Athene. It is huge at 30 x 70m and of the golden ratio for a Doric temple. The remnants of the pediment which is simply the triangle beneath the roof are either destroyed or rehoused, in particular in the British Museum due to the acts of Elgin who according to some wrongfully stole parts of the structure. It is not excellently preserved, mostly due to an explosion that occurred in 1697 after the Venesians fired upon the structure which had been used as a gunpowder magasine by the Ottomans. When it was in its original use it was also home to a huge structure called the Chryselaphantine Athene made of gold, ivory and precious jewels, an idol of the goddess. This is no longer here but still remarkable to consider.

To the left when you enter onto the Acropolis is the Erechtheon. This is the most unconventional structure and is made of various rooms and levels. It was dedictaed to various individuals and housed various different commodities. The Athene Polos (an olive wood statue of Athene sent by Zeus) was housed in one room, and on another level on the outside was the apparent scorch marks of Poseidon (who battled Athene for the patronage of Athens, as depicted in one of the two pediments on the Parthenon). On one of its exterior sides are the caryatids, 6 female youths stood in various poses who serve as support beams as well as intricate structures. The ones you see still stood on the building however are now only replicas as one is stood in the British Museum and others are in the Acropolis Museum.

I would recommend if you were to visit the Acropolis, because of the heat and exposure of the outcrop, you visit before 12pm when the weather is particually harsh. Additionally, you may be able to beat all the other tourists, and as such get a less busy visit as well as better pictures of the structures themselves! However because of its great popularity it is unlikely it will even not be busy, so thats something to bear in mind.

The easiest way to reach the Acropolis, I think, is via the Metro (Athens' underground system) which is very easy to navigate and surprisingly cheap. A ticket which lasts for an hour and a half of repeated use as a student cost only 70cents, whereas for an adult the price is about a euro from memory. The station you need to reach the Acropolis is conveniently called Akropoli and you arrive in a lovely, very French looking Bistro area with many restaurants and bars. From here it is a short 5-10 minute walk to the Acropolis Museum and the Acropolis itself. I would recommend that if unlike me, you didn't happen to study the Acropolis and its history, you visit this museum first as it is excellent and very informative.

To conclude, the Acropolis is truly spectacular and much more impressive than my textbook images had me believe. The views of the structures and Athens itself are very beautiful and staff and police are always about to offer any assistance. It is perhaps the most visited area of Athens, and no wonder as it is a very special place to see indeed. It is well worth the short hill climb, and so long as you stay hydrated, a very very enjoyable experience indeed. I would recommend again and again.

Summary: An amazing panoramic view of Athens and Ancient temples

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