Hello and welcome! Lately, I went on a trip through Greece and spent one whole week in Athens. And of course what is the first thing you do in Athens? You go up and see the Acropolis. Well, I didn’t. I wanted to get up early to be the first one up the Acropolis, so I waited until I actually had enough time and went up there! So I walked through an empty Athens and had some breakfast and coffee before I sat in front of the entrance for them to open it.
One of the most wonderful things in Athens is that as a student of an EU country you can visit all the sights without having to pay for them!
The Beautiful Acropolis
The Acropolis itself is actually a mesa in the center of Athens. On its top, there is the Parthenon, a temple built to honor the goddess Athena. She is one of the twelve Olympian gods and patron of the city, that was named after her.
Once, she and Poseidon, god of the oceans fought over the predominance of the city and both gave a gift to the inhabitants of the formerly unnamed city. They didn’t like Poseidon’s salty spring and preferred Athena’s olive tree. That’s how the Greeks received the olive tree and how Athens got its name.
Besides the Parthenon, the Acropolis also holds some fantastic pieces of art and architecture, that you actually shouldn’t quit! Make sure to refresh your knowledge about the ancient Greek gods, so you will recognize who the sculptures are displaying.
Related: Visiting the Acropolis With Kids
A Short Excursion: The Greek Gods
A short description of the twelve Olympian gods, for you to recognize them at first glance!
- Zeus: godfather, always in the center, most likely to sit on a throne and holding lightnings.
- Poseidon: god of the oceans, holding a trident.
- Hera: wife and sister of Zeus, goddess of family, wears a diadem & could be surrounded by pomegranates & peacocks.
- Demeter: goddess of seasons, nature and agriculture. Holds a bundle of ears.
- Apollon: god of lights, music and culture. Holds a lyre.
- Artemis: Goddess of hunting and wildlife, holds a bow and arrow.
- Athena: goddess of wisdom, wears a helmet & holds a spear. Her armor shows the head of Medusa.
- Ares: god of war, most likely to hold a sword, shield and wearing a helmet.
- Aphrodite: goddess of war, very naked most of the time.
- Hermes: god of thieves, messenger of the gods. Wears a helmet or shoes with wings.
- Hephaestus: god of the blacksmiths and volcanos. Holds a hammer and an anvils
- Dionysos: god of wine, joy & theatre, holds wine or grapes.
The Slopes of The Acropolis
At first, I thought that the Acropolis is only a mountain with a temple on it, but that is far from being true! Besides the Parthenon, there are a few amazing things to see at the Acropolis!
Make sure to see the theatre of Dionysos, a theatre that held up to 17.000 people, quite impressive isn’t it?
Furthermore, you need to see the Erechtheion, a temple dedicated to both, Poseidon and Athena. It has some beautiful pillars and is interesting to look at!
The slopes also hold a great collection of old pillars and sculptures that you need to see!
If you want to learn more about the Acropolis, check out the Acropolis museum that teaches you more about the historical and architectural background of the Parthenon and the slopes!
And that’s all I have to say about the Acropolis! I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did!
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Are you planning a trip to Athens? Check these posts out!
- Make sure to see the rest of Athens with my Athens Self Guided Walking Tour!
- To see more of those incredible ancient buildings, plan a day trip to Delphi
- When visiting Santorini, check out those gorgeous sites!
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